Dordt Women’s Basketball: A Team on the Rise

The Dordt College women’s basketball team is on the rise! Follow their journey as they strive to be the best team in the nation.

Introduction

Since joining the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in 2009, the Dordt College Women’s Basketball team has made steady progress, culminating in a conference championship and berth in the NAIA National Tournament in 2018.

The team is coached by Bill Fennelly, who took over the program in 2016. In his first season, the team improved its record to 19-11 and made it to the GPAC semifinals. The following year, they finished 21-9 and won the conference tournament becoming the first team in school history to make it to the NAIA National Tournament

The 18-19 season was another successful one for the Defenders, as they finished 25-7 and won their second straight GPAC title. They fell short of making it back to the national tournament, but with a young core of players returning next season, the future looks bright for Dordt Women’s Basketball.

Team History

The Dordt College women’s basketball team has come a long way since its inaugural season in 1995. The team has seen many changes over the years, but one thing has remained the same: the dedication of the players and Coaching Staff to build a successful program.

In the early years, the team struggled to find its footing, posting a combined record of just 33-63 over its first four seasons. But things began to turn around in 1999, when the team won 12 games, double its win total from the previous year.

Since then, the team has continued to improve, posting a winning record in eight of the last nine seasons. The highlight of this period was undoubtedly the 2015-16 season, when the team won a program-record 27 games and made its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament

The future looks bright for Dordt women’s basketball, and we can’t wait to see what this team will accomplish in the years to come!

Team Roster

The Dordt College women’s Basketball team is composed of eleven talented individuals who have made a commitment to excel both on and off the court. This year’s team includes:

seniors: Carissa Boeve, Courtney Vande Griend, and Lindsey Brown;
juniors: Nicole Struik, Kara Van Dyke, and Aubrey Joostberns;
and sophomores: Madison Moss, Rachel Ewing, Allison Vossen, Sammey Beadle, and Brenna Wubben.

Team Schedule

The Dordt Women’s basketball team has seen a lot of success in recent years and they show no signs of slowing down. With a tough schedule ahead, the team is looking to continue their winning ways.

Below is the team’s schedule for the upcoming season Be sure to catch them in action if you can!

October:
7 – @ Northwestern
11 – @ Midland
14 – Mount Marty
17 – Concordia (NE)
21 – Briar Cliff
25 – @ Dakota Wesleyan
28 – Northwestern College JV
31 – Doane University JV

November:
1 – @ Hastings
5 – Dordt Alumni Game
8 – Morningside
11-12 – GPAC Shootout (Des Moines Iowa) 15 – York College JV
18 – Concordia (NE) 22 – @ Midland
26 – Dakota Wesleyan University

Team Results

The Dordt University Women’s basketball team has seen great success in recent years The team has achieved a winning record in three of the last four seasons, and made it to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in 2017. This year, the team looks to build on that success and make a run at the National Championship

Team Analysis

The Dordt College Women’s basketball team has been on the rise over the past few years. The team has seen an increase in wins and a jump in scoring, thanks in large part to the play of their two All-Conference players, Bree VanLankvelt and Steph Holtman.

The team is currently 12-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play They are averaging 63.1 points per game which is up from last season’s average of 60.8 points per game The team is also shooting a higher percentage from the field, three-point range and the Free Throw Line

All-Conference players Bree VanLankvelt and Steph Holtman have been leading the way for the Dordt Women’s basketball team VanLankvelt, a senior, is averaging a double-double with 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game She is also shooting 50% from the field, which is up from her career average of 46%. Holtman, a junior, is averaging 15 points per game and is shooting 41% from three-point range.

The Dordt College Women’s Basketball team has improved in many areas over the past few years and they show no signs of slowing down. With two All-Conference players leading the way, the team is poised for continued success in the years to come.

Player Profiles

The Dordt College women’s Basketball Team is comprised of a group of talented and hardworking student-athletes. Here is a look at some of the Key Players who have helped the team to a successful season

Senior forward Macy Toering is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 14.5 points per game She is a versatile player who can score inside and out, and is also a great rebounder. Toering is a two-time All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) selection and was named GPAC Player of the Year in 2019.

Junior guard Madison Braun is one of the team’s best three-point shooters, averaging 12 Points per game She is also a very good defender, often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player. Braun was named All-GPAC honorable mention last season.

Sophomore guard Ellie Veenstra is the team’s starting point guard and does a little bit of everything for the Defenders. She leads the team in assists and steals, and is second in scoring, averaging 11 points per game Veenstra was named GPAC Newcomer of the Year last season.

These are just three of the many talented players on the Dordt College women’s Basketball team With their mix of experience and youth, the Defenders are poised to make noise in the GPAC tournament and beyond.

Fans and Media

Dordt College’s women’s Basketball team is on the rise, and fans and media are taking notice. The team has seen a dramatic increase in its win-loss record in recent years and this year they are poised to make a run at the Conference Championship

The increase in success has been accompanied by an increase in fan support. The team’s games are now routinely sell-outs, and the fans are some of the most passionate and supportive in the conference. This support has extended to the media as well, with many local and regional media outlets now covering the team on a regular basis.

All of this attention is exciting for the team and its fans, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure. The team knows that they have to keep winning if they want to maintain this level of support, but they are confident that they have what it takes to keep rising to meet the challenge.

Future Outlook

The Dordt College women’s basketball team has experienced a lot of success in recent years, and there is no reason to believe that this trend will not continue in the future. The team is young and experienced, with a core group of players who have been together for several years. The coaching staff is also very stable, with Head Coach Craig Stiemsma and his assistant coaches having been in place for several years.

The team has made great strides in terms of its on-court performance, finishing the 2018-19 season with a 20-9 record and reaching the semifinals of the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament The team also received votes in the final Women’s Basketball Coaches Association national poll, which is a very significant accomplishment.

Looking ahead to the 2019-20 season the Dordt College women’s Basketball Team has a chance to be even better. The team will have all five starters back from last year’s squad, as well as a strong group of bench players With another year of experience under their belts, this group should be even more dangerous.

The sky is the limit for this Dordt College women’s basketball team With continued hard work and dedication, there is no reason why this team cannot continue to rise up the ranks of Division II basketball and become one of the best teams in the country.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Dordt Women’s basketball team has shown great improvement in recent years and is a team on the rise. With a strong core of returning players and a talented group of newcomers, the future is bright for the Defenders. We hope you will come out and support the team as they continue their quest for greatness!