A young, energized Hope College women's swimming team returned to campus with every qualifier an NCAA All-American as the Flying Dutch finished fifth in the Division III championships this past weekend.
It marks the eighth consecutive year that coach John
Patnott's Flying Dutch have finished in the top ten at nationals
and the fifth time since 1988 that they've been among the top
five.
Every one of the seven Hope swimmers who qualified for
nationals came back an All-American. Highlighting the
performances were three silver medal finishes in individual
events and All-America efforts in five relays.
Kenyon College of Ohio captured the national championship
with 687.5 points. Hope's fifth place total was 263 points.
Freshman Laural Horton of East Grand Rapids achieved All-
America status in three events. Voted the most valuable swimmer
in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) this
year, Horton finished second in the nation in the 100-yard
backstroke (:58.16), was third in the 200-yard backstroke
(2:06.35) and was fifth in the 200-yard individual medley
(2:09.52).
Sophomore Erinn Van Auken of Holland (West Ottawa HS) was an
All-American in two events. For the second year in-a-row she
achieved A-A status in the 100-yard freestyle finishing sixth
(:52.93). She was also sixth in the 50-yard freestyle (:24.16).
Freshman Betsy VandenBerg of Beverly Hills, Mich. finished
second in the nation in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:20.70) and
was tenth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.37).
Sophomore Llena Durante of Chicago (Whitney Young HS)
finished second in the nation in the 100-yard butterfly (:57.59)
She was also 18th in the 50-yard freestyle (:24.67) and 24th in
the 100-yard freestyle (:54.41).
Senior captain Monica Stubbs of Battle Creek (Lakeview HS)
concluded her collegiate career with an outstanding meet
achieving All-America status on two relay teams and finishing
15th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.18).
The All-America relay performances included the 200-yard
freestyle relay (fourth place), 400-yard medley relay (third),
200-yard medley relay (third), 800-yard freestyle relay (7:50.73)
and 400-yard freestyle relay (sixth place).
Members of the relay teams included freshman Katie Baumann
of Zeeland (Zeeland HS) and Kara Binkley of Oak Park, Ill. (River
Forest HS).

A young, energized Hope College women's swimming team returned to campus with every qualifier an NCAA All-American as the Flying Dutch finished fifth in the Division III championships this past weekend.
It marks the eighth consecutive year that coach John
Patnott's Flying Dutch have finished in the top ten at nationals
and the fifth time since 1988 that they've been among the top
five.
Every one of the seven Hope swimmers who qualified for
nationals came back an All-American. Highlighting the
performances were three silver medal finishes in individual
events and All-America efforts in five relays.
Kenyon College of Ohio captured the national championship
with 687.5 points. Hope's fifth place total was 263 points.
Freshman Laural Horton of East Grand Rapids achieved All-
America status in three events. Voted the most valuable swimmer
in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) this
year, Horton finished second in the nation in the 100-yard
backstroke (:58.16), was third in the 200-yard backstroke
(2:06.35) and was fifth in the 200-yard individual medley
(2:09.52).
Sophomore Erinn Van Auken of Holland (West Ottawa HS) was an
All-American in two events. For the second year in-a-row she
achieved A-A status in the 100-yard freestyle finishing sixth
(:52.93). She was also sixth in the 50-yard freestyle (:24.16).
Freshman Betsy VandenBerg of Beverly Hills, Mich. finished
second in the nation in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:20.70) and
was tenth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.37).
Sophomore Llena Durante of Chicago (Whitney Young HS)
finished second in the nation in the 100-yard butterfly (:57.59)
She was also 18th in the 50-yard freestyle (:24.67) and 24th in
the 100-yard freestyle (:54.41).
Senior captain Monica Stubbs of Battle Creek (Lakeview HS)
concluded her collegiate career with an outstanding meet
achieving All-America status on two relay teams and finishing
15th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.18).
The All-America relay performances included the 200-yard
freestyle relay (fourth place), 400-yard medley relay (third),
200-yard medley relay (third), 800-yard freestyle relay (7:50.73)
and 400-yard freestyle relay (sixth place).
Members of the relay teams included freshman Katie Baumann
of Zeeland (Zeeland HS) and Kara Binkley of Oak Park, Ill. (River
Forest HS).