For the fourth consecutive year, Hope College topped all NCAA Division III women's basketball programs in average home attendance during the 2011-12 season.
For the fourth consecutive year, Hope College topped all NCAA Division III women's basketball programs in average home attendance during the 2011-12 season.
It marks the second year in-a-row that both the women's and men's
basketball programs have been ranked number one. No Division III
member has accomplished that fete.
According to an NCAA announcement, Hope averaged 1,343 fans over 13
home dates. The average home game attendance among all 429 Division
III women's basketball programs in 2011-12 was 229 fans. Hope was the
only team to average more than 1,000 fans per home date. Rival Calvin
and national champion Illinois Wesleyan tied for fourth in attendance
last season as each averaged 664 fans.
It is the fifth time since moving to DeVos Fieldhouse that Hope has
been the DIII leader in women's basketball attendance. The average in
other years when Hope was the national leader were: 2005-06, 1,329;
2008-9, 1,269; 2009-10, 1,138; and 2010-11, 1,546.
The Flying Dutch, who posted an overall 22-5 record, were 12-1 on
their home court. The annual home rivalry game with Calvin attracted
the largest crowd (2,815).
Hope's six-season record at DeVos Fieldhouse is 108-3. That included a
77-game home floor winning streak. In 16 seasons under coach
Morehouse, the Flying Dutch are 221-22 (.909) on their home floor.
The conference Hope belongs to, the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic
Association (MIAA), finished third among NCAA Division III conference
in attendance behind the Iowa Intercollegiate and Commonwealth
conferences. The nine MIAA schools averaged 380 fans per home game.
During the 2011-12 school year Hope also ranked second nationally in
average home attendance at men's soccer and volleyball matches.
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