Nine members of the MIAA-champion Hope College men’s lacrosse team have claimed all-league honors from MIAA coaches, including five first-team selections.
Seniors Sam Bowen, Caden Brainard and Owen Mueller, junior John Foster, and sophomore Gibson Heethuis made the 13-member All-MIAA First Team.
Senior Luke Wierengo and juniors Jack Balmforth, Jackson Early, and Will Jewell represented the Flying Dutchmen on the 13-member, All-MIAA Second Team.
All nine powered the Flying Dutchmen to a 6-0 league record and an MIAA-best 9.5 scoring margin.
Bowen (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Eastern HS) earned All-MIAA recognition at attacker for the third time after being a second-team honoree as a junior and a sophomore.
The business major collected eight goals and six assists during six MIAA games. Bowen ranked in the Top 20 in the MIAA in both categories.
Brainard (Muskegon, Michigan / Reeths-Puffer) received All-MIAA accolades for the third time as a face-off get-off specialist and for the second consecutive season as a first-teamer.
The mechanical engineering major topped the league among starters in faceoff percentage at .740 and ground balls per game with 54.
Mueller (Traverse City, Michigan / Saint Francis) is All-MIAA First Team at midfield in back-to-back seasons.
The public accounting and business major totaled 10 ground balls, nine caused turnovers, two assists and one goal during six MIAA games.
Foster (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) claimed All-MIAA honors for the second time on defense after making the All-MIAA Second Team as a freshman.
The exercise science major recorded a team-best 15 caused turnovers in six games and Hope’s second-highest ground ball total in league play with 22 in six games. Foster also had one assist.
Heethuis (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) is All-MIAA for the second time as an attacker and a first-time, first-team recipient.
In league play, Heethuis ranked fifth in assists with eight, and ninth in goals with six.
Balmforth (Livonia, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central) earned All-MIAA honors for the second time as a goalie after being selected to the All-MIAA First Team as a sophomore.
The business major topped the MIAA with a 6.59 goals-against average and placed third in save percentage at .600.
Early (East Lansing, Michigan / East Lansing) received All-MIAA recognition for the second time as a midfielder after being named a first-team selection as a sophomore.
The public accounting major ranked third in the MIAA in goals with 17 in six league games.
Jewell (Northville, Michigan / Detroit Catholic Central) is All-MIAA for the first time on defense.
The public accounting major tied for seventh in the league with 13 caused turnovers in six MIAA games.
Wierengo (Northville, Michigan / Northville) claimed All-MIAA accolades for the third time as a long-stick midfielder after receiving first-team honors as a junior and a sophomore.
The business major tied for seventh in the MIAA in caused turnovers with 13, and 16th in ground balls with 17 in six league games.
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