Men's Cross Country Ties for First in Inaugural MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll

Hope received a league-best four first-place votes

The Hope College men's cross country team is expected to contend for an MIAA championship this fall after trying for first place in the inaugural MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Flying Dutchmen matched defending champion Calvin University with 12 points. Coaches could not vote for their teams.

Hope collected four of eight first-place votes, Calvin three. Trine University received the other first-place vote and placed third with 15 points, finishing ahead of Kalamazoo College (25), Adrian College (31), Albion College (39), and Alma College and The University of Olivet (45 apiece).

Led by head coach Mark Northuis, the Flying Dutchmen start the season on Friday, Aug. 29, at two meets: The University of Olivet and the University of South Carolina Upstate.

The Flying Dutchmen aim to build a standout 2024 campaign, having finished second at the MIAA Championships by just one point (37) and then placed third at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional with 129 points. The Flying Dutchmen capped the year with a 29th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, scoring 656 points.

The roster is bolstered by the return of two All-MIAA First Team runners: senior Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa HS) and junior Ian Petruska (Fort Collins, Colorado / Fort Collins).

Cole, a three-time All-MIAA honoree, finished eighth at the league meet with a time of 24:55.3 and went on to claim All-Region honors after a 16th-place finish at the Great Lakes Regional (25:29.73). He closed the season with a 25:44.3 at the NCAA Championships.

Petruska, a two-time All-MIAA honoree, was the conference runner-up in 24:36.2, placed 11th at regionals (25:10.65) for All-Region recognition, and earned All-America status with a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Championships (24:31.2).

Hope also returns All-MIAA Second Team honorees in sophomores Logan Begeman (Portage, Michigan / Portage Central) and Elias Kretchmar (Granville, Ohio / Granville).

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Logan Begeman: Sophomore

Carston Cole: Senior; Exercise Science

Elias Kretchmar: Sophomore; Engineering

Ian Petruska: Junior

Players Mentioned

Logan Begeman
: Sophomore

Carston Cole
: Senior; Exercise Science

Elias Kretchmar
: Sophomore; Engineering

Ian Petruska
: Junior