Serving is the name of the game for Alison DeWeerd ‘25, whether it be on the volleyball court or, more importantly, during her upcoming professional career off the court. The recent Hope College graduate plans to start a Master of Social Work (MSW) program this summer. DeWeerd discussed her future plans during the latest episode of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast, which features conversations with student-athletes and staff about their experiences with the Hope Athletics mission of ac...
Jun 09, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Hope College hockey defenseman Nolan Holtrop and swimmer Grace Wesley are featured on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. Nolan Holtrop The two seniors discussed their time as Hope College student-athletes, the Hope Athletics mission of academic success, competitive excellence and transformational experiences, and competing for two of the nation's top athletic programs. Holtrop (Walker, Michigan / Kenowa Hills HS) and Wesley (Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan / Grosse Pointe North) also sha...
Apr 14, 2025•32 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Hope College swimmer Dallas Fisher is featured on this week's Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. Dallas Fisher The senior electrical engineering major from Highland, Michigan (Detroit Catholic Central HS) talked about his rewarding experience in the pool with the Flying Dutchmen and the Hope Athletics mission of academic success, competitive excellence and transformational experiences. Fisher also shared about his mission trip to Costa Rica last summer as part of the Fellowship of Catholic ...
Apr 12, 2025•32 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Olivia Dieppa Hope College senior runner Tyler King and soccer defender Oliva Dieppa are featured on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast this week. The student-athletes discuss the Hope Athletics mission of academic success, competitive excellence and transformational experiences. They also share their memories from a Sport Evangelism to Equip Disciples (SEED) mission trip last summer to Kenya. Today's podcast episode is part of Hope College's NCAA Division III Week celebration. The annua...
Apr 09, 2025•30 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Inspired by Colossians 1:16, Jerry Root ’75 has loved to meet and get to know Hope College student-athletes and coaches over the past 17 years. A former college athlete and youth coach himself, Root enjoys talking sports with anyone, especially Hope College teams. Yet, he revels even more in digging deeper with individuals, learning who they are and walking alongside their faith journeys. Jerry Root '75 Root’s calling to minister at Hope the past 17 years has garnered the appreciation of hundred...
Apr 07, 2025•33 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Cara Anderson and AJ Boucher pour themselves into everything they do for Hope College and Hope College Athletics. Anderson, who is graduating this December after majoring in social work, has been a team manager for the Flying Dutch women’s lacrosse team. The Adrian, Michigan, native and Lenawee Christian High School graduate also works in the college’s admissions office as a tour guide and team leader. Boucher is a junior elementary education major and a midfielder on the Flying Dutchmen soccer ...
Jul 29, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Samantha Smith Justice Mims On a recent Hope College Athletics SEED mission trip, juniors Justice Mims and Samantha Smith felt God’s spirit moving within them. The two student-athletes and kinesiology majors spoke about their time in The Dominican Republic on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. Season 4’s fourth episode featured a conversation with Mims, a guard on the men’s basketball team, and Smith, a goalie on the women’s lacrosse team. Hope Athletics recognizes that sport provides a...
Jul 16, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 4
When injuries sidelined Hope College’s Keegan DeKuiper and Annie Lockett from competition last season, they put aside their disappointment and focused on supporting their teammates and coaches. Their servant leadership drew praise from those around them, including their respective men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams. They were announced as Anchor Award recipients in April at the 2024 Hope Athletics HOPEYs ceremony. The Male and Female Anchor Awards are presented to athletes who anchor thei...
Jul 02, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Dylan Clem is poised to build a successful and fulfilling career as a structural engineer with a foundation set at Hope College and his hometown of Stevensville, Michigan. The All-American offensive guard has one more college football season to play, though. Clem is returning for a fifth season with the Flying Dutchmen this fall. Hope is coming off an 8-2 season despite one of the toughest schedules in NCAA Division III. The Flying Dutchmen’s home and season opener is Saturday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m...
Jun 17, 2024•Season 4Ep. 2
H-Club Hope for Humanity Award Kara VanderKamp '95 poses for a picture with head women's soccer Leigh Sears and Associate Athletic Director Lindsey Engelsman. Kara VanderKamp ‘95 carries the lessons she learned on the soccer field and at Hope College into her missionary work in Niger. The 2024 H-Club “Hope for Humanity” Award recipient and Remember Niger Coalition CEO talked about her drive to support educational opportunities for youth in Niger (pronounced knee-jeer), the landlocked western Afr...
May 28, 2024•20 min•Season 4Ep. 1
On the season’s final episode of the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast, four Hope College student-athletes joined Sports Information Director Alan Babbitt to discuss their service-filled and life-changing SEED trips this summer. Senior Libby Strotman, senior Madeline Tessin, junior David Brace and junior David Hesselbein each took part in a Sports Evangelism to Equip Disciples (SEED) mission trip. The program annually provides opportunities for Hope student-athletes to serve in countries su...
Oct 09, 2023•33 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Heleyna Tucker Ana Tucker Sisters Ana and Heleyna Tucker reflected on their memorable run as Hope College student-athletes and teammates during the latest episode of the Hope College Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. The former cross country and track team champions spoke with Sports Information Director Alan Babbitt about their unique family bond as part of a set of triplets, their different educational pursuits and their shared passion for running. Both Midland, Michigan, natives graduated fr...
Aug 28, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 6
During a recent jog, Hope College men’s soccer coach David Blahnik listened to the “Revisionist History” podcast episode that explored the vision, impact and potential of the college’s “Hope Forward” initiative. David Blahnik, Hope College men's soccer head coach In the segment, titled “A Good Circle”, best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell spoke with Hope College President Matthew A. Scogin regarding the college’s revolutionary approach to removing tuition as a barrier for access to college while...
Jul 31, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Delaney Wesolek’s daily calendar fills up quickly as a Hope College swimmer and nursing student. Time is precious as a student-athlete with early-morning practices, classes or clinicals during the day, afternoon practices, and evening homework or relaxation. Delaney Wesolek Maximizing all of the opportunities, Wesolek handles daily tasks at an extremely high level. In April, the senior from Bay City, Michigan (John Glenn HS) was named the 2023 Hope College Be Strong. Be True. Female Athlete of t...
Jul 17, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 4
The Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast has returned this summer for a third season with a special series of interviews with Hope College student-athletes, administration and staff. Kevin Wolma For the season’s third episode, sports information director Alan Babbitt sits down with Kevin Wolma, Hope College’s Assistant Athletic Director for Student Wellness and Compliance. In this new role, Wolma will be advocating for and leading programs which will benefit the comprehensive wellness of Hope ...
Jul 03, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 3
The Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast has returned this summer for a third season with a special series of interviews with Hope College student-athletes, administration and staff. For the summer’s second episode, sports information director Alan Babbitt sits down with Angelique Gaddy-McElveen, Hope College’s Assistant Athletic Director of Philanthropy. Angelique Gaddy-McElveen In this new role, Gaddy-McElveen leads Athletics’ philanthropy efforts in collaboration with the college's Philanth...
Jun 19, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast is returning this summer for a third season with a special series of interviews with Hope College student-athletes, administration and staff. Dan Romano For this summer’s first episode, sports information director Alan Babbitt sits down with recent graduate Dan Romano ‘23, this year’s male recipient of the Hope Athletics Be Strong. Be True. Athlete of the Year award, and Flying Dutchmen head football coach Peter Stuursma. The Be Strong. Be True. Athlete...
Jun 06, 2023•40 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Elly Douglass ‘04 Jordan was not born yet when Title IX came into law on June 23, 1972, but is grateful every day the legislation did. A fulfilling journey from childhood to adulthood would not have been possible without the federal civil rights law which prohibits sex-based discrimination by any educational institution that receives federal funding. Title IX also gave girls and women the equal opportunity to compete in sports across the country. At Hope College, Jordan ran on the cross country ...
Jun 23, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Arinn King and Jack Radzville displayed similar excellence on the field and in the classroom during their Hope College careers. The 2022 Be Strong. Be True. Female and Male Athletes of the Year sat down together for an interview for the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. They talked about their athletics and academic experiences and offered advice for incoming freshmen student-athletes. From left, Arinn King and Jack Radzville King, a standout second baseman in softball, and Radzville, a de...
Jun 10, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Editor’s Note: On June 23, 1972, a federal civil rights law was passed that prohibited sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding. Title IX also gave girls and women the equal opportunity to compete in sports across the country. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX’s passing this summer, Hope College Athletics shares the memories and perspectives from Hope College student-athletes, coaches, and alumnae around the 9th of each month during the ...
Mar 09, 2022•26 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Clayton Dykhouse and Evan Thomas quickly became friends when they became teammates on the Hope College men's basketball team as freshmen. From left, Hope College men's basketball juniors Clayton Dykhouse and Evan Thomas Three years later, they're leading the Flying Dutchmen's pursuit of an MIAA Tournament title and an NCAA Division III Tournament berth. Hope hosts Calvin University on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. in the MIAA Tournament champion game at DeVos Fieldhouse. Dykhouse and Thomas — bot...
Feb 26, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 3
John Conlon '97 pours himself into coaching soccer and his student-athletes much like he did when he played the game himself at Hope College. In many ways, the Flying Dutchmen's new soccer coach is the same man driven for competitive excellence who came to campus nearly 30 years ago with lofty aspirations. John Conlon '97 In many ways, Conlon also is a different man, a leader who's evolved through his years as a successful high school soccer coach and fifth-grade teacher and keenly appreciative ...
Feb 21, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Sport helped Matt Margaron ’03 and Shomari Tate grow their Christian faith as youth. After finding a higher calling, both now are ministering as chaplains to the Hope College community, including our student-athletes and coaches. Margaron is in his third year as Hope’s Chaplain of Athletics. Tate is in his first year as Hope’s Chaplain of Discipleship. From left, Matt Margaron and Shomari Tate On the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast, Margaron and Tate talk together with sports information ...
Feb 10, 2022•41 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Baseball has been a central part of Stu Fritz’s life as long as he can remember. From family vacations to St. Louis Cardinals games growing up in Iowa to 28 seasons as Hope College’s baseball coach, he has loved the game. Prior to last weekend’s season-opening doubleheader, Fritz joined the Orange and Blue Podcast to discuss his baseball roots and the unique 2021 baseball season for the Flying Dutchmen. Head baseball coach and associate professor of kinesiology Stu Fritz Fritz and his team retur...
Mar 11, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Head coach Mary VandeHoef is eager to lead her Hope College softball team on the field again. After 364 days since their last games, she is poised to get the chance to compete with the Flying Dutch this weekend. Hope opens the 2021 season with a non-league doubleheader at Hanover College (Indiana) on Saturday, March 6. Earlier this month, VandeHoef joined the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast to discuss how she and her team managed the past year that's been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemi...
Mar 05, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 18
All these years later, Michael Schanhals '91, Hope College's men's lacrosse coach, still shakes his head about how his coaching career began. He recalls visiting a friend in his old dorm room at Hope College when a call for him there. He answered the phone — which hung on a wall, not in his hand. Men's lacrosse head coach Michael Schanhals "I thought, 'That's weird?' It's a total coincidence that I was even in the vicinity," Schanhals said on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. "It was R...
Feb 27, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 17
For years, Keagan Pontious picked up a lacrosse stick and instinctively knew exactly what to do — at an elite level, too. Now, as coach of the Hope College women’s lacrosse team, the former NCAA Division II All-American is embracing the new challenge of sharing her wisdom with her student-athletes. Keagan Pontious, head women's lacrosse coach and equipment manager. “That’s been the hardest part actually,” Pontious said on the Hope Athletics Orange and Blue Podcast. “The reason is that the stuff ...
Feb 18, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Bob Cawood '13 relishes the repetitive sound of a tennis ball being launched into play and then returned. He's missing hearing it in a competitive setting at Hope College. Cawood is optimistic that will change this weekend when his Hope College men's and women's tennis teams are scheduled to begin the 2021 season with a pair of home matches. It has been nearly a year since either the Flying Dutchmen or the Flying Dutch had matches because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cawood's fourth season as head ...
Feb 11, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Hope College football coach Peter Stuursma and senior quarterback Joey Stark discuss on the Orange and Blue Hope Athletics Podcast this week's decision that the program will focus on preparing for the Fall 2021 season and will not participate in MIAA league play this spring. Ray and Sue Smith Stadium The Flying Dutchmen instead will follow a phased-in offseason training program this spring that includes strength and conditioning work, four to five weeks of practice, and the potential for scrimma...
Jan 24, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Track and field head coach Kevin Cole ‘88 enjoyed the opportunity to see a small group of his Hope College student-athletes compete indoors last weekend. In the first athletic event of the school year, 25 from Cole’s men's and women's teams went to Grand Valley State University for a three-time meet on Saturday, January 16. It was a different setting for sure — a limited number of Hope entries, no spectators, and just two other teams in the field. Yet, it was thrilling, too. On the Hope Athletic...
Jan 22, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 13
