The America 250 celebration continues with the top 25 athletes in Holland-area history.
These 25 female athletes (plus ties) were selected based on their performance at the high school, college and professional levels altogether. It is incredible how many state champions and Division I athletes did not make the list. That is how great athletics have been in the Holland area.
Vote for the top female athlete in Holland history below:
Top 25 Female Athletes
Kathy Arendsen, Holland Christian
The Maroons softball pitcher led Holland Christian to a state championship then was the starting pitcher for Team USA softball.
Nicole Artz, West Ottawa
Artz was an elite club gymnast and also a strong softball player. She went on to become a multi-All-American at Michigan in gymnastics, leading the Wolverines to the NCAA Championships.
Courtney Bartholomew, Holland
The six-time individual state champion and junior national champion was one of the top swimmers in state history, setting the all-time record in the 100 backstroke. She went on to become an NCAA All-American and five-time runner-up at Virginia and was on Team USA when she broke the American record in the 100 backstroke in short-course meters, then was part of the USA’s world record 400 medley relay.
Alicia Bernier, West Ottawa
The elite track and field star won the state championship in the 300 hurdles in 1991, then won the 100 hurdles and the high jump state titles in 1992.
Emily Bos, Holland
Represented the U.S. at the junior level. Won six individual state championships before becoming an NCAA All-American for Auburn.
Ana Capotosto, Saugatuck
All-state in volleyball, basketball, track. Was a track state champion and top basketball player in the area before playing Division I basketball at Toledo where she started and was team captain.
AJ Ediger, Hamilton
Ediger was first-team all-state twice in volleyball and basketball, leading the Hawkeyes to the state semifinals in basketball and quarterfinals in volleyball. Went on to play basketball at Iowa.
Kristen Etterbeek, Holland Christian
One of the top dual-sports athletes in history, Etterbeek was an all-state tennis player multiple years at No. 1 singles, helping the Maroons to a state title. She also led HC to a state championship in volleyball where she was all-state twice and went on to play at the NCAA Division I level at Penn.
Taylor Garcia, Holland
Garcia is Michigan’s all-time leader in total state championships with 17 (eight individual, six relay and three team). She went on to become an All-American at Michigan.
Alyssa Garvelink, Holland Christian
The Maroons star was an all-state volleyball player and finalist for Miss Volleyball. Went on to become an All-American at Michigan State and plays professional in the top level of the U.S., Major League Volleyball, with the Grand Rapids Rise.
Haley Hoogenraad, Zeeland West
A four-sport star, Hoogenraad was all-state in softball, earning Miss Softball of Michigan as a senior. She was all-state in track and field, cross country and honorable mention all-state in basketball when she became the Dux all-time scoring leader.
Allison Liske, Zeeland East
In a program loaded with state champions, Liske still owns the Chix record for both the shot put and discus. She was a four-time state runner-up (to an Olympian) and went on to become a national qualifier at the University of Michigan.
Sadie Misiewicz, Holland soccer
This Dutch star was the first three-time all-state soccer player in area history. She went on to play at Michigan State and also professionally.
Sarah Moraw, West Ottawa
This star gymnast was a national champion during her club days at Champion Gymnastics, reaching nationals multiple years. She went on to compete at Minnesota where she became the Big Ten Champion on the balance beam.
Suenomi Norinh, Zeeland East
One of the most versatile and flexible athletes in area history, she almost single-handedly won the state championship in track and field as a senior when she won the high jump, long jump, 300 hurdles and was second in the 100 hurdles. She went on to compete at Missouri.
Emily Oren, Hamilton
The all-state runner went on to become NCAA champion in the steeplechase multiple times at Hillsdale before earning a spot on Team USA with her performance at U.S. Nationals.
Kylee Poulton, Black River
This sprinter was a three-time state champion on the track and went on to run at Indiana, the first Black River athlete to earn a scholarship at a Division I Power Five program.
Gabby Reynolds, West Ottawa
The three-time all-state guard was the winner of Miss Basketball of Michigan as a senior. She went on to start at George Washington, earning all-conference honors.
Sophie Riemersma, Zeeland East
The Chix graduate was a three-sport star in high school. She was all-state in volleyball and the high jump multiple times and is the all-time basketball scoring leader. She went on to star at Miami Ohio in volleyball.
Bria Schrotenboer, Hamilton
This soccer star went on to play for the U.S. National U-19 team in high school. She also was an all-state basketball player who led Hamilton to the state semifinals. She went on to play soccer at Michigan State and Duke.
Kenedy Schoonveld, Holland Christian
A multi-sport star in high school, Schoonveld was an all-state basketball player as a senior. She went on to star at Hope College, leading the Flying Dutch to a national championship as a senior. She was four-time All-American and won the Jostens Trophy as national player of the year.
Rachele Schulist, Zeeland West
This Dux state champion was an elite distance runner, earning all-state honors on the track and in cross country. She went on to lead Michigan State to the NCAA championship in cross country.
Carly Sleeman, Zeeland West
This softball slugger was all-state three times and earned Miss Softball of Michigan for position players as a senior. She went on to play at Central Michigan then transferred to Kentucky where she was an all-conference catcher.
Natalie Stitt, West Ottawa
This state champion in diving was also a state qualifier in the pole vault. She was all-state three times in diving, including two top-three finishes. Stitt went on to dive at Notre Dame where she became the first NCAA qualifier from the area.
Kara VandeGuchte, Hamilton
This three-sport star was all-state in volleyball and track and field, one of the top hurdlers in area history. Her versatility continued at Hope College where she helped the volleyball team reach the Final Four for the first time and was also an All-American in the heptathlon.
Dana Van Singel, Zeeland
This swimmer led Zeeland to back-to-back state titles behind Van Singel, who won six individual state championships and was part of seven relay state titles, making her one of the top-10 most decorated athletes in state history.
Carissa Verkaik, Holland Christian
This all-state basketball star led the Maroons to the state semifinals before becoming a four-time All-American at Calvin, winning the Jostens Trophy as player of the year as a senior.
Paige Westra, Zeeland East
The Zeeland East graduate was the first female to ever earn first-team all-state in football in Michigan. She was also all-state in track and field and soccer. She chose track and has become an All-American in the shot put at GVSU.
Kayla Windemuller, Holland Christian
The Maroons distance star won state titles in the mile and 2-mile multiple times on the track and also was a cross country state champion before running at Baylor and then Michigan, qualifying for NCAAs.
Abby Winn, Zeeland West
This all-state soccer player went on to play at NCAA powerhouse Grand Valley State. She also was an all-state volleyball player and a state qualifier in track and field, as well as playing two seasons of varsity basketball.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: America 250: Top 25 Holland-area female athletes of all-time
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan D'Addona, Holland Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
