Hope College fans continue to support their basketball teams like nobody in the nation.
Both the Flying Dutchmen and Flying Dutch have repeated as NCAA Division III home attendance leaders for the 2015-16 school year, the NCAA announced today.
Coach Greg Mitchell’s Flying Dutchmen totaled 34,300 fans over 13 home games this season for an average of 2,638. Augustana, Illinois was second with a 1,757 average.
Division III men’s basketball games drew 396 fans per game during the 2015-16 season.
In women’s basketball, coach Brian Morehouse’s Flying Dutch topped the nation with a total of 21,004 fans for a 16-game average of 1,313. Maryville, Tennessee was runner-up at 1,035.
Division III women’s basketball teams averaged 233 fans per game during the 2015-16 season.
Hope also ranked in the top 10 for home attendance in three other sports during the 2015-16 school year: volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s soccer.
It is the 14th consecutive time Hope has topped the nation in men’s basketball attendance and 18th overall.
The Flying Dutchmen also led Division III in home men's basketball attendance in 2014-15, 2013-14, 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11, 2009-10, 2008-09, 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05, 2003-04, 2002-03, 1998-99, 1995-96, 1990-91 and 1983-84.
The women’s basketball team finished No. 1 in attendance for the eighth consecutive season and 10th time overall.
The Flying Dutch join teams from 2014-15, 2013-14, 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11, 2009-10, 2008-09, 2005-06 and 1989-90.
Coach Becky Schmidt’s volleyball team averaged the third-most fans in the nation at 581 fans per match.
Coach Leigh Sears’ women’s soccer team ranked fourth in Division III with 368 fans per match.
Coach Steven Smith’s men’s soccer team had the eighth-best average in the country at 549 fans per match.