The Hope College women’s basketball team has been picked to repeat as Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion in the 2016-17 season.

Coach Brian Morehouse’s Flying Dutch topped the preseason MIAA coaches poll that was released today.

 

Hope received seven of nine first-place votes for a first-place total of 63 points. The preseason poll for MIAA women's basketball awards nine points for a first-place vote, eight points for a second-place vote. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own programs.

 

The Flying Dutch finished seven points ahead of second-place Trine, which claimed two first-place votes.

 

Calvin came in third with 52 points. The Knights were followed by Adrian (41), Albion (31), Olivet (26), Alma (22), Kalamazoo (16) and Saint Mary’s (13).

 

Hope is coming off a 2015-16 season in which the Flying Dutch posted a 26-2 overall record and went 15-1 in MIAA play en route to league regular-season and tournament titles. Hope played in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and lost in the first round to Carnegie Mellon, Pennsylvania.