Both 2011 Hope College cross country teams and four members of the MIAA champion women's squad have received All-Academic accolades from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association of America.
Both 2011 Hope College cross country teams and four members of the MIAA champion women's squad have received All-Academic accolades from the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association of America.
The team recognition is given to schools whose squad maintained a grade point average of 3.10 or better. The women's team maintained 3.56 GPA while the men's squad had a 3.34 GPA. It marked the 22nd consecutive year that the women's team is being honored. No other women's Division III program has achieved that distinction.
The individual USTFCCCA All-Academic award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average and must finish in the top 35 among the field at their respective NCAA regional meet. Only 183 female runners in all of Division III are receiving the recognition.
Hope honorees are sophomore Camille Borst of Allendale (Allendale HS), senior Kelly Lufkin of Houghton (Houghton HS), sophomore Meredith Busman of Coopersville (Coopersville HS) and senior Kate Nelson of Williamston (Williamston HS).
Borst, Lufkin and Nelson are each being honored for a second time.
The Flying Dutch, coached by Mark Northuis, won the championship of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), placed third at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional and compete at the NCAA Division III championships, finishing 21st in a field of 32 teams.