With two national championship finishes, All-America performances in nine events and a three Hope College records, the Flying Dutchmen finished fifth at the NCAA Division III men's swimming and diving championships held in Oxford, Ohio on March 21-23.
Coach John Patnott's Dutchmen ended a top ten team for the 11th time in 12 years. Kenyon, Ohio repeated as national champion with 589 points while Hope totaled 262, third best in school history at nationals. It was exceeded only by the 1993 (335 poiints) and 1995 (295).
Hope sent eight swimmers to nationals and each returned an NCAA All-American.
Senior Josh Boss (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) climaxed a brilliant collegiate swimming career by winning the national championship in the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke events.
In winning the 200 breaststroke, Boss became just the sixth swimmer in Division III history to win a national championship in the same event four consecutive years. He won the national title in the 100-yard breaststroke three of his four years (199, 2001, 2002).
Boss ended his career an NCAA All-American 17 times, seven as an individual and 10 times in relays. The Hope record for All-America performances is 18 by Jon Hescott from 1991-93.
Juniors Tim DeHaan (Haslett, Mich./Haslett HS) and Brian Slagh (Holland, Mich./Zeeland HS) each returned an All-American in two freestyle events. They sparkled in the 100-yard freestyle, DeHaan finishing third with a school-record time (:45.34) while Slagh was fifth (:45.68). DeHaan was also sixth in the 50-yard freestyle and Slagh seventh in the 200-yard freestyle with a school-record time (1:40.56). Slagh also received honorable mention All-America recognition by finishing 16th in the 500-yard freestyle (4:39.96).
Slagh's time in the 200-yard freestyle (1:40.56) was a Hope College record breaking the second oldest mark in school history established by Rob Peel (1:40.66) in 1987.
Junior Ian Kobes (Holland/Holland HS) achieved All-America honors by finishing seventh in the 100-yard backstroke (:52.00) and was honorable mention All-America in the 200-yard backstroke with an 11th place finish (1:53.46).
The Flying Dutchmen gained All-America honors in every relay for the second consecutive year and the fifth time in school history.
The 400-yard freestyle relay finished third for the second consecutive year with a school record time (3:02.84) using the team of from Brian Slagh, sophomore Chris Hamstra (Zeeland/Zeeland HS), freshman Jeff Vroegindewey (Kalamazoo, Mich./Portage Central HS) and Tim DeHaan.
Hope also gained a third place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (3:22.70) with a quartet of Ian Kobes, Josh Boss, junior Dan Bouwens (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland, Mich.) and Brian Slagh.
The Flying Dutchmen were fourth in both the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:24.14) with a team of Tim DeHaan, freshman Jeff Heydlauff (Chelsea, Mich.), Chris Hamstra and Jeff Vroedindewey and the 200-yard medley relay (1:32.85) with Ian Kobes, Josh Boss, Daniel Bouwens and Tim DeHaan.
Hope was fifth in the 800-yard freestyle relay (6:51.18) with Brian Slagh, Chris Hamstra, Jeff Vroegindewey and Tim DeHaan.
Hope and fellow MIAA members Kalamazoo and Calvin made their mark on the meet with all three teams finishing in the top ten for the first time. Behind Hope's fifth place effort was league champion Kalamazoo in sixth and Calvin ninth. The three MIAA teams combined for 638.5 points, highest in league history. The previous mark was 575 points scored by five MIAA teams in the 1995 national meet.
HOPE COLLEGE COMPETITORS
Joshua Boss, senior from Jenison/Jenison HS
Daniel Bouwens, junior from Zeeland/Zeeland HS
Tim DeHaan, junior from Haslett/Haslett HS
Chris Hamstra, sophomore from Zeeland/Zeeland HS
Jeffrey Heydlauff, freshman from Chelsea/Chelsea HS
Ian Kobes, junior from Holland/Holland HS
Brian Slagh, junior from Holland/Zeeland HS
Jeff Vroegindewey, freshman from Kalamazoo/Portage Central HS
FINAL TEAM SCORES (51 teams scored):
1. Kenyon, Ohio 589, 2. Johns Hopkins, Md. 382, 3. Emory, Ga. 358, 4. Carnegie-Mellon,
Pa. 269, 5. HOPE 262, 6. Kalamazoo 229, 7. Denison, Ohio 212, 8. Wheaton, Ill. 170,
9. Calvin 136.5, 10. Whitworth, Calif. 136.
NCAA All-American - 1st through 8th place
Honorable Mention NCAA All-American - 9th through 16th place
RESULTS BY EVENT
200 FREESTYLE RELAY
Fourth Place (Tim DeHaan, Jeff Heydlauff, Chris Hamstra, Jeff Vroegindewey), 1:24.14
500 FREESTYLE
Brian Slagh, 16th place, 4:39.96
50 FREESTYLE
Tim DeHaan, 6th place, :20.93
Josh Boss, 41st in qualifying (:21.80)
400 MEDLEY RELAY
Third Place (Ian Kobes, Josh Boss, Daniel Bouwens, Brian Slagh), 3:22.70
200 MEDLEY RELAY
Fourth Place (Ian Kobes, Josh Boss, Daniel Bouwens, Tim DeHaan), 1:32.85
200 FREESTYLE
Brian Slagh, 7th place, 1:40.56 (Hope College record)
Chris Hamstra, 33rd in qualifying (1:44.62)
Tim DeHaan, 38th in qualifying (1:46.60)
100 BREASTSTROKE
Josh Boss, 1st place, :54.77
100 BACKSTROKE
Ian Kobes, 7th place, :52.00
800 FREESTYLE RELAY
Seventh Place (Brian Slagh, Chris Hamstra, Jeff Vroegindewey, Tim DeHaan), 6:51.18
200 BACKSTROKE
Ian Kobes, 11th place, 1:52.46
100 FREESTYLE
Tim DeHaan, 3rd place, :45.34 (Hope College record)
Brian Slagh, 5th place, :45.68
200 BREASTSTROKE
Josh Boss, 1st place, 1:59.38
400 FREESTYLE RELAY
Third Place (Brian Slagh, Chris Hamstra, Jeff Vroegindewey, Tim DeHaan), 3:02.84 (Hope
College record)