Hope College’s Grace Bubin and Allie Wittenbach played integral roles in the Flying Dutch’s women’s soccer team repeating as Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champions this season.
The two forwards each were honored for their performance this season as they claimed All-MIAA First Team honors for the 2017 season from the league’s coaches.
Bubin and Wittenbach are joined by three teammates who received second-team honors: senior forward Erin Brophy of West Lafayette, Indiana (West Lafayette HS), junior midfielder Rylie Dalton of Rockford, Michigan (Rockford), and freshman goalie Jordanne Ellingboe of Grand Haven, Michigan (Grand Haven).
The Flying Dutch finished first in the MIAA standings with a 14-1-1 league record. They outscored MIAA opponents 46-3.
Bubin, a junior from Rockford, Michigan (Rockford), shared the team lead with six goals and four assists in MIAA play. She ranked sixth among conference forwards for goals scored.
Hope coach Leigh Sears said Bubin is challenging to cover.
“She has good speed and movement off the ball that makes her difficult to mark,” Sears said.
Wittenbach, a senior from Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Central), collected five goals and five assists in MIAA matches.
“Allie is the intensity and fire of Hope Women’s Soccer,” Sears said. “Her work rate is extremely high and she will do anything for her team. She worked very hard coming into her senior year and that work is paying off.”
Brophy totaled four assists and three goals in MIAA play.
“Erin is a highly creative and dangerous forward going down the right side,” Sears said. “She has an amazing ability to not only create for herself but to beat people around the corner and set her teammates up.”
Dalton recorded six goals and four assists against MIAA foes.
“Rylie has an uncanny ability to score out of the middle and make runs forward,” Sears said. “She is a hard player to keep track of due to the amount of ground she is willing to cover.”
Ellingboe topped MIAA goalies with 11 shutouts, a .929 save percentage and a 0.20 goals against average in league play.
“Jordanne has been an amazing addition to the team this year. She is extremely athletic and is very good in the air,” Sears said. “She has an amazing defense in front of her that has helped. What sets her apart is her ability to not see action for a large period of time, remain focused, and come up with the big save when it is needed.”