‘College Basketball’, one of the biggest and most watched college-sports in the US! Reason enough to write about it.

Players from all over the world come to the US to bring out the most of their basketball career besides getting a good diploma. All of this with one ultimate dream: a chance of making it to the NBA, one of the biggest and wealthiest sports competitions in the world!

Rick Smits

Rick Smits is an example of a Dutch basketball player who made it to the NBA after playing in college as a student-athlete. He played at ‘Marist College’ in the 1st division of the NCAA. After that he got drafted in the NBA Draft of 1988 as 2nd pick overall by the Indiana Pacers. He played with the Pacers until 2000. Fun fact: did you know that our student-athlete Lars Schouten also competes as a student-athlete at Marist College?!

March Madness

Almost everyone in the US is following the College Basketball season. Every year, at the end of the season, the well renowned ‘March Madness’ is being played. This is a yearly tournament at the end of the NCAA Division 1 season. So many people are watching this tournament that, according to Wallethub, American companies loose 1.9$ billion dollars in revenue per HOUR (!) because of less productive employees during the March Madness season.

Eventually it is the goal of every basketball player to get in to the 1st division of the NCAA. This is the most exclusive division with the biggest universities, the best teams and the best players. Many players from this division will barch onto the NBA. There are 353 teams active in the Division 1, yet it isn’t so easy to get into this division as basketball player. There are a couple of Dutch basketball players who made it to this division.

Would you like to know who they are and where they play? Check the list below!

Men

  • Matt Haarms – Brigham Young University
  • Dylan van Eyck – Iona College
  • Alex Strating – University of Colorado
  • Kevin Schutte – Hofstra University
  • David Nzekwesi – Weber State University
  • Calvin Poulina – Bethune-Cookman University
  • Kjell de Graff  – New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • Iyen Eneruna – University of Evansville
  • Bas Leyte – University of North Carolina Greensboro
  • Jacco Fritz – Canisius College
  • Tristan Eneruna – University of Kansas
  • Quinten Post – Mississippi state University
  • Jesse Edwards – Syracuse University
  • Hidde Roesink – Kansas City University
  • Lagio Grantsaan – Morgan State University
  • Jonas Visser – University of San Fransisco
  • Jake van der Heijden – Bucknell University
  • Kenan Sarvan – Coppin State
  • Rienk Mast – Bradley
  • David N’Guessan – Virginia Tech
  • Jamie Bergens – Oral Roberts
  • Ismael Plet – Oral Roberts
  • Siem Uijtendaal – Canisius College

Women

  • Jade Blagrove – University of South Florida
  • Vita Stam – George Mason University
  •  Lotte Sant – Louisiana Tech University
  • Maud Huijbens – Syracuse University
  • Emy Hayford – University of Pittsburgh
  • Linda van Schaik – University of Louisiana at Monroe
  • Milou Vennema – Longwood University 
  • Floor Toonders – University of Florida 
  • Sophie Bruintjes – Rider University
  • Lynn Tamis – Texas A&M University
  • Evelien Lutje Schipholt – University of California – Berkley
  • Anouschka Meijer – Iona College
  • Celine DuPont – University of New Mexico
  • Kathelijne van Bennekom – University of New Mexico

Would you like to shine bright like these great athletes at the highest level of College Basketball? Get in contact with our basketball expert Brian Riesmeijer or fill in this questionnaire and we will get in contact with you!