Kuyper’s Basketball Teams Compete in NCAA II Midwest Regional Basketball Tournament

Kuyper’s men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams head to Grace Christian University
on Friday, March 1 to play in the 2024. National Christian College Athletic Association Division II Midwest Regional Tournament. Each team will compete for a chance to advance to the Regional Championship game on March 2 and then to the NCCAA II National Tournament in Minnesota.

The tournament marks a return to postseason play for Kuyper’s athletic program, which arrived back on campus in 2023 following an eight-year hiatus. 

“The kids have worked really hard for their first regional tournament,” said Gary Bailey, Kuyper Athletic Director and the head coach of the men’s basketball team. “We’ve had a great couple weeks of practice, and I think we’re as ready as we can be. I’m so proud of this team and how well they’ve come together since September.”

Despite this being the first year of its return, Kuyper’s new athletic program has achieved excellence during the 2023-24 basketball campaigns. The women’s basketball team broke the school record with 15 wins, while the men’s basketball team tied the school record with 20 wins. 

The Midwest Regional tournament will give both Cougar teams a chance to add more victories to already impressive seasons.

“Both teams are really excited for the opportunity to win a championship this weekend,” said Adam Kregel, Sports Information Director & Assistant Athletic Director. “We’ve worked hard, watched films, and practiced for months and months. It all comes down to the regional tournament, and the players are excited to make history.”

Heading into this weekend’s game, several Kuyper players have made a name for themselves on the national stage and have claimed school records.

Freshman Associate of Arts student Herman Brown ranks first in the country in NCCAA II for both three-point percentage and three-pointers made, hitting at a 50.3 percent clip (95 makes in 189 attempts) in Kuyper’s 28 games this season.

He said he heads into the weekend with a no regrets mindset.

“Twenty games is hard to win for a young group with a lot of freshmen, but we worked on trying new things and staying focused,” Brown said. 

Senior Interdisciplinary Studies major Couper Agema is second in the country for all NCCAA II players for free throw percentage, knocking them down at an 85 percent clip at the charity stripe (51 makes in 60 attempts through 24 games). She recalled spending hours practicing with a shooting machine.

“I would just keep going until I made ten in a row or start over,” Agema said. “I would imagine people on the line like a real game.”

For Social Work major Aniya Fisher, a player whose scoring, rebound, and free throw records rank among Kuyper’s all-time statistics, there is “never a dull moment” on the court. 

“Each day brings endless possibilities and keeps us guessing,” Fisher said. “We’ve grown a lot individually and as a team.”

As the regional tournament approaches, many of the players seek to enter the tournament with a good attitude and a sense of humor. Beyond shooting for high scores or personal bests, Maria Sobany, a women’s basketball team member and junior, hopes the teams “just have a good time and give it our all.”

“Hopefully, it’s going be fun,” Sobany said. “We play a very fast-paced game, so we are dynamic and fun to watch. If we can bring Kuyper its first banner and hang it up in the gym, that’s just a bonus.”

More information about Kuyper’s athletic program can be found at kuypercougars.com.