Seven members of the 2008 Hope track and field teams have been named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national all-academic team.
The seven Hope athletes are among 391 student-athletes from all NCAA Division III institutions to receive the distinction. To qualify, an athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 and obtained an NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying mark for the national outdoor championships.
Hope athletes honored are John Donkersloot of Zeeland (Zeeland East HS), Emily Kreichelt of Northville (Northville HS); Nora Kuiper of Parchment (Parchment HS), Lindsay Lange of Manistee (Manistee HS), Jeffrey Minkus of Glen Ellyn, Ill. (Glenbard West HS), Kara VandeGuchte of Hamilton (Hamilton HS) and Seth Weener of Grandville (Grandville HS).
Lange, a 2008 graduate, is being honored for a third consecutive year while Weener, also a 2008 graduate, is an honoree for a second year.
The other honorees will all return this next school year. Kuiper will be a senior and Minkus a junior while Donkersloot, Kreichelt and VandeGuchte will be sophomores.
Both the women's and men's track and field teams have been named to the association's team honor roll for the second consecutive year.
The Flying Dutch had a cumulative 3.470 grade point average to rank 11th among all NCAA Division III institutions. Three other MIAA women's teams achieved the honor roll distinction, Calvin (3.429), Albion (3.360) and Adrian (3.244). Whitworth College of Washington topped the women's honor roll at 3.642.
The Flying Dutchmen had a cumulative 3.120 grade point average. Haverford, Pa. led the men's honor roll at 3.461. Two other MIAA men's teams joined Hope on the men's honor roll, Albion (3.225) and Calvin (3.189).