Hope College head coach Austin Hunt has been named the 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Women's Tennis Coach of the Year after guiding the Flying Dutch through another dominant conference season.

Hunt led Hope to a perfect 8-0 league record, securing the program's third-consecutive MIAA regular-season championship while also extending the Flying Dutch's remarkable run with a 14th-straight MIAA Tournament title. With the tournament championship, Hope earned the league's automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Tournament.

Under Hunt's leadership, Hope continued its tradition of excellence with standout individual performances throughout the season. Three players earned All-MIAA recognition, highlighted by four-time honoree Amanda Lopykinski and two-time honoree Hadley Krygier, whose continued success helped anchor the Flying Dutch lineup.

Since taking over as Hope's men's and women's head tennis coach in July 2021, Hunt has sustained and elevated the program's championship culture, emphasizing both competitive excellence and player development. He previously was named MIAA Women's Tennis Coach of the Year in 2025.

"I want to thank my colleagues in the MIAA for voting me this honor," commented Hunt. "It's a privilege to coach in this great conference with all of you! I want to redirect this acknowledgement of my work directly to my players who have done the vast majority of the work. I would not be where I'm at today without their relentless effort and dedication to our team. I also want to thank my athletic administration and assistant coaches who keep me moving strong -- Schoonie, Kevin, Mark, Nate and Jack -- thank you for everything!"