(Wednesday, September 14; Sioux Center, Iowa) Gracie Schoonhoven, a senior at Unity Christian High School (Iowa), has announced her intention to attend Dordt and join the Defender women's basketball program.

"We are so excited to announce Gracie as our first signee of the class of 2023.  Gracie has had an awesome high school career playing for coach Jay Schuiteman.  She is a high motor athlete that can guard multiple positions and score in a variety of ways.  Gracie is a servant at heart, and we can't wait to watch the experiences God has planned for her," said Dordt women's basketball coach Bill Harmsen.

Schoonhoven helped Unity to back to back state tournament berths in 2021 and 2022, helping the Knights to a state title in 2021 and a state semifinalist finish in 2022.  Schoonhoven, a 5-10 guard, has averaged 19.2 points per game during her high school career with 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.9 steals per outing.  She was a first team all-state selection in both 2021 and 2022 and was the Class 3A Player of the Year in 2021.  Schoonhoven is a three time all-conference selection and twice earned all-Northwest Iowa District honors.

"I chose Dordt University to further my faith in a place that is Christ-centered and will better me in multipe areas of my life," said Schoonhoven.

Gracie is the daughter of Mike and Donna Schoonhoven of Hospers, Iowa. She's undecided on a field of study.

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. The Defender athletic program is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA). 

U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,500 students.