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Historic Moments and Notable Performances

Updated through 2024-25 season

ORIGINS OF HOPE WOMEN'S GOLF

Women's intercollegiate golf was launched at Hope College in 1991. The Flying Dutch were the first champions of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

PROGRAM MILESTONES

Hope has claimed three consecutive MIAA titles twice: 2014-16 and 1991-93. The Flying Dutch have been MIAA champions nine times.

Hope placed 10th at the 21-team NCAA Division III Championship on May 10-13, 2016 in Houston, Texas. The Flying Dutch totaled a 54-hole score of 952. Rain washed out the final round. Junior Britni Gielow earned All-America honors with a seventh-place total of 225 (9-over) and matched the second-lowest finish for an individual at nationals in team history.
 
The Flying Dutch finished 11th at the 21-team NCAA Division III Championships on May 11-14, 2015 in Howie-in-the-Hills, Florida. It was the Flying Dutch's first trip to nationals. Hope recorded a 72-hole total of 1,340. All four of Hope's rounds were within seven strokes of each other. Freshman Megan Klintworth tied for 30th place to lead the Flying Dutch.
 
In 2017, the Flying Dutch equaled their second-highest finish at the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championships with an 11th-place effort in Houston, Texas. They shot a 72-hole score of 1,300, with senior Megan Wierenga placing 43rd for the best individual finish.
 
In the 2014 fall season, the Hope women's golf team claimed the seventh MIAA championship by averaging 323.3 strokes over 144 holes. Megan Klintworth was named league MVP, while Britni Gielow and Morgan Leep also made All-MIAA First Team. Klintworth set a Hope record with a 79.8 averaging during MIAA play. Hope earned the right to host the final 36 holes of the MIAA's NCAA Division III qualifier in the spring of 2015.
 
For the first time in school history, the 2008-09 Flying Dutch were nationally ranked in the Division III poll of Golf World magazine, placing 25th. The 2009-10 Flying Dutch were also ranked throughout the season, placing 15th in the final poll.

GOLFERS AND PERFORMANCES OF NOTE

Three Hope golfers have been MIAA Medalist multiple times in their careers: Lisa Stover (1991-93), Ellen Colenbrander (1996-98), and Megan Klintworth (2014, 2016).

Lisa Stover finished fifth at the 1994 tournament of the National Golf Coaches Association. Colenbrander was an NCAA All-American twice, finishing seventh in 1998 and eighth in 2000. Colenbrander qualified for nationals for four consecutive years. Stover and Colenbrander were also Academic All-Americans.

Three years after her sister competed at nationals, Emily Colenbrander repeated the fete by gaining a berth at the NCAA Division III championships.

Lacey Wicksall was named the 2001 Division III national freshman of the year. She qualified for the NCAA championships three times in her career and earned All-American honors in 2001 and 2004.

Freshman Caitlin McDougall shot the first ace of her golfing career on the par-3 12th hole (130 yards) of the Macatawa Legends golf course. The ace came in her first collegiate match on August 30, 2008.

The 2020-21 season saw the Flying Dutch only compete in the spring. The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the fall season. Hope finished second place in the spring standings. The Flying Dutch averaged 325.6 strokes over six rounds.

Three Hope golfers have received the MIAA Sportsmanship Award: Sarah Owens (2025), Abby Meder (2021 fall) and Charlotte Park (2012).