2024-25 Women's Basketball Season Preview

The Hope College women's basketball team is looking to fly high once again this year.

After winning a regular-season MIAA Championship for the fifth consecutive season and reaching the Sweet Sixteen once again, the Flying Dutch have their sights set lofty for the 2024-25 season.

Hope's regular- and conference-season slate features four matchups against nationally ranked opponents, offering the Flying Dutch a chance to prove their own preseason ranking.

The Flying Dutch finished ninth in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll and 12th in the d3hoops.com preseason rankings.

Hope also topped the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll after receiving six first-place votes for a total of 62 points, ahead of second-place Trine University (57 points and the remaining three first-place votes).

Head coach Brian Morehouse '91 perceives an ingrained strength in the members of his team as they prepare for the season – a strength to match the historically incredible speed and scoring potential Hope fans have come to expect from Flying Dutch teams.

"Our depth will be our strength," Morehouse said. "In practice, the competitive level every day is making us stronger and sharpening us individually and in playing groups."

Coaching Staff

Head coach: Brian Morehouse '91, 29th season (711-98 at Hope)
Associate head coach: Courtney Kust '13
Assistant coaches: Colly Carlson '92, Austin Randel, Dean Morehouse

2024-25 Roster

The Hope roster features four freshmen, five sophomores, four juniors and four seniors.

The Flying Dutch return two starters in defending MIAA Conference MVP senior Jada Garner (Midland, Michigan / Herbert Henry Dow HS) and first-team All-MIAA junior Sydney Vis (Byron Center, Michigan / South Christian). Both players were selected to the D3hoops.com all-region team in Region 7.

Also returning is senior guard Olivia Bellows (Lake City, Michigan / Lake City), who was second on the team in scoring in 2023 and was selected to the All-MIAA second team.

The Flying Dutch also added sophomore Maddie Petroelje (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) from the Division I University of Loyola-Chicago to their roster.

"Leadership is everyone's opportunity in the women's basketball program," Morehouse said. "We have had seniors step up to the challenges of leading, but our underclassmen have also played the role of leaders, which has strengthened our group. Jada Garner, Lauren Leach and Olivia Bellows have been outstanding in their intentionality of how they lead, which has led to real team growth."

2024-25 Schedule

The Flying Dutch are facing down the 11th-toughest schedule in Division III women's basketball this season, about which Morehouse said, "It will be a great opportunity to test ourselves."

Hope opens the season on Friday, Nov. 8, by tipping off against Wilmington College (Ohio) at DeVos Fieldhouse as a tune-up before launching into a slate of tournament games.

The Hope College-Calvin University Tournament on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 15-16, at Calvin will pit the Hope against Loras College (Iowa) and preseason No. 10 Illinois Wesleyan University.

The following weekend, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 22-23, the Hope College Tournament will feature Anderson University (Indiana) and preseason No. 21 Carroll University (Iowa).

The Flying Dutch then will host the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 30, respectively, before hosting Albion College on Dec. 4 for the first MIAA conference match of the year.

After eight consecutive home games to open the season, the Flying Dutch will travel to the University of Olivet for their first road test.

The weekend of Dec. Friday-Saturday 18-19, Hope College will travel to Springfield, Ohio, to participate in the Wittenberg University Holiday Classic Tournament.

The Flying Dutch will complete a month-long road odyssey after Wittenberg, visiting four conference foes, including Calvin on Saturday, Jan. 4, and defending MIAA Tournament champion Trine University on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Hope will host rematches with Calvin and Trine on Saturday, Feb. 1, and Saturday, Feb. 15.

The Flying Dutch will conclude the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 22, at home against Alma College.

Hope has reached the MIAA Tournament every year in which it has been played, and should they reach once more this season, the tournament will begin on Tuesday, Feb 25.

"The MIAA is the strongest it's ever been top to bottom," Morehouse said. "I'm looking forward to this depth of our league from a competitive standpoint."

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Players Mentioned

#23 Olivia Bellows: G; 5' 6"; Junior; Elementary Education: PreK-3, 3-6 G

#11 Jada Garner: G; 5' 6"; Junior; Exercise Science

#4 Lauren Leach: G; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#25 Sydney Vis: G/F; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#34 Maddie Petroelje: G/F; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#23 Olivia Bellows
: 5' 6"; Junior; Elementary Education: PreK-3, 3-6 G
: G

#11 Jada Garner
: 5' 6"; Junior; Exercise Science
: G

#4 Lauren Leach
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G

#25 Sydney Vis
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G/F

#34 Maddie Petroelje
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G/F