The long-awaited crowning achievement for the Hope College women's basketball team meant much more than just the national championship trophy hoisted in the air.

The Flying Dutch captured their third NCAA title on Saturday with a 71-58 victory against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at Duquesne University's UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Photo by Tom Renner

Hope (32-1) joined the 2005-2006 and 1989-1990 Flying Dutch teams as women's basketball national champions. This season's team completed the journey previously halted for consecutive seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled Division III postseason play.

The Flying Dutch are now one of three Division III teams with at least three national championships. Washington University in St. Louis has claimed five titles; Amherst College (Mass.) also has three.

"The most special thing is 'Yes, winning,' but it is this group of girls," fifth-year senior Olivia Voskuil said during the post-game press conference. "I'm going to never forget this. They're going to be my best friends the rest of my life. I love them."

Voskuil is one of three Hope seniors who used the NCAA-approved waiver for an extra season of eligibility. 

Sydney Muller, named the Division III Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, and Kenedy Schoonveld, named D3hoops.com Division III Player of the Year prior to the game, did as well.

"I am so excited to come back in 10 years and celebrate this with each and every person that's here," said Muller, flanked by the entire team at the press conference. "We wouldn't be here with any single of them. This is our family. I'm so proud of every single one of them."

Added Schoonveld, "This team is the reason I came back. Not just for coming to the final four or winning a national title. They are the reason I came back. Syd and Vosk, too. It's a big deal to be able to do this with them."

Links

Watch Post-Game Press Conference (Note: Hope begins at 38-minute mark)
Listen to replay of 99.7 FM and 1450 Broadcast
NCAA Championships Notebook
Media coverage of the Flying Dutch

Hope turned away Wisconsin-Whitewater's bid for its first national title by outscoring the Warhawks, 37-24, during the second half.

An Ella McKinney 3-pointer capped a 15-6 run to open the third quarter. The Flying Dutch pulled ahead 49-40 and never let the lead get below three points.

McKinney (Haslett, Michigan / Haslett HS), pictured far left, scored a career-high and game-high 21 points off the bench to lead Hope. The junior was named to the all-tournament team.

Muller (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grand Rapids Christian), pictured, finished with 18 points and a team-best five assists. She was named the NCAA Championships' Most Outstanding Player.

Voskuil (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Senior Kate Majerus (Sycamore, Illinois / Sycamore) and junior Claire Baguley (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) added eight points apiece.

Schoonveld (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) was Hope's other scorer with five points. She moved into second-place all-time on Hope's career scoring list with 1,479 points.

Hope limited Whitewater (28-5) to 34.6 percent second-half shooting and 36.8 percent for the game. The Warhawks put four players in double figures, including guard Rebekah Schumacher with a team-high 14.

The win was the 77th in the past 78 games for the Flying Dutch — an unprecedented three-year stretch that included a 61-game winning streak.

The NCAA team title is the fourth in Hope history. The 2014 volleyball team also were NCAA champions.

"Closure ... it feels really really, really good. It feels better than I thought it was going to feel," head coach Brian Morehouse said. "It makes you wonder what the two years before could have been because we've been pretty good for the last three years ... but we don't have any control over that. We controlled what we can control today."