The Hope College volleyball team is returning to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 15th time in school history and the 11th time under head coach Becky Schmidt.
The 14th-ranked Flying Dutch received an at-large berth to the national tournament
after finishing second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings
and league tournament.
Hope (25-7 overall) will face DePauw University, Indiana (17-10) on Thursday, November
8 in a regional hosted by Calvin College at 3 p.m.
Thursday’s winner advances to face either Wittenberg University, Ohio (23-2) or Carthage
College, Wisconsin (21-10) in Friday’s semifinal.
Other first-round games Thursday pit Calvin (28-1) against Greenville University,
Illinois (23-10) and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (24-7) against Ohio Northern
University (22-7).
Hope is seeking its fourth regional championship. Head coach Becky Schmidt’s Flying
Dutch previously claimed regional titles in 2014, 2013 and 2009.
In 2014, Hope went on to claim its first national championship.
The Flying Dutch return to the NCAA Tournament after a one-year absence. Hope advanced
nine consecutive times from 2008-16.