The °¼Í¹ÊÓƵDefender women's basketball team secured its second NAIA National Championship with an 82-73 victory over Indiana Wesleyan, finishing a dominant 35-2 season.
The °¼Í¹ÊÓƵDefender women's basketball team successfully defended its 2024 NAIA National Championship with an 82-73 win over Indiana Wesleyan on Tuesday night, March 25 in Sioux City, Iowa. The win capped a 35-2 season as °¼Í¹ÊÓƵled the entire second half to claim the program's second title.
°¼Í¹ÊÓƵtrailed much of the first seven minutes before put them up 14-13 and followed with a basket for a 16-13 lead. Indiana Wesleyan had a three-pointer for an answer but the Defenders managed a 24-19 lead after basket. Wesleyan got a pair of free throws with under a second left in the period to trim the lead to 24-21.
basket started Dordt's scoring in the second quarter and ignited a run that eventually reached 12 points and held Indiana Wesleyan scoreless until the 2:29 mark. scored a basket with under :05 left in the half and °¼Í¹ÊÓƵhad a 43-29 lead at the break. Van Donge started the scoring in the second half and °¼Í¹ÊÓƵkept extending the lead until a layup before the horn gave °¼Í¹ÊÓƵits biggest lead of the night at 64-44.
°¼Í¹ÊÓƵappeared primed to blow the game open with a basket but Wesleyan scored 13 in a row and had the lead trimmed to 66-57 with 7:03 left. The Wildcats hung around and cut the gap to 76-71 with just under a minute remaining and it was 78-73 with :49 left in the game. An offensive rebound by °¼Í¹ÊÓƵwith less than 20 seconds left effectively sealed the game with converting four straight free throws in the closing moments for an 82-73 win.
The Defenders capped their second straight 35-2 record and are 100-8 in their last three years combined.
, and all claimed spots on the all-tournament team. Van Donge also won the Hustle Award for the second straight year and Sievers was named the Player of the Tournament for the second year in a row.
Indiana Wesleyan finishes the year with a 34-3 record.
For more details, please visit .
About °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, °¼Í¹ÊÓƵis a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
To accommodate growing demand for its Nursing program, °¼Í¹ÊÓƵ is expanding its nursing skills lab. This expansion will provide additional lab space for hands-on learning.
°¼Í¹ÊÓƵ is launching a new branded cycling jersey to unite Defender cyclists nationwide, with good timing as RAGBRAI kicks off in nearby Orange City this summer.
Related Events