HOLLAND - The HopeCollege softball team will be seeking to maintain the momentum of a championship season when coach Karla Wolters takes her Flying Dutch team to Australia for a series of games over a 10-day period.
The trip to down under began with the 9,400 miles flight on Monday, Aug. 14. The team returns to Holland on Aug. 25.
This is the second international trip for the Hope softball program. The team also ventured to Australia in 2002.
Coach Wolters, who has guided Hope's softball fortunes since 1988, is no stranger to Australia. She traveled there for the 2000 Olympics and witnessed the softball competition.
This year's trip will include six games, three in Sydney and three in Cairns. Two of the games in Sydney will be played at the 2000 Olympic softball venue. In addition to the games, there will be plenty of sightseeing and the opportunity for a community service project.
The Flying Dutch were champions of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Associatio(MIAA) last spring and won a school-record 32 games.
Players participating in the trip include junior Becca Baker from Lafayette, Colo., junior Kylee Brouwer from Hudsonville, junior Casey Feltner of Clarkston, juniors Amanda and Erika Guijarro of Los Angeles, Calif., 2006 graduate Libby Hammon of Allegan, junior Katie Immink of Hudsonville, senior Lauren Kucera of Dyer, Ind., junior Angie Randall of Big Rapids, junior Jessica Regnerus of Hudsonville, junior Laura Tanouye of Dasrian, Ill., sophomore Megan VanderMaas of Hudsonville, and 2006 graduate Rebecca Whitman of Ludington.