Hope College’s Francesca Buchanan and Kenedy Schoonveld have made the All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball First Team for the second consecutive season.
Teammate Olivia Voskuil was selected the MIAA’s Defensive Player of the Year as well
as an All-MIAA Second Team selection.
Head coach Brian Morehouse said the talented trio is well-deserving of its recognition
from MIAA coaches.
“They share some common traits that have resulted in this success,” Morehouse said.
“All three are tireless workers in their game in the summer, have bought into Dan
Margritz’s strength program, and work with our athletic trainers to keep themselves
healthy throughout the season.”
Hope won 14 of 16 MIAA games this season to finish runner-up in the league standings.
The Flying Dutch (22-3 overall) earned a No. 2 seed for this week’s MIAA Tournament.
This is Buchanan’s third time as a first-team honoree. The senior forward from Grant,
Michigan (Sparta HS) led Hope by averaging 14.8 points and 6.8 rebounds against MIAA
opponents this season.
Buchanan is now second on Hope’s all-time scoring list with 1,431 career points.
“What more can be said than what’s been said?” Morehouse said of Buchanan. “She has
improved each year. She was our only senior and the heartbeat of our program all year.
She played very efficiently and improved her defense this season.”
Schoonveld repeats as an All-MIAA first-team selection. The sophomore guard from Zeeland,
Michigan (Holland Christian) contributed 10.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and
1.9 steals per league game this season.
“She follows a strong first season with an even better sophomore year,” Morehouse
said. “She is an overlooked defensive presence in our team who was the focal point
of the other team’s defense this year. Despite this, she still played efficiently
on offense and improved as a playmaker.”
Voskuil delivered 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals this season in MIAA play
while also averaging 7.1 points and 1.5 assists per league game.
“Her Defensive Player of the Year award is well deserved due to her shot blocking
presence and ability to guard inside and out,” Morehouse said. “She made a huge improvement
from freshman year offensively. She added a 3-point shot to her arsenal and began
attacking the basket off the dribble.”
Hope tips off the MIAA Tournament on Friday, February 22 with a 5:30 p.m. semifinal
at Trine University. The Flying Dutch face the winner of the Tuesday, February 19
quarterfinal between third-seeded Albion College and sixth-seeded Saint Mary’s College.