The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced that, for the second-consecutive year, Hope College fifth-year senior Kenedy Schoonveld was selected as the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar Athlete of the Year in a Women’s Sport.

Deemed the highest honor for an MIAA student-athlete in a women's sport, the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar Athlete of the Year accolade recognizes seniors who have excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership in their respective communities. The award honors former MIAA Commissioner Sheila Wallace Kovalchik, who served the conference as commissioner from 1991 to 2002.

This year, a total of nine outstanding student-athletes were nominated for this prestigious MIAA honor.

Zeeland native Kenedy Schoonveld is a graduate of Holland Christian High School.  She is the daughter of Tim and Lisa Schoonveld.

Schoonveld served as a captain of the Flying Dutch basketball team during the first four years on the team.  Over her total of five years on the court, she assisted the women's basketball program to an overall won-loss record of 130-8, including two MIAA championships, two conference co-championship titles, and four MIAA Tournament titles.  Topping off her career with the national championship crown at the 2022 NCAA DIII Tournament, Schooveld previously helped the Flying Dutch to a trip to the NCAA DIII Elite Eight in 2018, the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019, and the sectional round in 2020 (remainder of the tournament and the 2021 tournament canceled due to COVID-19).

The Hope guard was voted the MIAA's Most Valuable Player for three-straight seasons (2020-22) and became a five-time First Team All-MIAA honoree this year.  Back in 2018, Schoonveld started her career with the title of D3hoops Co-Great Lakes Regional Rookie of the Year.  She went on to become a two-time D3Hoops Co-Great Lakes Regional Player of the Year (2020-21), the 2022 D3hoops Region 7 Player of the Year, a three-time D3hoops All-American (two-time First Team, once Second Team), a three-time WBCA First Team All-American, and the 2022 WBCA Player of the Year.

Graduating with a degree in Social Work, Schoonveld boasts a grade-point average of 3.82.  She will be named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll for the fifth time in her career this year.  In 2021, Schoonveld was named both to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team® and to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Third Team.  This year, she was the Jostens Trophy recipient and a finalist for the Honda Award

Outside of the area and the classroom, Schoonveld has volunteered her time in various community service and campus activities during her five years within the MIAA, including the following:  Special Olympics (2017-20), Miracle League (2017-21), Resthaven Good Shepherd's Home (2018-19), Phi Alpha Social Work Honors Society (vice president | 2020-21), athletic gameday worker (2017-21), fieldhouse building worker (2017-22), foster care/adoption intern (2020-21), foster care case aide (2021-22).

Also nominated for this award were:

Lillian Albaugh, Olivet College

Carlee Casteel, Adrian College

Bridget Kane, Saint Mary's College

Chrystelle Lopez, Albion College

Evie Miller, Trine University

Eve Petrie, Kalamazoo College

Hadyn Terwilliger, Alma College