WBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association

[md241]

Actually they didn't cross the road-the building marquee read "Hope Women in tourney", so they said "why bother" and turned around!

[tniem]

I did read something interesting regarding Jamie McFarlin.  The GR Press said she is a graduate student.  Having a graduate school gives players a opportunity to use a final year of eligibility that will exist at very few D3 schools.  Players at most other D3 schools complete their education and move on to the next phase of life.  With Wash U, they can move on toward a graduate degree and continue participating in D3 undergraduate sports.  Wow, talk about an advantage!

A few years ago, Hope had a fifth year senior on the men's side, PG Greg Immink, for medical reasons.  Obviously a tough decision for him to stick around when he could have moved on.  May have been easier if he could have started working on a Master's degree, which Hope does not offer.  But lots of D3 schools do - there are a number of state institutions at the D3 level.  Comparative advantage?  Perhaps, but no more than simply WashU being a great school.  In the end, Jamie McFarin likely made a very difficult personal decision to continue playing.  Good for her and the Bears.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

I did read something interesting regarding Jamie McFarlin.  The GR Press said she is a graduate student.  Having a graduate school gives players a opportunity to use a final year of eligibility that will exist at very few D3 schools.  Players at most other D3 schools complete their education and move on to the next phase of life.  With Wash U, they can move on toward a graduate degree and continue participating in D3 undergraduate sports.  Wow, talk about an advantage!

A few years ago, Hope had a fifth year senior on the men's side, PG Greg Immink, for medical reasons.  Obviously a tough decision for him to stick around when he could have moved on.  May have been easier if he could have started working on a Master's degree, which Hope does not offer.  But lots of D3 schools do - there are a number of state institutions at the D3 level.  Comparative advantage?  Perhaps, but no more than simply WashU being a great school.  In the end, Jamie McFarin likely made a very difficult personal decision to continue playing.  Good for her and the Bears.

Same situation with Julie Henderson on the women's side.  Injury early in her freshman year (might have been sophomore year) lead to a medical redshirt and a fifth year.

[Ethelred the Unready]

As far as I know, they don't coach the game, take the shots, and  play defense., right?

You don't either..right?

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Being a bit of a stats fanatic and also appreciating the basketball careers of two wonderful Hope students, Jenny Cowen and Philana Greene, let me share the following. 

First, despite the fact that I'm about to expound on their statistical contributions to the Hope basketball team, I have to say that watching the leadership and class with which they both played the game was remarkable.  Philana and Jenny end their careers leaving many marks on the Hope basketball records. 

In their 4 years on the Hope Varsity:

-   The teams overall record was 114 – 9, 0.927
-   The teams MIAA regular season record was  60 – 4,  0.938
-   The teams  MIAA tournament record was 12 – 0,  1.000
-   The team played in the NCAA tournament all four years with a record of 11 – 4, 0.733 with 3 of those loses coming to the national champion

Jenny Cowen concludes her career in the top 10 of 4 career categories:

-   3pt FG Made – 144 – 4th
-   3pt FG Attempted – 441 - 4th
-   FT percentage – 0.802 - 4th
-   Games played – 123 - 1st

Philana Greene concludes her career in the top 10 of 13 career categories:

-   Scoring – 1059 – 9th
-   FG made – 412 – 9th
-   FT made – 227 – 7th
-   FT attempted – 366 – 6th
-   Rebounds – 613 – 9th
-   Assists – 330 – 4th
-   Assists/game – 2.7 – 6th
-   Blocks – 86 – 7th
-   Blocks/game – 0.7 – 7th
-   Steals – 322 – 1st
-   Steals/game – 2.6 – 1st
-   Games played – 123 – 1st
-   Games started – 106 – 5th

[WWWRHH]

Flying Dutch Fan.....your stats don't lie and as you mention there is even more to the story.

Jenny and Philly are great examples of true student athletes.  Both are excellant sudents while at the same time putting in many long hours training, practicing and competing at a high level.  Only positive things can be said about the manner in which they have represented the school, their team and families.

Philly has had the confidence and respect of her team mates every since her freshman year.  Her gutsy performance on Saturday demonstrates that confidence was not misplaced.

Jenny has spent most of the basketball season student teaching all day, heading immediately to practice, then putting in extra time on her own to compensate for lost practice time and then preparing lesson plans.  Unless you are close to the situation, very few fans can fully appreciate that several recent Dutch players have graduated in four years, with their student teaching completed in multiple teaching certifications.  It is not uncommon for non-atheletes to now spend a full five years to complete a single teaching certification.

D3 players do not get any special financial aid or assistance with classwork.  In spite of this, the Dutch team maintains a very high grade point average even though many of the players have extremely challenging majors.

Perhaps many of us are spoiled by their success and lose site of the hard work and stress these young women experience to provide us with some great entertainment.   The negative comments made about specific players over the past couple of days are way out of bounds given the context of D3 sports and the character of the individuals.

A lot has been noted about Coach Morehouse's W-L record.  What may be a harder achievement is the cohesion he has been able to maintain within a group of hightly competitive athelets that compete intensely for playing time.  It is surprising, at least to me, how close the girls competing for the same role often become.

I had a conversation with a former player of recent vintage after the game on Saturday and her first concern was the disappointment that the seniors were going through.  She wanted nothing more than to see her friends experience the joy of victory that she had felt four years ago. 

I am disappointed about the outcome of Saturday's game.  It was exciting but, for a short time, heart breaking.  But I am proud of the team on and off the court

[Flying Dutch Fan]

DIII News has anounced their AA team.  Carrie Snikkers 1st team, Carissa Verkaik 4th team.  They also have an all freshman team, which includes Verkaik and Liz Ellis.

http://www.smallcollegehoops.com/Home_files/WD3NAATeam10.pdf

[sac]

Liz Ellis should have a chance to be an all-american before she's done at Hope........I was very impressed with her play this year.

[oldknight]

The awards just keep coming in for Hope's Carrie Snikkers. Now she's up for D3 Athlete of the Year.

http://www.mlive.com/smallcolleges/grandrapids/index.ssf/2010/03/hopes_carrie_snikkers_nominate.html

The nomination alone comes with a $1000.00 cash award to the school.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm still disappointed that UWSP prevented (by ONE lousy stinkin' point! ) a showdown between Snikkers and IWU's Christina Solari.  Next year's battles between Snikkers and Verkaik should be epic!

[sac]

Word is Hope has game with Washington Univ. next season at the Ohio Wesleyan tournament.

[Pat Coleman]

Guess it would be a lot to ask for OWU to play either of those teams in the first round.

[sac]

Guess it would be a lot to ask for OWU to play either of those teams in the first round.

Its called a "classic" but the same weekend last year looks like a tournament format.  Until the actual schedule comes out, hard to tell what it is.

Last year OWU invited Franklin, Olivet and Carnegie-Mellon

[hoopdreams]

first time poster on this board and I'm not sure if its been discussed or even released to public but there are multiple girls available as transfers from GVSU, including Emma Veach who would look good in orange and blue.  Probably an issue with Mo's rotations/minutes played though with them.

[oldknight]

first time poster on this board and I'm not sure if its been discussed or even released to public but there are multiple girls available as transfers from GVSU, including Emma Veach who would look good in orange and blue.  Probably an issue with Mo's rotations/minutes played though with them.

Remember, you have to make a right turn when leaving the front door of the Allendale campus. That means you're heading east down M-45.