WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Picked Third In The North Division In Preseason GLIAC Poll

BIG RAPIDS - It will be a challenging division for Ferris State University's women's team with two nationally-ranked powerhouses in the North Division in Michigan Tech University and Grand Valley State University expected to set the tone.

The Bulldogs and Lake Superior State University were picked a distant third and fourth behind the two national powers in the 2009-10 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Women's Basketball Media Poll. Ferris finished with 74 points and Lake Superior was just two points back with 72 points. Above the two, however, Michigan Tech (the preseason No. 1 team Division II team in the nation in one poll) earned 142 points and 22 of 24 first-place votes while GVSU collected 122 points and a pair of first-place votes in the poll.

Ferris head coach Tracey Dorow knows she has two powerhouse teams in her division and is looking forward to her young Bulldogs gaining experience and a competitor's edge as it faces a very challenging schedule this season.

"Really excited about the upcoming season. We've got four new freshmen one of whom is going to redshirt Felicia Standley. We also have a volleyball player (Ashley Huntey, a local product from Morley Stanwood High School) who is coming over to join us after losing all five starters from last season. We have one young lady returning who started 15 games for us in Tiara Adams (pictured bottom). She is playing really, really well right now. (Adams is a) very athletic, very exciting player to watch.

"Other top returning players include Becci Houdek is back and playing very well right now and we have senior center Andrea Clancy (pictured top) back and Andrea is doing a great job of leading our team along with Stephanie DeNoyelles ... our two captains," added Dorow, whose team finished 13-15 last season and 10-12 in the GLIAC.

Ferris begins exhibition play on Sunday with a trip to Rochester to take on Division I Oakland University in a 2 p.m. contest.

The regular-season opener is Nov. 20 in Erie, Pa. against former GLIAC rival Gannon University with tip off scheduled for 6 p.m.