Hope Men's Basketball Secures No. 2 Seed in MIAA Tournament

Flying Dutchmen face semifinal challenge after loss to rival Calvin

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Hope College Flying Dutchmen (16-9, 11-3 MIAA) secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MIAA tournament despite a 96-88 loss to Calvin University. The high-scoring rivalry game saw strong offensive performances from both teams, with Calvin's Jalen Overway leading all scorers with 28 points. Hope's freshman class, including Brendan Cargill, Sean Wesolek, and Avery Sanchez, provided a spark for the Flying Dutchmen.

Why it matters

The MIAA tournament is a highly competitive event, and Hope's ability to bounce back from the loss to Calvin will be crucial as they aim to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. The contributions of Hope's talented freshman class will be a key factor in their tournament success.

The details

The loss to Calvin dashed Hope's hopes for an MIAA regular-season championship, but they still secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming tournament. Hope will face either Calvin or Adrian College in the semifinals on February 27th at Olivet College. The Flying Dutchmen will need to tighten up their possession game, as they had more turnovers than Calvin in the high-scoring rivalry game.

  • The MIAA tournament semifinal game is scheduled for Friday, February 27th at 5:30 PM at Olivet College.
  • Hope will face the winner of the first-round matchup between Calvin and Adrian College, scheduled for Tuesday, February 24th at Calvin.

The players

Brendan Cargill

A Hope College freshman who led all scorers with 19 points, 15 of which came in the first half.

Jalen Overway

A Calvin University player who recorded 28 points and 10 rebounds in the high-scoring rivalry game.

Parker Hovey

A Hope College junior forward who contributed 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.

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What they’re saying

“The MIAA tournament is the most balanced I've seen in my 12 years.”

— Greg Mitchell, Head Coach, Hope College (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

Hope will await the winner of the first-round matchup between Calvin and Adrian College, scheduled for Tuesday, February 24th at Calvin. The semifinal game against either team will be played on Friday, February 27th at 5:30 PM at Olivet College's Cutler Events Center.

The takeaway

Hope's talented freshman class, including Brendan Cargill, Sean Wesolek, and Avery Sanchez, provided a spark for the Flying Dutchmen despite the loss to Calvin. Their continued contributions will be crucial as Hope looks to advance in the highly competitive MIAA tournament and secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.