Kenedy Schoonveld Named MIAA Sheila Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award Honoree
Hope College’s Kenedy Schoonveld is the 2021 recipient of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Female Scholar-Athlete Award.
Deemed the highest honor for an MIAA female student-athlete, the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Female Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes female seniors who have excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership in their respective communities.
“Kenedy is more than deserving of this award. Her passion -- not only on the court but in the classroom and community -- really shines through and is an inspiration to all who have seen her in action.”
Schoonveld is Hope’s fourth Kovalchik Award recipient. The Hope women’s basketball standout and senior guard joins previous honorees: Erin Herrmann (2017, track and field), Jenna Grasmeyer (2015, volleyball), and Nora Kuiper (2009, track and field).
”Like Sheila Wallace Kovalchik, Kenedy is one who leads by example,” assistant athletic director Lindsey Engelsman said. “She has been a tremendous leader at Hope College, both on and off the court throughout her career. Her character, integrity, compassion for others, and work ethic are inspiring to those around her.”
Schoonveld has served as team captain of the Flying Dutch women’s basketball team since October of 2018. The social work major from Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) helped Hope conclude back-to-back seasons undefeated and ranked No. 1.
In the classroom, Schoonveld boasts a 3.84 grade-point average while majoring in Social Work and minoring in Spanish. She has been on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll for three consecutive years (2018-20) and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Women’s Basketball Second Team in 2021.
Schoonveld served as the Vice President of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society in 2020-21 and also spent time as a foster care/adoption intern. She volunteered with both the Special Olympics and the Miracle League for three years (2017-20), as well as in the dementia unit of the Resthaven Good Shepherd's Home in 2018-19. In addition, she worked at Hope as an athletic game day worker and a fieldhouse building worker both for four years (2017-21).
During four basketball seasons, Schoonveld helped the Flying Dutch to a 98-7 record. Hope claimed included two MIAA regular-season championships and one co-championship, three MIAA Tournament titles, a trip to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight in 2018, the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019, and the second round in 2020 (before the remainder of the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
With 1,112 career points, Schoonveld is ranked 10th all-time at Hope.
The Flying Dutch finished the 2020 and 2021 seasons undefeated and ranked No. 1 in final D3hoops polls with 29-0 and 16-0 records, respectively. The program's current 45-game winning streak is the eighth-longest in NCAA Division III history and a school record.
Schoonveld is a two-time MIAA Most Valuable Player (2020 and 2021) and a four-time All-MIAA First Team selection.
Additionally, Schoonveld is a two-time WBCA First Team All-American (2020, 2021), a two-time D3hoops.com Second Team All-American (2020, 2021), and a two-time D3hoops.com Co-Great Lakes Regional Player of the Year (2020, 2021).
As a freshman, Shoonveld was selected as the D3hoops.com Co-Great Lakes Rookie of the Year.
“I am very excited about this award honoring Kenedy. I had the privilege of working with Sheila Kovalchik for many years and am confident she would have approved of Kenedy’s selection,” head coach Brian Morehouse said. “The talent on the court is something everyone sees when Kenedy plays. The grace, class, and balance she exhibits between academics, faith, social, and athletics is what really stands out to me. It is this balance that Sheila always strived for in the MIAA student-athletes and Kenedy captures this perfectly.”