Hope College

Michelle Brander Metiva was named Hope College's head softball coach on July 17, 2023. The 2003 Mid-American Conference Softball Player of the Year at Central Michigan University and 1999 Miss Softball from Jenison High School also will serve as the Dow Center director on campus.

In two seasons, Brander has guided the Flying Dutch to a 48-33 overall record (.592) and a 20-12 mark in MIAA play (.625). Hope qualified for the MIAA Tournament in both seasons.

Brander came to Hope with extensive softball credentials as a student-athlete and a professional coach and trainer. From 2020 to 2023, Brander served as the varsity softball coach at her alma mater. Last spring, Brander guided Jenison to a 35-4 overall record and a final ranking of seventh in the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association Division 1 poll. Brander was the general manager at Elite Baseball and Softball Training in Grand Rapids. Also, a softball trainer and coach, Brander was involved with Elite since 2004.

As a player, Brander competed for the Dutch National Team from 2003 to 2004 and helped the Netherlands compete in an Olympic qualifying tournament and take second place at the European Championship Tournament.

At a college student-athletes, Brander earned All-MAC honors three times at Central Michigan University, making the first team in 2003 when the utility player was league MVP and making the second team in 2002 and 2001. Brander played for Holland native and Hall of Fame coach Margo Jonker. Brander still ranks sixth all-time at CMU with a .394 single-season batting average in 2003.

Brander graduated from Central Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in sport management.

Brander and her husband, Jeremy, have two sons: Reed and Grant.