The Hope College women’s lacrosse team is picked third in the 2017 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association preseason coaches poll.

The Flying Dutch received one first-place vote and 50 points. They trail preseason favorite Calvin (61 points and five first-place votes and reigning MIAA champion Albion (56 points and three first-place votes. Coaches could not vote for their own teams.

Coach Kim Vincent and Hope return 13 letterwinners from a team that posted a 7-6 overall record last season and a third-place 6-2 MIAA record. The Flying Dutch reached the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament for the third time in four years and second season in a row.

Hope returns one of its two All-MIAA First Team honorees from last season: defender Mara Droppers of Winter Park, Florida (Winter Park).

The Flying Dutch open the 2017 season on Thursday, Feb. 23 at Cleary University in Brighton, Michigan.

MIAA POLL

  • 1. Calvin - 61 points (5 first-place votes)
  • 2. Albion - 56 points (3 first-place votes)
  • 3. Hope - 50 points (1 first-place vote)
  • T4.  Kalamazoo - 36 points 
  • T4. Saint Mary's - 36 points 
  • 6. Adrian - 32 points
  • 7. Alma - 29 points
  • 8. Trine - 16 points
  • 9. Olivet - 8 points