Hope College junior Kara Vande Guchte of Hamilton (Hamilton HS) has captured the bronze medal in the seven-event heptathlon at the NCAA Division III track and field championships being held at Baldwin-Wallace College.

On Friday the multi-sport standout was able to hold on to the third place spot she had gained on Thursday. It marks the fourth time in five years that a Hope athlete has garnered NCAA All-America honors in the heptathlon.

Vande Guchte was competing in the event at nationals for the second consecutive year. As a sophomore she finished 20th in a field of 20 competitors. This year there were 18 qualifiers.

The NCAA All-America distinction highlights an outstanding year for Vande Guchte who gained MIAA all-conference honors in both volleyball and track & field. Hope's volleyball team advanced to the NCAA final four for the first time in school history.

Vande Guchte finished in the top ten in six of the seven events as follows: 100-Meter Hurdles - 2nd, :14.88; High Jump - 4th, 5-3 1/4; Shotput - 8th, 32-11 1/4; 200 Meters - 6th, :26.35; Long Jump, 16-7 1/4; Javelin - 9th, 116-1; and 800 Meters, 11th place, 2:32.24.

The national champion was Courtney Hartman ofr Bridgewater, Va. with 4,904 points while Leah Kay of Concordia Moorhead, Minn was second at 4,812. Vande Guchte totaled 4,724 points.

The competition continues for two Hope athletes on Saturday. Junior John Donkersloot (Zeeland/Zeeland East HS) will be competing in the high jump for the third straight year. An All-American a year ago with a third place finish, he is top-seeded among 18 qualifiers having cleared 6-11 this spring. Senior Jeff Minkus (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West HS) is seeded 10th in the triple jump. The three-time MIAA champion in the event, Minkus set a Hope record this spring at 48 feet, 2 1/4 inches. He is competing at nationals for the first time.