The Hope College women’s basketball team has been awarded the 2021 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular-season championship by the league’s presidents.

The Flying Dutch went 7-0 in MIAA play this winter, but initially were not crowned regular-season champions because COVID-19 cancellations created an incomplete league schedule.

In response, MIAA Presidents recently approved a formula that ensures fairness in determining regular-season champions across all winter and spring sports. The formula takes into account the win-loss record of each team and the win-loss record of their opponents.

The MIAA title is Hope’s 19th in women’s basketball and second in a row. The Flying Dutch have been MIAA champions in five of the past six seasons.

Hope finished the 2021 season with a 16-0 overall record after winning the MIAA Tournament with three victories, including a 64-54 victory against Trine University in the March 6 championship game at DeVos Fieldhouse.

In the March 3 semifinals, the Flying Dutch set an MIAA Tournament record for fewest points allowed during a 77-26 victory against Calvin University. In the March 1 quarterfinals, Hope set an MIAA Tournament record for most points scored during a 115-55 victory against Kalamazoo College.

The Flying Dutch extended their win streak to a school-record 45 games after going unbeaten and being ranked No. 1 in back-to-back seasons. 

The win streak is the eighth-longest in NCAA Division III history. Hope is one of two teams in NCAA Division III history with two win streaks of at least 40 games.