Northwestern is known for its traditions. From Clash of the Classes to the Hospers Cardboard Duct Tape Battle, the past is kept alive.
However, the one tradition that many freshmen on campus were curious about was the covering of all the letter D’s on campus. Turns out, it was simply the week NW played its biggest rival, the Dordt Defenders.
Time after time, Dordt and NW go to battle to see which school is superior. However, this rivalry is not what it seems.
Raider coaches made it seem like it was much more of an on the field rivalry than it was off the field. When asked if the players were rivals on the field and friends off the field, football Head Coach Matt McCarty stated, “I would agree with that.”
Furthermore, when asked about the gameday experience, all the coaches said that it was a big deal for the communities around Orange City. “I think it’s something that Sioux County gets really excited about,” said men’s basketball Head Coach Kris Korver. “Every coffee shop in Orange City, Sioux Center, Hull, Boyden, Sheldon, Rock Valley, Hawarden, Lyon County – every coffee shop for three days before, the day of, and three days afterwards cannot stop talking about the game.”
Both coaches are some of the most successful against Dordt, with McCarty coaching every NW-Dordt game since Dordt’s program started, an undefeated streak, and Korver having a 34-21 record against the Defenders.
When asking about the history of the NW vs Dordt rivalry, Korver stated, “NW is a Christian college that’s historically from the Reformed Church of America, and Dordt is a Christian school from the Christian Reformed Denomination.” Korver said, “Two schools whose theology and doctrine is 100% the same but one is Christian Reformed, and one is Reformed.”
One coach stood out and said to her it was not really a rivalry. Taylor Decker, the head cheer and dance coach stated, “I would not really call it a rivalry because I get along with their cheer and dance coach really well.” Decker said. “But it is for the kids. I would say they are very competitive and that is what they want.”
No matter the sport, the NW and Dordt rivalry appears it will a part of tradition for a long time to come.
