JON BEERBOWER
STAFF WRITER
1/29/2024
The scope of sports in the MIAA is changing and the Scots are looking to capitalize on the shift. It is clearly out with the old: the Knights of Calvin, the Thunder of Trine and The Flying Dutch of Hope, and in with the new: the Scots, who will do whatever it takes to come out on top.
Women’s Basketball is sitting pretty with a 10-9 record and a stellar 6-4 conference record. Even better is their 4-1 record at Art Smith Arena. In their most recent matchup, they knocked off the Comets of Olivet with a score of 78-34.
The Scots are having their great season behind the combo of Taylor Sas (‘24) and Maddie Robbins (‘24). Sas is leading the MIAA in PPG with 17.4. Robbins is sitting seventh in the conference with 60 total assists thanks to Sas’s three-point deadeye.
The Lady Scots will need to lock into the rest of conference play as they take on Calvin, Trine and most importantly Hope at home in a rematch that originally saw the Scots travel to Holland and take the former National Champions to double overtime where they lost by two. The next game at home for the Scots Women’s Basketball will be on Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m.
Another breakout sport for the Scots this season has been Men’s Basketball. Coach Mike Fitzpatrick, in his second season as head coach, has the Scots sitting at .500 in conference and regular season play.
Connor Riley (‘24) and Tyshaun Walker (‘24) who transferred in with Mike Fitzpatrick are part of a 5 man squad where no one outshines the other. Both Walker and Riley are in the top 5 PPG in the MIAA with Connor averaging 18.7 at number 2 in the league and Walker sitting fifth averaging 14.8 PPG.
A first-year Scot that has burst onto the scene is Nolan Boffman (‘25). Boffman is second in the MIAA with 43 steals despite playing almost 200 minutes less than the man sitting in first place.
“Last year the expectation was to compete each game. This year we’ve evolved from not just competing, but finishing off each game with winning play,” said Riley. “The coaches have put us in a position to be successful and players, new and old, contribute to the cause.”
Men’s Basketball is back home on Jan. 31 with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
Men’s Wrestling is well underway with their season. They are currently 3-7 under first-year head coach, Jared Groenveld.
“I think Groenveld has stepped into a tough position and done a great job at turning around the team and handling adversity. The work we have been striving for has finally turned the corner and now we are strong as a team, and wrestlers have turned the proverbial corner finding the nothing to lose mindset as the season enters the final stretch,” said Brody Miskimon (‘24), captain of the team. The next home wrestling meet will be on Feb. 1 at 7:00 p.m.
Women’s Wrestling is in its first full competitive season under Katlyn Pizzo. The women come into each meet with a new chance for each wrestler to make history. The next home meet for the Scots Women’s Wrestling team will be on Feb. 6 at 6:00 p.m.
Swim and Dive finally found their head coach, Coach Chris Hamstra, a former Alma coach 10 years prior. On the Men’s side, Brent Riehl (‘26) set the school record in the 50 Free at the midseason meet in Dec., and Eil Mull (‘26)set a new record in the 500 Free.
The appointment of this new coach can generate hope that Alma College Swim and Dive will once again find its way back to the glory days of the early 2010s with Hamstra back at the wheel.
For more information, please visit almascots.com.
The Almanian: News 
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