Three 2011 Hope College spring sports teams are being honored by national coaches association for academic excellence.
The men's and women's track and field teams are being honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCA) while the men's tennis squads is being recognized by th Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
These teams join five others who received national academic honors in 2010-11 -- men's and women's swimming/diving, men's and women's cross country and volleyball.
In addition, 12 athletes on these teams are being honored as Scholar Athletes.
The men's tennis team, coached by Steve Gorno, maintained a 3.673 cumulative grade point average, tops among all men's teams in any MIAA sport. The women's track and field team had a cumulative 3.484 GPA while the men's track and field team achieved a 3.151 GPA. The track and field teams are coached by Kevin Cole.
Eight men's tennis players received individual recognition as Scholar Athletes -- senior Bradley Boelkins of Ada (Forest Hills Central HS), freshman Parker Bussies of Zeeland (Zeeland West HS), sophomore Gabe Casher of Ann Arbor (Pioneer HS), senior Kevin Hagan of Okemos (Okemos HS), junior Alex Hughes of Hudson, Ohio (Hudson HS), senior Jonathon Lautz of Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton North HS), freshman Grant Shooter of San Diego, Calif. (Westview HS), and sophomore David Vanderveen of Clarkston (Clarkston HS).
Track and field athletes honored as Scholar Athletes are senior John Donkersloot of Zeeland (Zeeland East HS), junior Kelly Lufkin of Houghton (Houghton HS), senior Kara Vande Gutche of Hamilton (Hamilton HS), and sophomore Sarah Venlet of Zeeland (Holland Christian HS). Participation in the NCAA championships was an added criteria to receive this honor.