The Hope College women’s lacrosse team topped the 2022 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Flying Dutch received five of seven possible first-place votes and finished with 44 points.
Hope finished five points ahead of second-place Saint Mary’s College, which won the MIAA Tournament championship game last season. Saint Mary’s claimed the other two first-place votes. Coaches could not vote for their own teams. Albion College was third with 38 points.
Led by head coach Keagan Pontious, Hope returns 10 student-athletes from a group that went 11-3 last season and was edged by Saint Mary’s, 14-13, in the MIAA Tournament final.
Three seniors are among the returners, including All-MIAA midfielder Madison Micho (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids HS), who finished fifth in the league with a .583 shooting percentage.
Senior attacker Sophie Ackerman (East Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Grand Rapids) is the Flying Dutch’s third-leading returning scorer with 45 points on 22 goals and a team-record 23 assists last season.
Senior attacker Madison McCreery (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford) scored 11 goals and registered 12 assists last season.
Hope’s leading goal scorer is back as well. Sophomore attacker Elena Salazar (Howell, Michigan / Hartland) netted 44 goals last season, the third-highest individual total in team history.
The Flying Dutch’s first game is Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. vs. Siena Heights University at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.