Athletes on the six Hope College spring sports
teams have been recognized for outstanding performances by the
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) coaches.
Hope teams had an outstanding spring season, winning an MIAA
championship in women's tennis and co-championship in baseball.
The softball, men's tennis and women's track teams all finished
second in their respective races while the men's track team ended
in a tie for third place. Hope swept the year-end honors of the
MIAA capturing both the men's and women's all-sports awards and
the new Commissioner's Cup for the best cumulative finishes in
all sports for men and women.
Senior outfielder Ryan Tanis of Holland (Holland Christian
HS) was voted the most valuable MIAA baseball player marking the
fourth time this decade that the honor has been presented to a
Hope player. He played on three MIAA championship teams. This
season he batted a career-best .361 in all games and had a team-
high .598 slugging percentage behind 11 extra base hits,
including six home runs. He batted .333 in MIAA games and was
among the league leaders in total bases (44), runs scored (22),
RBIs (19) and home runs (6).
Two of three individual honors awarded in men's tennis went
to Hope athletes. Junior Erik Berg of Lansing (Lansing HS) was
presented the Stowe Sportsmanship Award while senior Robert
Brandt of Holland (Grand Rapids Christian HS) received the
Lawrence Green Scholarship. It is the third time in four years
that a Hope player has been presented the sportsmanship award.
It is the second consecutive year that a Hope player has received
the academic award which honors the memory of the late Lawrence
"Doc" Green, longtime athletic trainer and coach at Hope.
The championship baseball team had six players receive All-
MIAA honors. Senior shortstop Dean Esteves of Hudsonville
(Hudsonville HS) was voted to the first team for the third
consecutive year. He was joined on the first team by Tanis and
sophomore shortstop Sean Bateman of Saline (Saline HS). Voted to
the All-MIAA second team were senior second baseman Matt Klein of
DeWitt (DeWitt HS), junior outfielder Ben Fellows of Lansing
(Lansing Eastern HS), and senior pitcher Adam Labbe of Cadillac
(Cadillac HS).
The Flying Dutch softball team also had six players earn
All-MIAA honors. Voted to the first team were sophomore pitcher
Kim Grotenhuis of Hamilton (Hamilton HS), senior outfielder
Christa Murphy of Midland (Midland HS) and sophomore catcher
Carrie Scott of Centreville (Centreville HS). Voted to the All-
MIAA second team were junior outfielder Angie Ciesielski of
Linden (Linden HS) and senior pitcher Lisa Larzelere of Omaha,
Neb. (Westside HS).
In men's tennis, junior Paul Lillie of Roseville, Minn.
(Roseville HS) was voted to the All-MIAA first team for the
second year in-a-row while teammates Chad Bollinger, a junior
from Petoskey (Petoskey HS), and Kai Bouchard, a sophomore from
Hinsdale, Ill. (Hinsdale Township HS) were voted to the second
team.
In women's tennis, junior Jennifer Smith of Holland (Holland
HS) was voted to the All-MIAA first team for the second year in-
a-row. She was joined on the first team by sophomore teammate
Julie Murray of Spring Lake (Spring Lake HS). Sophomore Krissy
Kooyer of Holland (Holland Christian HS) was voted to the second
team.
Seven athletes were voted to the All-MIAA track and field
teams. Junior Paul Berke of Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South HS),
the league champion in the 10,000-meter run, is the only Hope
honoree on the All-MIAA men's team.
Voted to the All-MIAA women's team were freshman Sarah
Burgess of Niles (Buchanan HS), junior Jennifer Ernst of
Westerville, Ohio (Westerville South HS), senior Becky Timmer of
Pella, Iowa (Pella HS), freshman Elizabeth Chapman of Marquette
(Marquette HS), junior Kim Richardson of Sanford (Meridian HS),
and sophomore Emily Sowers of Grand Rapids (GR Christian HS).
Ernst was the conference champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters,
Burgess captured the gold in the shot put, Sowers repeated as
league champion in the discus and Kim Richardson took first in
the high jump.
Athletes on the six Hope College spring sports
teams have been recognized for outstanding performances by the
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) coaches.
Hope teams had an outstanding spring season, winning an MIAA
championship in women's tennis and co-championship in baseball.
The softball, men's tennis and women's track teams all finished
second in their respective races while the men's track team ended
in a tie for third place. Hope swept the year-end honors of the
MIAA capturing both the men's and women's all-sports awards and
the new Commissioner's Cup for the best cumulative finishes in
all sports for men and women.
Senior outfielder Ryan Tanis of Holland (Holland Christian
HS) was voted the most valuable MIAA baseball player marking the
fourth time this decade that the honor has been presented to a
Hope player. He played on three MIAA championship teams. This
season he batted a career-best .361 in all games and had a team-
high .598 slugging percentage behind 11 extra base hits,
including six home runs. He batted .333 in MIAA games and was
among the league leaders in total bases (44), runs scored (22),
RBIs (19) and home runs (6).
Two of three individual honors awarded in men's tennis went
to Hope athletes. Junior Erik Berg of Lansing (Lansing HS) was
presented the Stowe Sportsmanship Award while senior Robert
Brandt of Holland (Grand Rapids Christian HS) received the
Lawrence Green Scholarship. It is the third time in four years
that a Hope player has been presented the sportsmanship award.
It is the second consecutive year that a Hope player has received
the academic award which honors the memory of the late Lawrence
"Doc" Green, longtime athletic trainer and coach at Hope.
The championship baseball team had six players receive All-
MIAA honors. Senior shortstop Dean Esteves of Hudsonville
(Hudsonville HS) was voted to the first team for the third
consecutive year. He was joined on the first team by Tanis and
sophomore shortstop Sean Bateman of Saline (Saline HS). Voted to
the All-MIAA second team were senior second baseman Matt Klein of
DeWitt (DeWitt HS), junior outfielder Ben Fellows of Lansing
(Lansing Eastern HS), and senior pitcher Adam Labbe of Cadillac
(Cadillac HS).
The Flying Dutch softball team also had six players earn
All-MIAA honors. Voted to the first team were sophomore pitcher
Kim Grotenhuis of Hamilton (Hamilton HS), senior outfielder
Christa Murphy of Midland (Midland HS) and sophomore catcher
Carrie Scott of Centreville (Centreville HS). Voted to the All-
MIAA second team were junior outfielder Angie Ciesielski of
Linden (Linden HS) and senior pitcher Lisa Larzelere of Omaha,
Neb. (Westside HS).
In men's tennis, junior Paul Lillie of Roseville, Minn.
(Roseville HS) was voted to the All-MIAA first team for the
second year in-a-row while teammates Chad Bollinger, a junior
from Petoskey (Petoskey HS), and Kai Bouchard, a sophomore from
Hinsdale, Ill. (Hinsdale Township HS) were voted to the second
team.
In women's tennis, junior Jennifer Smith of Holland (Holland
HS) was voted to the All-MIAA first team for the second year in-
a-row. She was joined on the first team by sophomore teammate
Julie Murray of Spring Lake (Spring Lake HS). Sophomore Krissy
Kooyer of Holland (Holland Christian HS) was voted to the second
team.
Seven athletes were voted to the All-MIAA track and field
teams. Junior Paul Berke of Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine South HS),
the league champion in the 10,000-meter run, is the only Hope
honoree on the All-MIAA men's team.
Voted to the All-MIAA women's team were freshman Sarah
Burgess of Niles (Buchanan HS), junior Jennifer Ernst of
Westerville, Ohio (Westerville South HS), senior Becky Timmer of
Pella, Iowa (Pella HS), freshman Elizabeth Chapman of Marquette
(Marquette HS), junior Kim Richardson of Sanford (Meridian HS),
and sophomore Emily Sowers of Grand Rapids (GR Christian HS).
Ernst was the conference champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters,
Burgess captured the gold in the shot put, Sowers repeated as
league champion in the discus and Kim Richardson took first in
the high jump.