The Hope College women’s basketball team is predicted to be in the thick of the MIAA title chase this season.
The Flying Dutch placed runner-up in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll after receiving one first-place vote and 18 points. Coaches could not vote for their team.
Hope finished behind Trine University, which received all eight possible first-place votes and totaled eight points.
The Flying Dutch was followed by third-place Albion College (20 points), Alma College and Calvin University (tied for fourth with 32 points apiece), Adrian College (47), Saint Mary’s College (50), The University of Olivet (54), and Kalamazoo College (63).
Led by head coach Brian Morehouse, Hope is coming off a 26-3 season where the Flying Dutch advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, won the MIAA Tournament championship and shared the MIAA regular-season championship with Trine. Both the Flying and Hope went 14-2 in league play.
Hope graduated five starters, including three All-MIAA selections and the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
The Flying Dutch’s three returning leading scorers are: sophomore guard Karsen Karlblom (Crystal Lake, Illinois / Prairie Ridge) at 6.7 points per game, sophomore guard/forward Sydney Vis (Byron Center, Michigan / South Christian) at 5.7 points per game and junior guard Jada Garner (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) at 5.3 points per game.
Hope tips off the season on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. at DeVos Fieldhouse against Marian University (Wis.).
The Flying Dutch’s MIAA opener is Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m. at Albion.
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