Both Hope College basketball teams will host their first game in the NCAA Division III championships this coming week.
For the fifth time in school history and for the second consecutive year, both the men's and women's teams will be competing in post-season play. They each won their respective MIAA conference tournament this weekend to gain an automatic berth in the NCAA playoffs.
Directions to Holland, Michigan & Hope College Campus
WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT
NCAA Women's Championship Website
The Flying Dutch (28-0) will host Mount St. Joseph College of Cincinnati, Ohio (19-9) in a first round game Wednesday night at the Dow Center on Hope's campus. The game will tipoff at 7:30 p.m. EST. Click here for ticket information
Hope is making its third straight appearance in the Division III playoffs and the seventh in school history. A year ago the Flying Dutch bowed in the sectional semi-finals. The 1990 Hope team won the national championship.
Mount St. Joseph is making its first NCAA tournament appearance. Back on the first weekend of the season Hope defeated Mount St. Joseph 78-60 in a tournament hosted by the Lions.
The winner of the Hope/Mount St. Joseph game will travel to Washington, Pa. on Saturday to meet Washington & Jefferson College (23-1). The Presidents received a first round bye.
NCAA Men's Championship Website
MEN'S TOURNAMENT
The Flying Dutchmen (23-4) have received a first round bye and will host a second round game Saturday at the college's Dow Center. Hope will host the winner of a first round game between Wisconsin-Oshkosh (22-6) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (12-16). The game will tipoff at 7 p.m. EST. Click here for ticket information
Hope is making its 16th appearance in the Division III playoffs. A year ago the Flying Dutchmen lost in the second round. The Flying Dutchmen were national runnersup in both 1996 and 1998.
Wisconsin-Oshkosh is appearing in the tournament for the fifth time since 1996 while Milwaukee School of Engineering is making its first appearance.
The winner of Hope's second round game would play either Randolph-Macon, Va. (27-1), Alvernia, Pa. (20-8) or Mary Washington, Va. (24-4) in a sectional semi-final game on March 14.