Hope finished 22nd out of 450 NCAA Division III member schools in the 2014-15 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup all-sports standings. Hope totaled 523 points in 11 NCAA championship appearances for highest Directors’ Cup finish for Hope since a school-best, 12th-place finish in 2005-06 and a 20th-place effort during 2006-07.
Hope claimed its third NCAA national championship during the 2014-15 school year with its first title in volleyball. Coach Becky Schmidt’s Flying Dutch posted a 34-2 record after defeating Emory, Georgia, in the championship match. Hope previously earned national titles twice in women’s basketball: 2006 and 1990.
Hope student-athletes advanced to play in 11 NCAA Division III Championship events: women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s soccer, softball, women’s swimming & diving, women’s tennis, women’s track & field and volleyball.
Hope placed second in the 2014-15 MIAA Commissioner’s Cup all-sports standings with 125 points. Hope has claimed the Commissioner’s Cup a league-record 35 times, including 28 of the past 36 years.
Hope teams advanced to play in 11 of the MIAA’s NCAA Championship-qualifying tournaments: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball.
Hope topped NCAA Division III in home attendance in three sports: men’s basketball with a 2,331 fans per game, women’s basketball at 963 and volleyball at 830.
Three Hope student-athletes achieved NCAA Division III All-America status in two different sports: Jenna Grasmeyer (volleyball), Lauren Hazekamp (volleyball), Sarah Sheridan (1- and 3-meter diving).
Volleyball player Jayne Kessel repeated as an NCAA Division III Elite 89 winner. The award is given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA in each of the NCAA’s 89 national championship events.
Five Hope student-athletes were chosen Capital One Academic All-Americans as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America: Carli Capestany (women’s tennis), Kirby Crook (football), Jenna Grasmeyer (volleyball), Sarah Sheridan (women’s diving) and Julie Sobieski (softball).
Voted Hope’s outstanding senior student-athletes were Collin Breit (men’s golf) and Jenna Grasmeyer (volleyball).
Four Hope student-athletes were selected the MIAA’s most valuable athletes in their sports: Megan Klintworth (women’s golf), Winton Munch (men’s golf), Jane Pearson (women’s track & field), and Sarah Sheridan (women’s diving). Honored as the league’s outstanding defensive player was Allie Mitchell (volleyball). Receiving top sportsmanship awards from the MIAA were Anna Garcia (women’s tennis) and Cody Herbruck (men’s tennis). Lauded with the MIAA’s top student-athlete recognition were Carli Capestany (women’s tennis), Gavin Midlam (men’s soccer), and Colin McKey (men’s tennis).
A total of 54 Hope student-athletes were voted to All-MIAA First Teams and an additional 25 received All-MIAA Second Team recognition. The MIAA Academic Honor Roll featured 223 Hope student-athletes, including 19 for a fourth consecutive time. Eleven teams earned the MIAA Team GPA award, including women’s cross country for a league-record 17th time. Other teams honored were: men's cross country, women's golf, women's soccer, volleyball, women's basketball, women's swimming & diving, women's lacrosse, softball, women's tennis, and women's track & field.
Two Hope teams were recognized nationally for sportsmanship: women’s soccer by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and women’s tennis by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Football player Kirby Crook was given the National Football Foundation’s Morley Fraser Award for academic achievement, football ability and leadership. He is the second consecutive Hope player to receive the honor.
