The Hope College volleyball team has been picked second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) preseason coaches poll.
The nationally ranked Flying Dutch received two of eight possible first-place votes and finished with 14 points. Reigning MIAA champion Calvin College topped the poll with seven first-place votes and nine points. Coaches could not vote for their team.
The rest of the MIAA poll puts Alma College in third place with 25 points, then Adrian College in fourth with 34, Saint Mary’s (Ind.) College in fifth with 41, Kalamazoo College in sixth with 49, Olivet College with 54 and Albion College with 63.
Hope finished second in the MIAA during the 2012 season and qualified for the NCAA Division III national tournament for the 10th time in school history.
Coach Becky Schmidt’s Flying Dutch also are ranked fifth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Preseason Poll. They share the spot with Christopher Newport (Va.) University.
The Flying Dutch open the season August 30-31 at a tournament in Bluffton, Ohio. The Flying Dutch's home opener is Tuesday, September 3 against Alma on the main court at DeVos Fieldhouse on Lawrence & Vander Zwart Night. Hope is scheduled to play eight of its 12 regular-season matches on the DeVos Fieldhouse main court this season to accommodate more fans.
The Flying Dutch are hosting the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships at DeVos Fieldhouse on November 21-23. It is the second consecutive year Hope has welcomed the Division III Volleyball Championships.
Hope reports to campus on Monday, August 19 for the beginning of fall practice.
MIAA VOLLEYBALL POLL
TEAM (1ST) POINTS
1. Calvin (7) 9; 2. Hope (2) 14; 3. Alma 25; 4. Adrian 34; 5. Trine 35; 6. Saint Mary’s 41; 7. Kalamazoo 49; 8. Olivet 54
9. Albion 63