A team rebounding from the graduation of an All-American as well as a league defensive player of the year might try to ease into the season.
The Hope College women's basketball team is embracing a challenging nonleague schedule on the pursuit of another Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association title and a return trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Coach Brian Morehouse's Flying Dutch could play three nationally ranked opponents in addition to a rigorous, 16-game MIAA schedule: St. Thomas, Minnesota, Wheaton, Illinois and Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The matchup with Stevens Point could come in the finals of Hope's Post-Exam Jam if both teams win their semifinal games.
The Flying Dutch tip off the 2016-17 season on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at home against Wheaton.
MIAA Schedule | MIAA Standings | Game-Day Program
Senior forward Elizabeth Perkins of Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Lansing Christian HS), pictured top right, told the Holland Sentinel that her team's schedule will be helpful as the team moves on after the graduation of All-American and MIAA MVP in forward Maura McAfee and MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in guard Autumn Anderson.
McAfee became the Flying Dutch's first player to reach the 1,000 mark in career rebounds last season. She finished with 1,047 rebounds and 1,409 points - the third-most in team history.
"Having a tougher out-of-conference schedule is going to help us so much in preparation, and in mental preparation of remembering where we want to be at, the level of play we want to maintain all season," Perkins said.
Despite their losses, the Flying Dutch remain highly regarded. They were 10th in the preseason Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll and 13th in the D3Hoops.com preseason rankings. MIAA coaches made Hope the preseason favorite to repeat as league champions.
"We'd like to win them all, but we need to be willing to fail to play our best," Morehouse told the Holland Sentinel. "You've got to play good teams to figure out how good you are."
Perkins and senior point guard, Angelique Gaddy of Caledonia, Michigan (Grand Rapids Christian), pictured top left, will captain the Flying Dutch. Gaddy was an All-MIAA First Team guard last season.
They are joined on the 17-player roster by three other seniors: guard Paris Madison of Grand Rapids, Michigan (GR Christian), forward Allison Hedrick of Naperville, Illinois (Neuqua Valley) and forward Mandy Traversa of Winfield, Illinois (Wheaton North).
The Hope roster includes six juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen.
The group of juniors includes guard/forward Jessica Dornoff of Kalamazoo, Michigan (Portage Central), Madison Geers of Scottville, Michigan (Mason County Central), guard Vanessa Freberg of Chatham, Michigan (Superior Central), forward/center Heather Randall of Novi, Michigan (Northville), forward Jacquelyn Schwark of Fraser, Michigan (Lutheran North), and guard Tyra Smith of Grand Rapids, Michigan (GR Christian). Smith returns after sitting out last season because of injury.
The three sophomores are guard forward/center Francesca Buchanan of Grant, Michigan (Sparta), Emily MacArthur of Whitehall, Michigan (Whitehall), and Victoria Swift of LaGrange, Illinois (Lyons Township). Swift is back after an injury shortened her freshman season.
Three freshmen looking to contribute are guard Celina King of Cincinnati, Ohio (Mount Notre Dame), forward Kayla Russell of Clarkston, Michigan (Clarkston), and guard Arika Tolbert of Lathrup Village, Michigan (Detroit Country Day).
Click below to watch an interview with Coach Morehouse.
