WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Grand Valley 57, Ferris 43

BIG RAPIDS - Grand Valley State University's women's basketball team played an aggressive brand of college basketball and it showed up in the box score.

Where that strong brand of basketball showed up in the box score was in the area of offensive rebounds as the Lakers came up with an eye-popping 21 offensive boards. Thanks in no small part to that, GVSU was able to overcome shooting just 35.5 percent from the floor as it earned Monday night's 57-43 road win over the host Ferris State University Bulldogs before a crowd of 850 in Jim Wink Arena.

Of Grand Valley's 21 offensive rebounds, Kara Crawford had eight of them. Emma Veach had four and Kelly Kretz had three.

In many ways, that was the story of the game. Thanks to those 21 offensive boards, GVSU had the overall rebounding edge 41-31.

“I felt like we defended extremely well, but we didn’t rebound at all and our goal for the game was to dominate the boards,” Ferris head coach Tracey Dorow said. “We improved after halftime, but they started shooting the ball better and shot higher percentage shots in the second half. It’s a lack of focus and with our inexperience, it shows thru. They have a veteran team and really did a nice job on the boards.”

For the Bulldogs, Becci Houdek led the scoring with 12 points to go along with five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Kelsey DeNoyelles totaled 11 points, four assists and three rebounds. Ashley Huntey came off the bench to score six points, Amy Joostberns had five points, Kylie Muntz had three and with two apiece were Tiara Adams, Lindsey Pettit and Katy Fox.

Grand Valley countered with the smallest player on the court playing the biggest in the end as Jasmine Padin, the 5-foot-2 Laker point guard, led all scorers with 18 points. Veach and Crawford each had nine points and Brittany Taylor added eight.

The story of the game was those offensive rebounds which helped the Lakers earn 15 more field-goal attempts in the showdown.

Look for additional coverage of the Ferris-Grand Valley game Tuesday on this blog.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris 67, Grand Valley 41

BIG RAPIDS - Few people will be surprised Ferris State University beat Grand Valley State University in men's basketball, but the margin of victory is bound to open a few eyes.

The Bulldogs were dominant from start to finish, Monday evening, and rolled to an impressive 67-41 victory over the visiting Lakers before a crowd of 1,280 in Jim Wink Arena as the two West Michigan rivals battled on the hardwood in both team's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener.

Defensively, Ferris (1-3, 1-0) was smothering as it held Grand Valley to just 33.3 percent shooting from the floor. The Lakers (2-2, 0-1) struggled shooting what Ferris offered: the perimeter shot. GVSU was just 4-of-21 from outside the 3-point arc and when it got to the free throw line it shot just 3-of-11 as a team. The numbers don't lie: 33.3 percent field goal shooting, 19 percent 3-point shooting and 27.3 percent free throw shooting. That will not win you too many games and it definitely won't win many games on the road. Justin Ringler, a Reed City native, didn't get much help as he ended with 15 points and 14 rebounds. The next highest Laker scorer had six points (Toreau Brown and Breland Hogan).

"The first half we did a tremendous job plugging the paint from all sides from elbow, to block to the help side. We really did a nice job," said Ferris head coach Bill Sall. "They missed some shots which was great for us. We struggled a little rebounding, but there were a lot of long shots we didn't get to and they did come up with in the game. But, because of our defense, we got in a flow getting up and down the floor."

Ferris was strong, however, as it shot 51.2 percent from the floor. Justin Keenan led the Bulldogs with 15 points even though he only made 1-of-7 field goals. He made up for that by wearing out a path to the free throw line (knocking down 13-of-18). Darien Gay reached double digits as he scored 13 points. Austin Randel and Josh Young each added eight points, Ferris had six points apiece from Jon Yeazel and Matt DeHart, five points from Daniel Sutherlin (including a spectacular alley-oop dunk) and one point from Jim Boylan.

"Our starting five played hard and when we substituted we never lost any momentum," Sall said. "We kept the effort going."

Ferris found the shooting far better as it hit 51.2 percent from the field, 50 percent from the 3-point arc and 69.2 from the free throw line.

"Everybody shares the ball and it makes a real difference and you get some flow and rhythm and confidence happens so that's a good thing," Sall said.

It was a thoroughly dominating performance by the Bulldogs who denied Grand Valley significant access to the paint, forced outside shots and contested most of the shots the Lakers did get near the basket.

Look for additional coverage of the Ferris-Grand Valley game Tuesday on this blog.

Photo by Ed Hyde

BASKETBALL: Ferris And Grand Valley Play Tonight

IT'S BIG MONDAY IN BIG RAPIDS
BIG RAPIDS - Get out to Jim Wink Arena this evening as Ferris State University hosts West Michigan arch rival Grand Valley State University in men's and women's basketball this evening.

The women's game tips off at 6 p.m. and the men's hardwood showdown tips off afterwards at approximately 8 p.m.

We should see two good games this evening as the Bulldogs and Lakers typically play in some tightly-contested battles on the court. Women's head coach Tracey Dorow and men's head coach Bill Sall are sure to have their teams prepared and ready to go for this great rivalry. But, the Lakers also will be ready for their traditional rival.

Check out my previews below and check back here after the game and Tuesday for complete coverage of the Ferris-Grand Valley basketball games.

Also, be sure to visit my Twitter account at www.twitter.com/sandygholston for up-to-the-minute analysis during tonight's games.

For those visiting the general Ferris State University blog, visit Sandy Gholston's Athletics blog at: http://ferrisstateathleticsblog.blogspot.com/ for more in-depth coverage.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: What To Expect From Grand Valley

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University were expected to be two of the top teams in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

It's still early, and the Bulldogs are still hungry for their first win of the campaign, but it's safe to expect a hotly-contested battle Monday night in Jim Wink Arena when the two West Michigan rivals tip it off in Big Rapids. Grand Valley is 2-1 with wins over Northern Kentucky University and St. Joseph's College and a home loss to Cornerstone University. Ferris remains winless, at 0-3, in games this regular season against Lewis University, Central Michigan University and St. Joseph's College.

St. Joseph's is the common opponent as Ferris dropped a 98-82 decision while the Lakers earned a 76-69 win. Both games were played on the home court of the Pumas in Indiana.

As expected, Justin Ringler and Toreau Brown are the leaders on this team. Ringler, a native of Reed City who will be playing close to home at Ferris, is averaging 20 points while Brown is averaging 13.3. Ringler is off to a good start as the focal point of the Lakers' offense this season. Point guard Wes Trammell and guard Alvin Storrs are two perimeter guys to watch out for while Nick West and Mike Przydzial are the big guys in the paint who will try to control the backboards and do the dirty work.

Grand Valley has the ability to run, but with the size inside it also can play a good half-court game if that is what it comes to on the hardwood. Ferris has to be physical and smart inside and must be strong on the defensive boards against the bigger Lakers.

Ferris is being led this season by Justin Keenan who is averaging 17.3 points and six rebounds and Jon Yeazel, who is averaging 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds. Yeazel is coming around after taking a lot of time off for the game. His ability to score and rebound has been a nice complement to Keenan's work inside. Darien Gay is averaging 11.3 points and Austin Randel is averaging 10.5 points for the Bulldogs. Ferris has battled some injuries this season, but the Bulldogs hope that is behind them and they can continue to get healthy hitting GLIAC play.

The Bulldogs can't have too many bad turnovers and, as stated early, they must gang rebound (not just Keenan and Yeazel) against a big Laker team. Everyone has to make an effort to get on the glass.

Typically, Ferris-Grand Valley games are good ones and a lot of people are expecting the same as the Bulldogs and Lakers go at it on Big Monday.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: What To Look For On Big Monday Against Grand Valley

BIG RAPIDS - In Grand Valley State University, Ferris State University faces one of the premier NCAA Division II teams in the nation this evening at 6 p.m. in Jim Wink Arena on what is being dubbed "Big Monday."

The Lakers (2-1) were ranked 25th in the nation in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II Coaches Poll in the preseason after they finished 20-10 a year ago. The Lakers are still among other teams receiving votes in the national rankings picture. This game will be another major early-season test for the Bulldogs (1-2) who are set to face their second nationally-ranked team inside of the first four games.

GVSU dropped exhibition games at Indiana University, 80-70, and Michigan State University, 88-53, during preseason competition. To open the 2009-2010 campaign, the Lakers were defeated by Drury (Mo.) 92-85 in overtime on Nov. 16. Since that time, however, Grand Valley blew out Kentucky Wesleyan (81-36) and took an 81-72 victory at St. Joseph's in its most recent competition (Nov. 24).

Grand Valley, coached by Janel Burgess, has two double-digit scorers on the young season as point guard Jasmine Padin (who is averaging more than six assists per game) leads them averaging 13.3 points. Additionally, Alex Stelfox is averaging 12 points, Elizabeth Van Tifflin is averaging 10.7 and Emma Veach 10.

As a team, the Lakers are averaging 82.3 points so it's reasonable to expect them to try and push the ball and test the transition defense of the Bulldogs.

Ferris also has four players averaging double-digit point totals this season as small forward Tiara Adams leads the Bulldogs at 14.4 per contest. Averaging 10 points apiece are second-year guard Lindsey Pettit, junior point guard Becci Houdek and junior forward Amy Joostberns.

The Bulldogs are 1-2 this season with a couple of losses in Pennsylvania to nationally-ranked Gannon, 85-57, and to a solid Edinboro squad, 90-75, prior to bouncing back to best Lewis last Tuesday, in Jim Wink Arena, 74-66.

Ferris, coached by Tracey Dorow, will have to be strong defensively as it is surrendering about 80 points a game and facing a GVSU team with a strong offensive attack. The Bulldogs will have to be tough, defensively, and protect the ball, offensively.

For more on the Ferris-Grand Valley women's basketball game:
http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/wbkb/2009-10/releases/wnotes-gvsu

HOCKEY: Newspaper Says Recruit Drawing Interesting From Ferris And Vermont

A sports writer for The Star Phoenix says that junior hockey standout Andrew Dommett has drawn some recruiting interest from Ferris State University and the University of Vermont as his Division I stock appears on the rise.

This season, Dommett has emerged as a sniper with 22 goals through 28 games.

"It's a good story," Kindersley head coach/general manager Larry Wintoneak said between games at the SJHL Showcase. The Klippers defeated the Melville Millionaires 5-3 late Thursday."He's a kid who last year just didn't have enough confidence in himself. His conditioning was an issue, too. He worked hard in the summer to get where he wanted to be. It all started in the playoffs when he really started to come around. Him, (Johnny) Calkins and (Braeden) Adamyk, we put them together. We really liked that chemistry and it's continuing."

Only time will tell what happens as the recruiting process continues to play out with this talented 5-foot-10, 185-pound prospect.

For the complete story from The Star Phoenix, visit:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/sports/Breakout+year+Kindersley+forward+SJHL/2279739/story.html

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Freshmen Bulldogs Looking Solid Through First Three Games

BIG RAPIDS -College coaches do not always know what to expect when they add freshmen to a roster.

Recruits can look good in high school, and on paper, but you never know how they will react to the college-level competition until they come face to face with it.

Ferris State University's women's basketball freshman class is looking pretty solid to begin this 2009-2010 season. And, to be honest, this group of rookies will need to be ahead of the process of development for the Bulldogs to compete in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Freshman guard Kylie Muntz (bottom) is garnering a pretty good amount of playing time and first-year post players Katy Fox (top) and Leah Kebler (middle) are being pushed into action with what appears to be a season-ending preseason injury to Andrea Clancy, who was expected to be a true force inside for head coach Tracey Dorow's Bulldogs.

Kebler and Mutz are averaging about 13 minutes per game and Fox is averaging 11. Kebler is averaging 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds while Fox is averaging 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds. Muntz is providing back-up support at the point guard position for FSU so far through three games.

This already is looking like a pretty solid rookie class for the Bulldogs. Freshman obviously need experience, but this group looks like it will be up for the challenge. Plus, Ferris already is working on a strong recruiting class for 2010-2011.

The Bulldogs improved to 1-2 on the season with a 74-66 non-conference win over Lewis University in Jim Wink Arena on Tuesday evening.

HOCKEY: Ferris State University's Blair Riley Enters National Spotlight For Great Start

BIG RAPIDS - Not too many guys on the college hockey landscape are off to a hotter start than nationally-ranked Ferris State University's Blair Riley.

For goal scorers, like Riley, the sport of college hockey is not always the fairest game. You can do everything right and not hit the back of the net. Then, from time to time, you get lucky on a shot that takes a couple of weird bounces and skids across the line and lights the lamp. In Riley's case, however, he seems to be doing just about everything write and creating his own luck as part of a brilliant start to the 2009-2010 college ice hockey season.

The 6-foot, 220-pound senior forward has scored 16 points on 12 goals with four assists as he has led Ferris to one of its best starts in recent memory at 9-2-2 overall and 4-2-2-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings. Riley, the Inside College Hockey National Player of the Week (Nov. 23) has been a big part of this great start to the season.

"I am shooting the puck a lot more I guess and just getting lots of scoring chances and fortunately pucks are going in right now," said Riley, who is leading the Bulldogs with 66 shots as his aggressive mindset is paying dividends so far. "Friday, against Ohio State (in a stunning 8-1 victory that saw Riley record a hat trick), there were a lot of pucks going in for a lot of guys. We were getting a lot of bounces."

Riley has been the leader among those getting the bounces. He has six multiple-point games and ranks prominently among the nation's best as he is fourth in goals per game (0.86) and tied for 39th in points per game (1.14) this season.

"I am shooting the puck a lot more I guess and just getting lots of scoring chances and fortunately pucks are going in right now," said Riley, who is leading the team with 66 shots as his aggressive mindset is paying dividends.

The team's top line of Riley, captain Cody Chupp and Casey Haines has been superb throughout the young season. While Riley leads with 16 points, Chupp has 14 (four goals and 10 assists) and Haines has 11 (three goals and eight assists). Zach Redmond, a top-notch defenseman for the Bulldogs, also is a double-digit scorer with 11 points (one goal and 10 assists) and forward Brett Wysopal, a productive newcomer (who transferred in from Colorado College) to competition has 10 points (one goal and nine assists).

It's that high-scoring line of Riley, Chupp and Haines that has opened a lot of eyes so far this season. Riley, as a senior, understands it's do-or-die time for his class to make something happen in Ferris State University's crimson and gold colors. There's no next year for this group and, so far, this group of seniors (led by the line) is playing like a team hungry to take advantage of opportunities this season.

"We're all in our senior year and we want to go out with a bang and we're all trying to do our best and we've been playing well early on in the season and hopefully we can keep it going," said Riley, the CCHA Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 23). "We're four lines deep, we're playing strong on the back end and we're getting solid goaltending. Hopefully we will keep it going."

"Blair Riley is just coming into his own right now and you can see it each and every game that he is getting better and better. Every night he's coming away with six or seven shots on goal," Ferris head coach Bob Daniels said. "To me, it looks like he's going to be a difficult player to stop for the remainder of the season if he continues to play like this he has the skill level and ability where he can be a leading goal scorer in this league by the end of the year."

Veteran leadership, through words and play, has sparked this team. Winning breeds confidence and confidence breeds winning.

"When you string a few wins together it seems like pucks are going in for you and confidence starts building and that's where we're at right now," said Riley, a native of Kamloops, British Columbia.

Where the Bulldogs are right now is in third place in the CCHA standings entering Thanksgiving week, ranked 17th in the nation by U.S. College Hockey Online and ranked 18th nationally by Inside College Hockey.

Check out Blair Riley being highlighted by the Detroit Free Press for being named Inside College Hockey's National Player of the Week (Nov. 23).

HOCKEY: Detroit Free Press Highlights Ferris State University's Blair Riley Being National Player Of The Week

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University senior ice hockey forward Blair Riley was named the Inside College Hockey National Player of the Week.

That honor was recognized by the Detroit Free Press in an article that also brings positive publicity to the hot start to the season by the Bulldogs as a team.

Here is an excerpt from the Detroit Free Press article:

Ferris State senior left wing Blair Riley has been named national player of the week by InsideCollegeHockey.com.

Riley had four goals (including his second career hat trick) and two assists as the Bulldogs swept two games versus Ohio State at Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids.

Check this blog later this morning for a full-length feature on Blair.

HOCKEY: Bulldogs Nationally Ranked At 18th By Inside College Hockey

BIG RAPIDS - The good news just keeps rolling in for the red-hot Ferris State University ice hockey team.

The Bulldogs joined the Inside College Hockey national rankings as they were slotted 18th in the poll released this week (Nov. 22). The poll also highlights the strong play so far this season of Blair Riley and Cody Chupp.

Ferris is 9-3-2 overall and 4-2-2-2 in the standings of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association as it is off this week, but will return to the ice Dec. 4 and Dec. 5 when it hosts the University of Nebraska-Omaha in Ewigleben Ice Arena. The Bulldogs and Mavericks begin at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night and 5:05 p.m. on Saturday evening.

HOCKEY: Who Is The Best College Hockey Team In The State?

BIG RAPIDS - Michigan College Hockey Online Power Poll has just been released and look who is standing atop the rankings for the top college hockey teams in the state: Ferris State University.

Here are the rankings, posted by Matt Mackinder, for the state:

1. Ferris State University (swept Ohio State)
2. Michigan State University (tied, lost to Notre Dame)
3. University of Michigan (split with Bowling Green)
4. Northern Michigan University (swept Nebraska-Omaha)
5. Western Michigan University (tied, lost to Miami)
6. Lake Superior State University (split with Alaska)
7. Michigan Tech University (idle)

This ranking, even though it is limited to the state of Michigan, represents more positive recognition for a Ferris team that is off to its best start in recent memory. The Bulldogs are idle this week, but they return to the ice Dec. 4-5 as they host the University of Nebraska-Omaha in a Central Collegiate Hockey Association two-game series in Ewigleben Ice Arena.

The Dec. 4 game starts at 7:05 while the Dec. 5 game begins at 5:05 p.m.

Check out the poll by visiting:
http://michigancollegehockey.blogspot.com/2009/11/micho-power-poll-112509.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MichiganCollegeHockey+%28Michigan+College+Hockey%29

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris 74, Lewis 66

BIG RAPIDS - After two rough games to open the season, including a game against nationally-ranked Gannon University (an 85-57 loss on Nov. 20), Ferris State University looked like a team happy to be back on its home court Tuesday evening. The Bulldogs were sharp as they held the visitors from Lewis University to just 38.7 percent shooting from the floor, cut down on their own turnovers and shot an impressive 55 percent from the field en route to a 74-66 victory over the Flyers in Jim Wink Arena in Ferris' home opener.

"Turnover-wise we focused on taking care of the ball and making smart passes," said junior guard Becci Houdek, who was steady with 14 points, six assists and just two turnovers as she ran the show for Ferris. "We had been making a lot of passes off balance and on the run. We wanted to work on making crisp passes and not making soft passes. We still had 17, but that's way better than the 32 we had in the one game (against Edinboro)."

Valuing the basketball was one part of the victory formula.

Another component of success was getting defensive.

Tuesday's victory was the first of the season for Ferris as it improves to 1-2 and defended its home court on the strength of a solid all-around effort.

"We did a good job of keying on (Jenny) Turpel, who is their best player, and it forced them to rush things," Ferris head coach Tracey Dorow said of Lewis' talented player who is a focal point of the Flyers' offensive attack. "Our goal was to hold her to 15. She had 36 in their first game. She did pretty well against us last year. We held her to four (points). We did a very good job of keying on her."

The Bulldogs only turned the ball over just 17 times compared to some large turnover totals in the first two games of the season in Pennsylvania. Against Gannon (Nov. 20), Ferris turned it over 25 times. One day later, against Edinboro (Nov. 21), the Bulldogs committed 32 turnovers in a 90-75 defeat.

"We kind of talked to them about making the sure pass and not just throwing the ball up for grabs," said Dorow, whose team had good energy and solid focus throughout most of Tuesday night's game. "A few times we didn't meet passes and it could have been a little cleaner. I really felt like we took care of the ball well."

Taking care of the ball helped lead to a balanced scoring effort as Houdek's 14 led the way. Scoring 13 points apiece were Lindsey Pettit and Tiara Adams. Amy Joostberns added 12 points and yanked down six rebounds. Kelsey DeNoyelles scored nine points, Tricia Principe tallied five and scoring four apiece were a pair of freshman post players, Katy Fox and Leah Kebler.

Kady Currin led three double-digit scorers for Lewis with 14 points. Kelly Dianis had 11 and Devon Carbaugh had 10.

Great bounce-back win for the Bulldogs after two tough losses to strong teams in Pennsylvania to open the season.

NOTE: More women's basketball coverage from the Lewis game will be posted Wednesday.

Photo By Ed Hyde

HOCKEY: Bulldogs Enter National Rankings At No. 17

BIG RAPIDS - There's a buzz around the hockey epicenter of north/central Michigan as Ferris State University, fresh off its sweep of Ohio State University, finally has entered the national rankings at No. 17.

With 247 points, head coach Bob Daniels now sees his Bulldogs ranked 17th in the nation as the top 20 poll was released by USCHO on Monday.

Ferris currently is 9-3-2 overall this week and 4-2-2-2 in the standings of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association with 16 points (third place).

BASKETBALL: Too Early To Panic With Pre-Conference Upset Losses By GLIAC Teams

It's very early in the season, but for perhaps a small minority of fans the signs of panic are already beginning to reveal themselves.

Well, at least it appeared that way to me based on a thread on the MLive.com message board for the GLIAC.

Recently, a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball teams dropped decisions to Grand Rapids-based smaller schools on Saturday, Nov. 21. Grand Valley State University, a nationally-ranked Division II squad, was beaten rather convincingly by NAIA member Cornerstone University, 79-60. Also, Lake Superior State University was knocked off by Aquinas College, 70-63. No question these are upsets, but they are not monumental upsets when you consider the Division III schools and the NAIA schools in the Grand Rapids area traditionally produce strong teams. Besides, the West Michigan region is a fertile ground for prep basketball recruiting and schools like Aquinas, Cornerstone, Calvin, Davenport and Hope get their fair share from a rich talent pool.

Besides, I had a tip from a knowledgeable West Michigan coach who thought that Cornerstone was a very good team and had a very strong chance of winning that game against GVSU.

It's still early in the season and panic is a bit premature right now, but it's fair to say that so far the GLIAC is not looking as strong as it has looked in recent seasons.

Last season, Ferris was stunned 86-80 by a Grace Bible team that clearly was better than some people expected.

It wasn't all that long ago Grand Valley upset Michigan State and Findlay stunned Ohio State in much-talked-about exhibition games. Already this season, Division I nationally-ranked Syracuse was upset by Division II LeMoyne, but the Orangemen are looking pretty good right now with wins over California and North Carolina.

Teams have to be ready to play regardless of the competition.

HOCKEY: Former NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly Hopes To Strengthen Appeal Of Sport

In the eyes of the mainstream sports media, college hockey rests in the gigantic shadows cast by college football and men's college basketball.

Frankly, on a major network such as ESPN, for example, women's college basketball garners far more publicity than does college ice hockey. But, could a recent hiring suggest that college hockey is going to fight to shoehorn its way into the mainstream sports media? Perhaps change is in the air as college hockey fights to position itself more favorably among the top college sports in this country.

It seems that former National Hockey League Players Association executive director Paul Kelly has been tabbed to become the executive director of College Hockey Inc., an organization that works to advance the virtues of U.S. college hockey (especially with regard to some of the major NCAA Division I conferences around the country).

"I am very pleased to undertake this exciting new venture," Kelly said in a statement that was released in regard to his appointment. "It will be a privilege to represent the many fine schools and elite athletes that play hockey on the college level here in the United States. College hockey not only grooms well-rounded future NHL stars, but it is essential to the overall growth of this great sport."

Hopefully Kelly can find some ways to promote college hockey, help it get more respect from the mainstream sports media and maybe even (fingers crossed) get EA Sports or someone to create a college hockey video game. I am all in favor of a college hockey video game, but they better make sure they create an authentic looking Ewigleben Ice Arena for Ferris State University.

TSN:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=299269

Inside College Hockey:
http://www.insidecollegehockey.com/7Archives/Napkins/napkin_0807.htm

U.S. College Hockey Online:
http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,17552/ReportFormerNHLPAChiefKellyHiredtoRunCollegeHockeyInc.html

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Lady Bulldogs Off To A Tough Start With Losses In Pennsylvania

EDINBORO, Pa. - Ferris State University figured to have two tough opponents to begin the season in Pennsylvania and the results of the trip confirmed the growing pains.

Ferris, Saturday, dropped a 90-75 decision to Edinboro (Pa.) to drop to 0-2 on the season after falling 85-57 to nationally-ranked Gannon (Pa.) on Friday evening.

Against Edinboro, a few stats jump right off the page. The Bulldogs shot 53.5 percent from the floor for the game, 66.7 from the 3-point arc and 80.6 percent from the free throw line. Those numbers all are pretty good. Now comes the bad news. Ferris turned the basketball over 32 times against Edinboro and the home team ended up with a staggering 32 more field-goal attempts in the game. The Fighting Scots were 31-of-75 while Ferris shot 23-of-43. So, even shooting a lower percentage from the floor (Edinboro hit just 41 percent) the enormous difference in shot attempts help make up for that difference in FG percentage.

For the Bulldogs, all five starters scored in double digits led by Amy Joostberns (pictured) who had 16 points, Tiara Adams had 13, Tricia Principe had 11 and with 10 apiece were Becci Houdek and Kelsey DeNoyelles. Lindsey Pettit, coming off the bench, just missed hitting double digits as she added nine points. Kylie Muntz scored two points and Leah Kebler added four.

Head coach Tracey Dorow and her Bulldogs will have to cut down on those turnovers coming into their next game.

Plus, the schedule doesn't get any easier for the Bulldogs as they host Lewis University on Tuesday (Nov. 24) in Jim Wink Arena in the team's home opener. The balls goes in the air to start the game at 6 p.m.

GENERAL NEWS: Happy 30th Birthday Shout Out To Brutus The Bulldog

BIG RAPIDS - Brutus the Bulldog celebrated a happy 30th birthday on Friday evening with a birthday party during the Ferris State University-Ohio State University ice hockey game in Ewigleben Ice Arena.

As with many birthday parties, Brutus invited a few buddies as he was joined by the mascot from Buffalo Wild Wings, the mascot from Central Michigan University, the cardinal mascot from Saginaw Valley State University, the KFC chicken mascot and the mascot from the Grand Rapids Griffins. It was a nice party that included a lot of good work by the Student Alumni Gold Club members of Ferris. The crowd sang happy birthday to Brutus, who enjoyed a number of different activities to celebrate his milestone birthday.

It was great work all the way around and I want to again wish Brutus a very happy 30th birthday.

Photo by Ed Hyde

HOCKEY: Ferris Rolls To Convincing Win Over Ohio State On Friday Night, 8-1

BIG RAPIDS - If Bob Daniels was a script writer he would have been hard-pressed put together a more favorable Friday-evening scenario for his Ferris State University ice hockey squad.

The Bulldogs scored three times in the first period, four in the second and once in the third to roll to a decisive 8-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association win over Ohio State University before a crowd of 1,689 in Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids. Ferris left no doubt in this game as it put a stranglehold on the outcome and pretty much dominated the contest from start to finish as the Buckeyes were never able to find any kind of a comfort zone against Daniels' squad in a rocking ice arena in Big Rapids that included a packed student section.

"It was obvious that we got all the bounces and particularly in the first period and in the second it seemed like everything we did was the right thing," Daniels remarked in the post-game press conference near the home locker room area of Ewigleben Ice Arena. "It was just one of those nights when everything went right and you wish you could bottle it, but you can't. The fast start really helped. It really gave us a lot of confidence."

Senior forward Blair Riley was superb in the game as he ended up with a hat trick scoring his ninth, 10th and 11th goals of the season against the Buckeyes. Other big scorers on the night included Cody Chupp with a goal and two assists, Eric Alexander with a goal and an assist, Matthew Kirzinger with a goal, Mike Embach with a goal and Travis Ouellette with a goal. Additionally, Scott Wietecha, Zach Redmond and Casey Haines each had two assists, Jordie Johnston had an assist and Brett Wysopal had an assist.

"I'm shooting the puck a lot more I guess and getting lots of scoring chances and fortunately pucks are going in and tonight a lot of pucks went in for a lot of guys. It was good to see," Riley said. "We're all in our senior year (the line of Riley, Chupp and Haines) and we want to go out with a bang. We want to do our best and hopefully we can get it going."

The shots were close as Ferris had a 34-27 edge, but the Bulldogs clearly made out far better on their opportunities.

Nursing a 3-0 lead, entering the game's second period, Daniels thought the next goal was the biggest of the game for his Bulldogs.

"The big goal was the fourth goal when it was 3-0," he said. "I thought we were back on our heels for the first five to six minutes of the second period, but then once we scored the fourth goal the tide started to turn again in our favor. That was kind of a pivotal moment."

Indeed, the Bulldogs outscored the Buckeyes 4-1 in the second to take firm control as they cruised to a CCHA victory.

"It was a nice turnout from the crowd and so we get up three goals it was huge for us," Riley said. "(The Buckeyes) have a potent offense. We wanted to keep our foot on the gas pedal because they're offensively talented."

Sophomore backstop Taylor Nelson played the first two periods in net for the Bulldogs and finished with 20 saves with one goal allowed. Jordan Barber, a veteran who does not get much time between the pipes, entered the game in the third period to cheers from the crowd and made six stops as the Bulldogs finished off a victory over Ohio State.

With the win, Ferris improves to 8-3-2 o the season and 3-2-2-2 in the CCHA while Ohio State drops to 5-7-1 overall and 4-4-1-1 in the CCHA.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Ferris' Tina Muir Hopes To Continue Brilliant Season At National Championships

BIG RAPIDS - Tina Muir is far from satisfied by the level of success she already has experienced as a college-level cross country runner.

For some people success satisfies, but for others it motivates. You can definitely count Muir, making her mark as one of Ferris' greatest cross country runners ever, among those who feels motivated.

In fact, the accomplished Ferris State University junior runner uses past performances as a springboard to what she hopes is greater success in the future. Muir and her teammates are down in Evansville, Ind. competing in the NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country National Championships hosted by the University of Southern Indiana on the USI Cross Country Course. This weekend's trip to the southern tip of Indiana is hardly a pleasure trip. This journey is all business for Muir as she and her fellow Bulldogs hope to build on past team and individual successes.

In particular, Muir still has vivid memories of last year's trip to the national championships and is confident she has a good idea of what to expect. As a result of her past experiences, Muir has prepared herself accordingly.

"Last year when I was going into the national championships I felt ready to race and really fit. My result showed me that I was right and I was very proud of my achievement," said Muir, who was an All-American last season. "This year, I feel even stronger, both physically and mentally. I have really pushed myself to the limit this year in practice by working out with some of the guys on the team so that I can give myself the best opportunity to finish as high up as I possibly can and so far it has really paid off."

Running for Ferris head coach Steve Picucci has been a joy for Muir and her fellow Bulldogs. He has both pushed the runners and paced the runners at the same time. The efforts have paid off as she is fresh off a brilliant performance as she won the regional race and finished 11 seconds ahead of the second-place runner as she timed 21:33.2. She won the regional as she emerged first in a field of 134 competitors. The win at the regional championships marked her fifth individual title in as many races.

"Steve hasn't really allowed me reduce my mileage or intensity in practice until now and we planned it from the start of the summer so that I would peak for nationals," Muir said. "I am very excited to see what I can do as I have surprised myself with how well I have raced throughout the remainder of the season without really resting at all.

"I am stronger and fitter than I have ever been in my life and its a great feeling, although I'm not putting pressure on myself to finish in a certain place as I just want to go into this race with the same mentality as the other races by giving it my all and feeling proud of myself at the end of it," she added.

Oftentimes, the tough conditions make some runners cringe. Muir, however, looks forward to the challenge of running in what could be cool and perhaps rougher race conditions.

"Once again, the conditions are perfect for me as a runner," said Muir, a native of St. Albans in the United Kingdom. "The course has very challenging hills that will really test how mentally strong each person is, however, I tend to run better than most my competitors on hills. The course looks as though it is going to be very muddy which is another bonus for me as my whole life I have had to run in mud as it rains so much in England.

"We have also been training on hilly, muddy courses in practice to toughen us up," she added. "These factors combined with the fact we have already raced this course once so know what to expect, gives us a definite advantage over the other teams."

HOCKEY: The Shootout Controversy ... Is It A Win Or Is It Not A Win

BIG RAPIDS - Ah, if only I had $20 for every time I've had a conversation recently about whether the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's shootouts are a good thing or a bad thing.

Frankly, I am still a bit undecided though I tend to like sticking with the traditional approach to a lot of sports. On the other hand, I supported Interleague play in Major League Baseball and I still maintain it was the right move for the sports (some so-called traditionalists would probably continue to disagree with me). But, Interleague play probably is another topic for another time and perhaps even a different forum.

One of the questions I've been pondering of late is whether a shootout win is truly a win.

For a good number of people I've heard from, the shootout is kind of a circus attraction that takes away from the game. For others, however, it's that last little bit of excitement that brings some sense of conclusion (a winner and a loser) to every contest.

Ties in sports really bother me (even if both teams have played to a standstill and it seems like an appropriate end in some ways).

Here is an article from the NHL.com about CCHA going to this shootout system:

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is taking a page from the NHL's rulebook, becoming the first NCAA Division I college hockey conference to institute the shootout. Unlike the NHL, the CCHA is sticking with a five-minute, 5-on-5 overtime period prior to the shootout. The NHL plays five minutes of 4-on-4 before heading to the tie-breaking shootout.

Like the NHL, the CCHA's shootout is going to feature a best-of-three format for shooters before extending to a sudden-death portion. And, like the NHL, both teams are guaranteed a point for reaching the tie-breaker. The shootout winner gets an extra point.

The implementation of the shootout is expected to generate excitement for CCHA fans.

"I think the shootout is going to be really good for the fans and the game," said Michigan assistant coach Mel Pearson. "As a fan, when I watch NHL games it adds something to the game and it obviously breaks the ties. "I think fans want to see more excitement in the game and this should generate that. We polled a lot of the players and they like it. They like the concept of it. They liked that it breaks the ties. We are one of the few collegiate sports that still has ties. It declares a winner and a loser and that's what the players like."

Yeah, ties don't sit well with a lot of people. In the same article, another opinion is offered from a key voice in the CCHA:

CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos also is not a fan of ties, but added practical considerations -- length of game and deteriorating ice conditions - played a part in the decision to go to the tie-breaking option.

"My opinion is I'm not a big fan of ties," Anastos said. "I like to see a game and I like to see a result. One of the criticisms of the shootout is that you are putting a team sport in the hands of individuals and people say you wouldn't have a free-throw competition to decide a basketball game; but the reality is that it's hard to continue to extend the game because time is more of a factor. The ice conditions are certainly a factor in what you do. "If you do want to see ties broken in some manner then this is proven to be an entertaining way to do so."

Obviously, those are two opinions in favor of shootouts. Here is one against it:

Despite its popularity with the fans, there are some who aren't in favor of the shootout -- such as Ohio State coach John Markell.

"I've gone through a couple in tournaments where you lose a couple and it still feels like a loss," Markell said. "Even though you get one point it still feels like a loss."

Markell feels that deciding games by the breakaway contest isn't the fairest way to settle a tie and rewards players that might be more one-dimensional, allowing them to excel in the shootout.

"There's going to be specialty players that can put the puck in the net," Markell said. "There's guys here in Columbus with the Blue Jackets that can do it in the shootout but can't do it during the game."

I've noticed a trend of people who are putting sort of an asterisk by shootout wins - as if to say they are not real wins. Some writers are putting quotation marks around shootout wins as if to imply they are not legitimate wins.

If you win the shootout then you win the shootout. It is a shootout win - no asterisks or quotes.

The argument is whether winning the CCHA's shootout means winning the game. My answer is a simple, but strong one: NO. Winning the shootout means something extra as far as points, for the CCHA's standings, but beyond that it is simply a tie.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Ferris' Paige Onweller Hopes To Run Her 'Peak Race' At Nationals

BIG RAPIDS - Paige Onweller, and countless others, are living proof that the commitment it takes to become and remain a successful student-athlete doesn't begin at the start of the season and conclude at the end.

Onweller and her fellow Ferris State University Bulldogs are back on the road and competing in the NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Championships as hosted by the University of Southern Indiana on the USI Cross Country Course in Evansville. Now, while it may seem that competing for championships (conference, regional and national) is old hat for the lady Bulldog runners, a return trip to the national championships is a challenging process founded on hard work and dedication.

Still, the opportunity for Onweller and her teammates to run among the nation's elite Division II runners makes the hard work and sacrifices worth it. A junior from Lapeer, Onweller is feeling pretty good coming off a solid race she and her teammates ran in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Women's Cross Country Championships in Kenosha, Wis. on Nov. 7. At the regional race, the nationally-ranked Bulldogs placed third and qualified for nationals for the second season in a row.

This weekend, however, it's all on the line at the national championships.

"Personally, I feel more ready than ever. Cross country is truly such a long season and we've been training every day since June basically. I am the type of runner that tends to peak later in the season, so qualifying for nationals and getting another two weeks of training is very beneficial for me," said Onweller, who placed 20th in the regional race as she timed in at 23:20.7. "I look at (nationals) as another chance, one more shot at seeing what my body is capable of doing. (Steve Picucci, Ferris' head coach) has got each and every runner physically ready, and I feel like I am ready to have my 'peak' race."

Since the cross country season is a long one, one in which runners are hungry to peak at the right time, the ability to maintain focus throughout it is of critical importance.

"It is hard, and especially for the new freshman who aren't used to this long of training, to stay mentally focused for this long of a season," said Onweller, who has gone from being one of the young runners to being one of the veterans thanks to the graduation of strong competitors from the past such as standout Mikinzie Stuart. "We are all ready physically to race well, but it's up to us, individually, if we are mentally ready.

"After qualifying, it is hard to set more goals and get in the zone. Some runners feel once they've qualified for nationals that the work is already done and they ask what more do they have to accomplish?" she added. "They often think that they are tired and it can be common to mentally give up. But I know that my biggest race is yet to come, and I couldn't be more ready and more focused for this race."

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris State University Opens The Season In Pennsylvania

BIG RAPIDS - The preseason is officially over and Ferris State University's women's basketball team is on a bus and headed to Pennsylvania for a pair of non-conference games over the weekend.

The Bulldogs first take on Gannon, a former rival in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, at 6 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 20) and then is back on the road, but still in Pennsylvania, to take on Edinboro on Saturday (Nov. 21) at 5 p.m.

"We open up with No. 19 Gannon and we know that is going to be a tough game," Ferris head coach Tracey Dorow said.

Ferris has had an exhibition contest this season as it traveled to Rochester to take on Division I Oakland University, another one-time rival in the GLIAC that has since moved up a level, where the Bulldogs suffered a 60-50 defeat in a very competitive contest.

It will be interesting to see what the health factor is for the Bulldogs who have had illness and injuries that already have taken a toll on a roster that wasn't particularly deep to begin with entering this 2009-2010 season.

Against Oakland, the Bulldogs started essentially a three-guard lineup (arguably a four-guard set) with Becci Houdek, Kelsey DeNoyelles (pictured) and Tricia Principe at the guard spots. You could argue another starter, Tiara Adams, also could be considered a guard. The fifth starter was Andrea Clancy, who was injured just four minutes into the game and is expected to be out for the season. In addition to Clancy, veteran guard Stephanie DeNoyelles is out for an indefinite period of time. The status of another veteran, forward Amy Joostberns, also is up in the air at this point due to injury.

Dorow will have to do some shuffling of her lineup to compensate for the loss of Clancy. Freshman center Katy Fox ended up playing 22 minutes in the game against Oakland as she filled in for the injured Clancy.

It should be fun to see how the Bulldogs perform as they open the season against two good opponents. Gannon already is 5-0 and Edinboro is 1-0.

Last year, Edinboro finished 13-14 on the season while a year ago Gannon was 26-5 and advanced to the Sweet 16.

VOLLEYBALL: Ferris Hopes To Get The Better Of Strong Lewis Squad In NCAA Regionals

BIG RAPIDS - The Ferris State University volleyball team is competing this week in the 2009 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament in Indianapolis.

The Bulldogs, seeded seventh in the tournament, enter the tournament with a record of 19-11 overall as they prepare to enter the regional competition with a first-round contest against a very good Lewis University team, seeded second in this regional event, which starts post-season play with a 27-4 record.

This will not be the first time the Bulldogs and Flyers have competed against each other this season as the two teams were matched up on Oct. 17 during the 2009 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/Great Lakes Valley Conference Asics Crossover Tournament in Lansing. Lewis, currently ranked 11th in the nation, was a solid 3-0 winner of that match by scores of 25-18, 25-21, 31-29. In that contest, standout middle hitter Arielle Goodson led the Bulldogs with 13 kills. Lewis, however, was strong with an attack percentage of .244 as it claimed the three-set win.

Ferris will attempt to knock that balanced and efficient Lewis offense off its stride a bit in this rematch with the season on the line.

The winners of each of the 2009 eight regional tournaments will advance to the national finals (Dec. 3-5) which will be conducted on the campus of a participating institution.

2009 NCAA-II Midwest Regional Tournament
Quarterfinals (with seeds)

1 Indianapolis (32-1) vs. 8 Michigan Tech (14-14)
2 Lewis (27-4) vs. 7 Ferris State (19-11)
3 Saginaw Valley State (21-9) vs. 6 Grand Valley State (16-12)
4 Northern Michigan (18-11) vs. 5 Hillsdale (23-7)

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Central Michigan 82, Ferris State 69

MOUNT PLEASANT – Ferris State University knew it was in for an uphill battle going against Division I Central Michigan University on Monday evening in the Rose Center on the CMU campus.

Sunday evening, the Bulldogs were on the road in Romeoville, Ill. to take on a very good Lewis University squad to open the season (a 65-60 loss). Ferris was already bothered by an injury that had sidelined starting point guard Dontae Molden. The Bulldogs got more bad news as its top shooter, senior guard Austin Randel, was going to be inactive for the CMU game with an injury suffered against Lewis.

In spite of the obstacles, Ferris battled all evening long against Central before it wore down late in the second half. CMU remained patient, even as the Bulldogs led for significant chunks of the game, and made its move later in the second half. The strong guard play of Robbie Harman (18 points and five assists) and Jordan Bitzer (11 points and four assists), combined with a significant size edge in the paint, ultimately wore a weary Ferris team down as the Chippewas would go on to win by a score of 82-69.

Ferris got off to a hot start, and at one point led 15-6, before CMU rallied.

"I think they came out a little flat. It's one of those things where we're probably a little more pumped up to play a Division I school and it takes them a little while to get going. You see that a lot in these types of games," Ferris head coach Bill Sall said of his team's fast start. "Ernie (Zeigler, Central's head coach) through the zone at us and we really, really struggled for a long time. I don't think we ever really attacked it good the whole night."

Central’s defensive focus was clearly on Justin Keenan as Zeigler spoke glowingly of Keenan in an article in the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun. The fact that he spoke glowingly of Keenan was indicative of the defensive emphasis the Chippewas had on the 6-foot-6 FSU center. The Bulldogs got some good production from Keenan (15 points), but also had solid games from Jon Yeazel (13 points and 15 rebounds), a former CMU player, and guard Darien Gay, who was on fire for stretches of the game with his perimeter shooting and finished with 26 points to lead the Bulldogs (he hit 8-of-9 3-pointers).

Both teams shot it decently at 47 percent each, but Ferris had 23 turnovers vs. 15 for the Chippewas.

The Bulldogs are 0-2 on the season, but now must erase the memories of these first two games and realize it’s still a long college basketball season.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Division II Vs. Division I Games Create Buzz Most Times

MOUNT PLEASANT – These Division I against Division II games are always fun outings (usually for the Division II squad).

For Ferris State University, the game was a great opportunity (even if it was on the second half of back-to-back road games coming off a Sunday outing at Lewis in Illinois). The Bulldogs jumped at the opportunity to take this game against Central Michigan and showed how fired up it was for the contest by coming out and setting the tone early in the game and making the Chippewas have to work hard for its victory.

The Bulldogs came out and competed hard against the bigger and perhaps more experienced Chippewas, a Division I squad from the highly-competitive Mid-American Conference. In the end, however, Central Michigan roared back to take a lead midway through the second half and held on down the stretch as Ferris attempted to rally. CMU claimed an 82-69 non-conference victory over the Bulldogs.

Ferris had a good-sized group of fans that made the relatively short trip from Big Rapids to Mount Pleasant (in addition to FSU fans who came from points even further away to check out the contest). The Bulldogs even had their cheerleaders (who performed during one point of the game) in attendance at the Rose Center for the contest between the two Mid-Michigan rivals.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Regains Molden, Loses Randel

MOUNT PLEASANT – Ferris State University was forced to play without sharpshooting guard Austin Randel, who was injured in Sunday evening’s 65-60 season-opening loss to Lewis in Romeoville, Ill.

Randel, who had a strong game against the Flyers on Sunday with 19 points, was in warm-up clothes as he was unable to play as the Bulldogs dropped an 82-69 loss in Mount Pleasant to Division I Central Michigan University in what was a regular-season contest.

One bit of good news, however, was Ferris welcomed back sophomore starting sophomore point guard Dontae Molden, who was injured earlier in the preseason during an exhibition contest at Division I University of Dayton.

So, Ferris got one starter back (Molden), but lost another (Randel) for an unknown period of time.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Central Michigan University Boasts Strong Guard Play, Size Up Front

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University certainly will be challenged in tonight's game against Division I Central Michigan University.

Head coach Bill Sall's Bulldogs are in the midst of back-to-back road games as they played Sunday night in Romeoville, Ill. against Lewis University and now are back on the court in Mount Pleasant to take on area rival Central Michigan.

Taking a closer look at the Chippewas, one thing that stands out is the tremendous guard play that CMU brings to the floor with a pair of seniors in Robbie Harman and Jordan Bitzer. In the team's season opener, at home against Princeton, Harman finished with22 points while Bitzer put up 19. Both are excellent shooters who can light it up from behind the arc.

Up front, Jalin Thomas, a junior guard, plays on the wing in what is more of a three-guard lineup. Chris Kellerman, at 6-foot-8 and a senior, and Marko Spica, at 6-foot-9 and a junior, are the big guys in the middle for head coach Ernie Zeigler's squad.

That is CMU's projected starting lineup.

For Ferris, the starting lineup against Lewis had Darien Gay, Josh Young and Austin Randel in a three-guard lineup. Up front, the Bulldogs used 6-foot-6 forwards Justin Keenan and Lou Williams.

Sunday night, Randel led the Bulldogs with 19 points as he knocked down five 3-point baskets while Keenan reached double digits in the scoring column with 15. Jon Yeazel, a former Central Michigan player, finished with nine points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes for the Bulldogs.

Ferris is still playing without starting point guard Dontae Molden, who was injured earlier this season in an exhibition contest at the University of Dayton.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Mount Pleasant Morning Sun Writer Previews Tonight's Ferris-Central Basketball Game

BIG RAPIDS - It's a bit of a local rivalry and both Ferris State University and Central Michigan University are looking forward to hitting the court tonight in Mount Pleasant.

In tonight's Division I vs. Division II game, that will be a regular-season contest, the Bulldogs of head coach Bill Sall are a team that will not be taken lightly by Central head coach Ernie Zeigler.

Here are some comments from Zeigler from a portion of a story published today in the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun newspaper as written by Drew Ellis:

"Ferris State is not only a neighborhood rival, but they are a very good team," CMU coach Ernie Zeigler said of the Division 2 Bulldogs. "They were very competitive last year in the GLIAC, and are expected to compete for the conference title this year."

Ferris State is led by 6-foot-6 junior forward, Justin Keenan, who averaged 20.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per-game last season, and was named a Division 2 preseason All-American entering this season.

"We will have our hands full with Keenan," Zeigler said. "Really, he couldn't be a better challenge for us after we struggled to establish ourselves in the post in our last game."

It should be an interesting contest for the Bulldogs who are coming off a 65-60 loss last evening in their season opener in Romeoville, Ill. against Lewis University.

HOCKEY: Dayton Daily News Article On Friday's Ferris-Miami Hockey Game

Miami University head coach Enrico Blasi warned his squad about what to expect from head coach Bob Daniels' Ferris State University hockey squad on the ice:

This from the Dayton Daily News:

The tiny school out of Big Rapids, Mich., played Miami to a 2-2 tie in regulation, then beat the RedHawks 1-0 in the shootout.

Miami defenseman Joe Hartman said coach Enrico Blasi warned the team about Ferris State (7-3-1), a team which is unbeaten against Miami (8-1-2) in its last five tries. The Bulldogs are 4-0-1 in that span.

“Coach had talked to us about them all week, and told us to be ready for a challenge,” Hartman said. “So we knew what was coming. We just didn’t finish when we needed to, and it cost us.”

Regardless of the reasons, Ferris has had its share of success recently against the RedHawks.

For the rest of the story, visit: http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/miami-university-redhawks/redhawks-fall-to-ferris-state-in-shootout-401716.html

HOCKEY: Blogger Covering Miami University Not Too Impressed With Ferris

BIG RAPIDS - When you have two parties involved in an athletic competition it's typical that if one side is happy the other side is likely not so pleased.

While Ferris State University's hockey team celebrated two important Central Collegiate Hockey Association shootout wins over Miami University (both games, of course, ended in ties), which entered the weekend as the top-ranked team in the nation, some who cover the RedHawks did not (and do not) share in that joy. In fact, at least one person is downright pissed that the Bulldogs twice celebrated on Miami's home ice and the RedHawks' snipers found it painfully difficult to beat the Bulldogs' defense.

John Lachmann, in his blog, writes the following (among other things):

BOTTOM LINE: I expected a bit of a letdown on Friday after the big series win at Michigan, but to manage two points in two games at home against this team is flat-out embarrassing.

Ferris State had good goaltending and played solid, defensive (read here: boring) hockey, but the top team in the country scored three goals in a weekend. At home.

All three Miami goals came on outside shots. Not once in 130 minutes of hockey this weekend were the RedHawks able to generate a goal inside the faceoff circles against a smaller, slower, less skilled team.

Those are quite the stinging comments and obviously Lachmann did not get the memo about the higher level of respect Miami has expressed for Ferris and how competitive the series has been recently. Whether the talk of respect was just for positioning in the media is irrelevant.

So, apparently, boring hockey trumped exciting hockey last weekend in Oxford, Ohio. In all honesty, it's the perfect style of play on the road and it's part of what makes the Bulldogs such a challenging opponent.

Being one of the little guys, in a league like the CCHA, schools like Ferris are all too familiar with being dissed by some of the bigger schools and individuals affiliated with bigger schools.

There's still a lot of hockey to be played, but the Bulldogs are off to a good start.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Ferris Is In Regional Tournament

BIG RAPIDS - The 2009 NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship field has been announced and Ferris State University is among the 64 programs invited to the big dance.

Ferris, led by two standouts in Arielle Goodson and Kristy Gilchrist, finished the 2009 regular season with a record of 19-11 overall as it bowed out to Hillsdale in the first round of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.

The NCAA's official press release on the tournament is below:

Nov. 15, 2009

NCAA RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Committee has selected the 64 teams that will be participating in the 2009 NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Championship. Eight teams were selected from each of the following eight regions: Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West.

Eight eight-team regionals will be played at on-campus sites. Regional competition will be single-elimination, best three-of-five game matches and will not include a third-place match. The winners of each of the eight regionals will advance to the finals, December 3-5, on the campus of a participating institution. Competition at the finals site will be single-elimination, best three-of-five game matches.

Atlantic Region
Hosted by California University of Pennsylvania, California, Pennsylvania – November 19-21
No. 1 California (Pennsylvania) (32-4) vs. No. 8 Chowan (27-8)
No. 2 Lock Haven (31-5) vs. No. 7 Mercyhurst (18-11)
No. 3 Clarion (24-8) vs. No. 6 Edinboro (21-12)
No. 4 Gannon (22-9) vs. No. 5 Wheeling Jesuit (32-5)

Central Region
Hosted by Concordia University, St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota – November 19-21
No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul (31-0) vs. No. 8 Colorado School of Mines (21-9)
No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State (25-7) vs. No. 7 Metropolitan State (24-6)
No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney (31-2) vs. No. 6 Minnesota Duluth (22-8)
No. 4 Wayne State Nebraska (28-7) vs. No. 5 Minnesota State Mankato (25-6)

East Region
Hosted by Dowling College, Oakdale, New York – November 19-21
No. 1 Dowling (26-6) vs. No. 8 Georgian Court (26-9)
No. 2 New Haven (24-5) vs. No. 7 Pace (17-11)
No. 3 Bridgeport (31-6) vs. No. 6 Massachusetts-Lowell (22-9)
No. 4 Adelphi (27-9) vs. No. 5 Bentley (17-12)

Midwest Region
Hosted by University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana – November 19-21
No. 1 Indianapolis (32-1) vs. No. 8 Michigan Tech (14-14)
No. 2 Lewis (27-4) vs. No. 7 Ferris State (18-11)
No. 3 Saginaw Valley State (21-9) vs. No. 6 Grand Valley State (16-12)
No. 4 Northern Michigan (18-11) vs. No. 5 Hillsdale (23-7)

South Region
Hosted by University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida – November 19-21
No. 1 Tampa (28-2) vs. No. 8 Albany State (Georgia) (20-7)
No. 2 Saint Leo (27-3) vs. No. 7 North Alabama (18-13)
No. 3 West Florida (19-12) vs. No. 6 Lynn (20-11)
No. 4 Eckerd (18-11) vs. Nova Southeastern (19-10)

South Central Region
Hosted by University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, Missouri – November 19-21
No. 1 Central Missouri (32-4) vs. No. 8 Dallas Baptist (20-16)
No. 2 Washburn (32-4) vs. No. 7 Nebraska-Omaha (20-13)
No. 3 West Texas A&M (31-3) vs. No. 6 Truman (24-12)
No. 4 Emporia State (29-5) vs. No. 5 Pittsburg State (24-10)

Southeast Region
Hosted by Wingate University, Wingate, North Carolina – November 20-22
No. 1 Wingate (34-1) vs. No. 8 Tusculum (17-14)
No. 2 Flagler (30-8) vs. No. 7 Lees-McRae (28-5)
No. 3 Armstrong Atlantic State (25-8) vs. No. 6 Lincoln Memorial (21-9)
No. 4 Carson-Newman (22-9) vs. No. 5 Catawba (17-11)

West Region
Hosted by California State University, San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California – November 19-21
No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino (28-1) vs. No. 8 Seattle Pacific (16-11)
No. 2 UC San Diego (28-2) vs. No. 7 San Francisco State (20-10)
No. 3 Sonoma State (22-7) vs. No. 6 Cal State L.A. (21-8)
No. 4 Hawaii Hilo (25-1) vs. No. 5 Alaska Anchorage (22-6)

Check back for more information on the NCAA Tournament in the days to come.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Veteran, Successful Ed Douma Joins Ferris State University Staff

BIG RAPIDS - If you know anything about the history of college basketball in West Michigan you probably know a little something about Ed Douma.

Douma, the long-time former head coach at Calvin College (where he won the Division III national championship during the 1991-92 season) and at Hillsdale College has joined the coaching staff of Ferris State University head coach Bill Sall. That staff includes Sall, top assistant Cory Anderson and assistants Bill Killian and Andy Bronkema, who are volunteers. Sall played his college basketball for Calvin College and played for Douma.

You would be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable guy to add to your coaching staff than Coach Douma who also brings a high level of intensity to the court as well. Sall and Anderson are quite familiar with Douma through their ties with him dating back to the days of both men at Calvin College.

Here are the notes on Douma as compiled by Ferris Athletics Communications:

Douma Joins Staff: Longtime college basketball coach Ed Douma has joined the Bulldog staff for the 2009-10 season. Douma most recently served as head coach at GLIAC-member Hillsdale for nine years until 2007. His experience includes 33 years as a head coach at the collegiate level, including at his alma mater, Calvin College (NCAA-III), where he guided the Knights to the NCAA-III National Championship in 1991-92. He has also served as head coach at Alma College (NCAA-III), fellow GLIAC member Lake Superior State (NAIA), Kent State (NCAA-I) and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (NCAA-III). Douma owns a career mark of 561-295 and also won two MHSAA Class C State Championships at Shelby High School. FSU head coach Bill Sall played for Douma at Calvin and also served as one of his assistant coaches at both Calvin and Hillsdale.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Faces A Tough Lewis Squad

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Make no mistake about it, Ferris State University is about to face one of the better Division II men's college basketball teams in the nation.

Lewis lost to Notre Dame by just 16, to Bradley by only five and then won 65-55 at the University of Illinois-Chicago. So, the Flyers have played three Division I teams in the preseason and performed well in those games. Head coach Bill Sall's Bulldogs hope to be one of the better teams in the region and it will get a major test to start this season against a strong Lewis squad.

Obviously, when you're competitive with teams like Notre Dame and Bradley and you can beat UIC then you know you have a good Division II college basketball squad.

Here is the scouting report on Lewis as compiled by Ferris Athletics Communications:

Looking At Lewis: The Flyers finished the 2008-09 season with a 16-12 overall record and was 10-8 in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) action. Fourth-year head coach Scott Trost welcomes back three starters and eight letterwinners from last campaign. Junior guard Dennis Thomas is the team’s top returning scorer after averaging 10.2 points per game last campaign, which ranked third on the team behind two 1,000-point career scorers who have since moved on. The Flyers topped NCAA Division I Illinois-Chicago by a 66-55 count in their final exhibition game on Tuesday (Nov. 10) after losing a pair of earlier exhibition games versus NCAA-I schools at Notre Dame, 70-54, and Bradley, 68-63.

Should be a good game for the Bulldogs and Flyers who tip off tonight at 7 p.m.

HOCKEY: Don't Forget The Ferris-Miami Hockey Game (Friday Night) Is Being Televised ON NHL Network

Ferris State University's hockey series against Miami University, the top-ranked team in the nation, will have some television coverage this weekend.

Here is a breakdown from the Ferris Web site:

The Ohio News Network (ONN), a cable television network in Ohio, will air both of this weekend's contests at Miami (Ohio). ONN is seen in more than 1.7 million households statewide, including the major markets of Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo and Columbus. This Friday's contest will also be televised on the NHL Network (DirecTV channel 215, Dish Network channel 403 and most U.S. cable systems).

Locally, those blessed to have the NHL Network will have an opportunity to watch the Bulldogs and RedHawks play on the ice.

Breakdown:
Ferris State University at Miami (Ohio) RedHawks
Friday & Saturday (Nov. 13-14)
Friday @ 7:35 p.m. (EST) and Saturday @ 7:05 p.m. (EST)
Steve Cady Arena (4,000 capacity) - Oxford, Ohio

HOCKEY: Miami Blogger Not Impressed With Ferris' Early Schedule

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University is off to a 6-0 start at home this season and is 7-3 overall heading into this weekend's two-game ice hockey series at top-ranked Miami University.

While the Bulldogs have a solid record, the level of competition is not too impressive to blogger John Lachmann, who writes for Cincinnati Sports Journalism.

Here is part of what Lachmann wrote:

Forwards Blair Riley and Aaron Lewicki are tied for the Bulldogs' team lead in points with eight. Riley has a team-high six goals.

Other contributing forwards are senior right wing Cody Chupp (one goal, six assists), sophomore Derek Graham (one goal, six assists), and freshman Travis Ouellette (five goals, one assist).

Junior Zach Redmond is the Bulldogs' top defenseman scorer with a goal and six assists. Sophomores Chad Billins and Brett Wysopal have six points each on Ferris State's blueline.

Ferris State definitely has balanced scoring. Although its top scorers have eight points, 14 Buldogs have four or more points.

Yes, the Bulldogs are 7-3, but they have faced a pretty weak schedule to this point. Ferris State has sweeps vs. Connecicut, Robert Morris and Bowling Green. Ferris State was swept at Alaska and split at Canisius in its only four road games, giving the Bulldogs a 1-3 record away from Big Rapids.

Miami, which has won four straight games, will probably start sophomore Connor Knapp in goal on Saturday. We'll see if sophomore defenseman Matt Tomassoni and senior forward Gary Steffes return to the lineup after being benched for both games last weekend.

There is little question Ferris has not played the strongest schedule, but this weekend will be a nice test for the Bulldogs (as was their two-game series at Alaska).

It will be interesting to see how the Bulldogs respond to this strong road competition on the ice. So far, Ferris has been tough at home, but now must prove it can win on the road.

VOLLEYBALL: Ferris Players Gilchrist, Goodson And Tobiczyk Honored By GLIAC

The All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Volleyball teams have been announced and Ferris State University is represented.

Arielle Goodson, a junior, and Kristy Gilchrist, a senior, represented the Bulldogs as first-team all-conference selections as two top-notch middle hitters.

Lisa Tobiczyk, a sophomore who plays libero, was an honorable mention all-conference choice.

These are great honors for the Bulldogs as Goodson is blossoming into a very good player, Gilchrist caps off a strong career with a nice honor and Tobiczyk is all business as one of the league's better liberos.

2009 GLIAC Volleyball Postseason Awards All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Kait Harris, Saginaw Valley State University (Senior, S, Essexville, Mich./Garber)
Libero of the Year: Sydney Dow, Hillsdale College (Junior, Lib., Jonesville, Mich.)
Freshman of the Year: Brittany Snider, Ashland University (Freshman,OH, Olmsted Falls, Ohio)
Coach of the Year: Chris Gravel, Hillsdale College
All-GLIAC First-Team
Name	School	Yr.	Position	Hometown
Amy Andersen-Goldsworthy	Northern Michigan	Sr.	MH	Madison, Wis.
Annie Buxton	Saginaw Valley State	So.	OH	Aurora, Ontario
Ashlee Crowder	Hillsdale	So.	MH/OH	Jenison, Mich.
Kristy Gilchrist	Ferris State	Sr.	MH	Macomb, Mich./Anchor Bay
Arielle Goodson	Ferris State	Jr.	MH	Grand Rapids, Mich./Central
Sarha Gosselin	Wayne State	Sr.	OH	Harrison, Twp., Mich./Warren Lincoln
Kait Harris	Saginaw Valley State	Sr.		Essexville, Mich./Garber
Britney Jurchenko	Ashland	Sr.	MH/OH	Lakewood, Ohio
Clara Leutheuser	Hillsdale	So.	MH	Hillsdale, Mich./Hillsdale Academy
Mandie Meyer	Northern Michigan	Sr.	OH	Crystal Lake, Ill.
Rebeccah Rapin	Grand Valley State	Jr.	MB	Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central
Kristine Sexton	Michigan Tech	So.	OH	Coldwater, Mich.
All-GLIAC Second-Team
Jaclyn Carnago	Saginaw Valley State	Sr.	MH	St. Clair, Mich.
Ashley Carr	Northwood	Sr.	MB	Marysville, Mich.
Sydney Dow	Hillsdale	Jr.	L/S	Jonesville, Mich.
Lauren Mallast	Wayne State	Sr.	MB	Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay
Sladjana Mitrovic	Northwood	Jr.	OH	Lazarevac, Serbia/Sport Academy DIF
Kaari Nevanen	Michigan Tech	Sr.	OH/L	Duluth, Minn./East
Cassie Osiecki	Northern Michigan	Sr.	L/DS	Hampshire, Ill.
Apryl Schmucker	Hillsdale	So.		Inman, Kan./Little River
Brittany Snider	Ashland	Fr.	OH	Olmsted Falls, Ohio
Erin Thomasson	Findlay	So.	OH	Newark, Ohio
Jessica Treiber	Saginaw Valley State	Jr.	OPP	Sebewaing, Mich./Unionville-Sebewaing
Whitney Tremain	Grand Valley State	Sr.	OH	Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood
All-GLIAC Honorable Mention
Amanda Stefanski	Ashland	Sr.	MH	Independence, Ohio
Lisa Tobiczyk	Ferris State	So.	L	Marysville, Mich.
Megan Florence	Findlay	Jr.		Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian
Katey Crichton	Grand Valley State	Sr.	OH	Howell, Mich.
Brogan Wells	Hillsdale	So.	L/DS	West Bloomfield, Mich./Pontiac Notre Dame
Brittany Newberry	Lake Superior State	So.	L	Iron Mountain, Mich.
Veronica Armstrong	Michigan Tech	Sr.	OH	Battle Creek, Mich.
Katt Garvick	Northern Michigan	Sr.	OH	New Leonx, Ill.
Lauren Chapman	Northwood	Jr.		Bascom, Ohio/Hopewell-Loudon
Allison Schlinkert	Saginaw Valley State	Sr.	OH	Marysville, Mich.
Brooke Bernabei	Tiffin	Jr.	OH	Canton, Ohio/Glen Oak
Kate Sak	Wayne State	Fr.	MB	Warren, Mich./Cousino