Eight members of the Hope College swimming and diving teams have been named to the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) all-conference team.
The Flying Dutchmen captured the men's league championship for the second consecutive year while the Flying Dutch were second in the women's standings.
Junior Kurtis Blohm of Wilmington, Ohio (Wilmington HS) was voted the MIAA's most valuable male swimmer. Blohm was the conference champion in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke. He set conference record in the 50 free and 100 back. She was also a member of three of Hope's league-champion relay teams.
Joining Blohm on the all-MIAA men's team are freshman Dan Gardner of Alma, Mich. (Alma HS) and senior Jeffrey Heydlauff of Chelsea, Mich. (Chelsea HS). Heydlauff, who is being honored for the second time, swam on three of Hope's league-champion relays teams. Gardner marked his first collegiate season by winning MIAA championships in the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events.
Voted to the All-MIAA women's team were senior diver Stephanie Buck of Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead HS), sophomore Sarah Diekevers of Jenison, Mich. (Jenison HS), junior Megan O'Neil of Troy, Mich. (Troy HS), sophomore Lisa Smith of Dearborn, Mich. (Dearborn HS), and senior Erika Steele of Portage, Mich. (Portage Northern HS).
Steele, who was the conference champion in the 50-yard freestyle, and O'Neil are being honored for a third time while Smith is All-MIAA for a second consecutive year.
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