HOCKEY: Is NCAA Hockey Game On The Way?

A lot of us who love Division I college hockey and video games have been waiting for the pieces of this puzzle to come together.

In other words, we've been waiting impatiently (maybe some of us have been waiting patiently) for an NCAA hockey game to be produced by EA Sports (or someone else).

Admit it, you would love to see a video game rendering of Ewigleben Ice Arena with the Bulldogs hitting the ice representing Ferris State University. OK, I am pretty sure it's not just me who has been waiting for such a video game to be made available. There is at least one Facebook group pushing for the game to become a reality.

Obviously, we will not see the names of the players, but it will hardly matter. Likely, the NCAA hockey game will have a similarity to the real thing like the NCAA basketball and football games. That would be fine by me and a lot of gamers who also appreciate college hockey. I, however, more than likely will have to upgrade from my Playstation 2. That will be a tough one for me.

Still, it looks like we are one step closer to just such a game:

College Hockey, Inc. director Paul Kelly has been hired to promote college hockey and has been hard at work in that regard. Kelly seems optimistic that a deal could be struck that would bring Division I college hockey to a video game console, and perhaps sooner rather than later.

The details of the story making the college hockey rounds is here, and an excerpt is below.

NCAA Basketball and NCAA Football have their own annual release from EA Sports so why not NCAA hockey, at least under the NHL umbrella?

"We've actually been in discussions with EA for a couple of weeks," Kelly began, "and while we don't have a formal announcement to make at this moment, we are certainly in discussions with EA Sports and they are very interested in having a college component to their game. We, the colleges, are very interested in having that happen and we are just currently in the process of figuring out what dimensions that aught to take. The answer to your question though is 'YES' just as there is going to be a CHL component to the video game, there will be a college hockey component as well."

Any way you slice it, this is a huge step forward for Division I college hockey as it seeks to make its mark on a college athletics scene mostly dominated by football and basketball.

Here is what a college hockey game would have looked like back in the day of the old Nintendo Entertainment System (from a video I discovered on YouTube).

SOFTBALL: Ferris' Stevenson Earns All-Region Honor From Daktronics

Ferris State University senior pitcher Kayle Stevenson picked up some much-deserved recognition for her softball exploits during the 2010 campaign.

The Holland native, who prepped at West Ottawa High School, was named a member of the 2010 Daktronics, Inc. All-Midwest Region Softball Second-Team earlier this month. Stevenson, the talented left-handed pitcher who was a solidifying force for the team, in general, and the pitching staff, in particular, earns a nice honor at the close of her softball career.

Stevenson finished with a 12-6 record and a 1.98 earned run average this spring. A two-time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference pitcher, Stevenson tossed five shutouts for the Bulldogs in 20 games.

Also of note, Wayne State standout Casey Hanes earned Daktronics Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year honors while teammate Alison Allen was named Daktronics Midwest Region Player of the Year. That is evidence enough of the banner season that Wayne enjoyed on the softball this season under long-time head coach Gary Bryce.

Sports information directors voted on the honors.

Daktronics, Inc. All-Midwest Region Second Team

Pitchers

April Ehlers (#7) Northern Kentucky P 5-10 Jr. Greenville, IN (Floyd Central)
Logan Hursey (#18) Ashland P/DP Jr. Zanesville, OH (John Glenn)
Kayle Stevenson (#8) Ferris State P 5-5 Sr. Holland, MI (Hillsdale)

First Base

Jennifer Berlet (#5) Hillsdale 1B 5-9 So. Walton, IN (Lewis Cass)

Second Base

Rose Broderick (#14) Northern Kentucky 2B 5-7 Sr. Cincinnati, OH (Oak Hills)

Third Base

Meaghan Baurer (#10) Missouri-St. Louis 3B 5-4 Sr. Glasford, IL (Illini Bluffs/Illinois Central)

Shortstop

Jessica Farris (#23) Northern Kentucky SS 5-5 So. Independence, KY (Simon Kenton)

Catcher

Brittany Omelanchuck (#19) Wayne State (MI) C 5-11 Fr. Brooklin, Ontario

Outfield

Christine Holthus (#9) UW-Parkside OF 5-2 Jr. Elgin, IL (Burlington Central)
Jaci Messmer (#9) Findlay OF 5-10 Jr. Forest, OH (Forest)
Stephanie LeClair (#3) Wayne State (MI) OF 5-9 Sr. Kitchener, Ontario

Designated Player

JaCee Ellis (#8) Missouri-St. Louis DP 5-7 Jr. Frankford, MO (Bowling Green HS)

Utility Player

Emily Schwaeble (#21) Northern Kentucky P/OF 5-6 Fr. Cincinnati, OH (Colerain

FOOTBALL: Ottawa Citizen, Vancouver Sun Highlight Parrish Signing With BC Lions

Former Ferris State University quarterback Kyle Parrish (pictured) is making some headlines as the newest addition to the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. The article, published in the Ottawa Citizen and the Montreal Gazette, is written by Mike Beamish of the Vancouver Sun.

The article includes comments from Ferris head coach Jeff Pierce and a number of other people who are familiar with the skills of Parrish. It's nice to see a lot of different people giving input on Parrish. The former Ferris signal caller is living a dream as he works to take his game to the professional level in the CFL following a successful workout in Los Angeles that opened a door for him to continue his football career.

Here is an excerpt:

Parrish appears to want to play the game so badly that no amount of rough handling can deter him. Last season, his final of two at Division II Ferris State University, Parrish was affected by the same problematic AC joint (shoulder) injury that sidelined the plucky Pierce in his final season with the Lions.

Parrish also battled through the H1N1 virus. Parrish started, a day after being given medical clearance, because of an injury to the Bulldogs other quarterback.

“Talk about toughness,” Ferris State head coach Jeff Pierce said Wednesday. “That’s never an issue with him. His passion to play the game of football is very strong. He’s willing to go the extra mile.”

Check out the full article.

Ottawa Citizen:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Newest+Lions+prospect+tough+nails/3075054/story.html

FOOTBALL: Kyle Parrish Signs A Deal With CFL's British Columbia Lions

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Former Ferris State University quarterback Kyle Parrish has signed with the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions.

For Parrish, signing with a professional team has been like a dream come true.

"Well I tried out for them in an open tryout and did really well," said Parrish, who made a good impression during a free-agent tryout for the team in Los Angeles. "So, they called me back and were wanting to sign me. So we did a deal."

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Parrish competed for two seasons with the Bulldogs and had a solid senior campaign as he passed for 1,407 yards and completed 127-of-238 attempts with four touchdowns. As a junior, Parrish passed for 911 yards and six touchdowns as he completed 75-of-137 passes. As a junior and senior, Parrish shared quarterback duties with Tom Schneider (and at times Robert Banaszak).

The Garden Grove, Calif. native came to Ferris after playing for two seasons at Compton Junior College where he passed for more than 2,500 yards and 13 touchdowns before he signed with the Bulldogs and packed his bags for Big Rapids, Mich.

Since the close of the 2009 season, Parrish has been hard at work honing his skills to gear up for a shot at realizing his dream of playing football as a professional.

Photo by Ferris Photographic Services

MEN'S GOLF: Lilleboe, Valley Earn All-Region Honors

BIG RAPIDS - It's impossible not to have great team success without having outstanding individual student-athletes such as those who make up the Ferris State University men's golf team.

Eric Lilleboe (pictured top) and Kurt Valley (pictured bottom) earned some individual honors as NCAA Division II PING All-Midwest Region Team for the 2009-10 season according to the Golf Coaches Association of America.

Here is an excerpt from a Ferris State Athletics Communications press release:

Ferris State University's Eric Lilleboe (Okemos/Lansing Catholic Central) and Kurt Valley (Bay City/Western) continue to claim honors in their respective senior seasons as the pair have been named NCAA Division II PING All-Midwest Region Team for the 2009-10 season as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

Lilleboe and Valley were among 12 individuals to garner All-Midwest Region Team accolades.

A total of 105 players across the eight regions - East, Atlantic, Southeast, South, Midwest, South Central, Central, and West - earned all-region plaudits for the 2009-10 season.

Earlier this season, Lilleboe was recognized as the 2009-10 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (GLIAC) Men's Golf "Athlete of the Year". The top conference honor represented the second time in which Lilleboe has received such recognition after previously garnering the award in the 2007-08 campaign. Lilleboe also claimed All-GLIAC First-Team laurels for the third consecutive season (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10) and was the medalist at the 2009-10 GLIAC Championships (Oct. 3-5).

Valley is a three-time all-conference selection to date, which includes picking up first-team honors in 2008-09 and 2009-10. He attained honorable mention all-league recognition in the 2007-08 season.

Outstanding job by Lilleboe and Valley in leading the Ferris men's golf team to new heights on the course.

MEN'S GOLF: Ferris Enjoys Strong Finish At NCAA Championships

Truly, it was a banner season in more ways than one for Ferris State University's men's golf program with its strong run to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships in Noblesville, Ind. It was a great finish as the Bulldogs soared to great heights of competitiveness on the golf course.

The seventh-place finish marked a record-setting effort for the men's golf team, led by Kurt Valley (pictured), has it shot a team total of 1,232 at Sagamore Golf Club.

Here is an excerpt from the Ferris State press release:

Leading the way for Ferris State was senior Kurt Valley (Bay City/Western), who posted a five-over-par final-round 77 score and finished tied for 18th place with a 304 score (77-76-74-77=304, +16). A season ago, the 2009-10 PING All-Midwest Region Team member shot a 20th-place tying 297 (+13).

Senior Eric Lilleboe (Okemos/Lansing Catholic Central) closed out his collegiate career by claiming a share of 37th place following a 311 score (73-78-81-79=311, +23). Senior Craig Burrows (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Olmstead Falls) netted a five-over-par 77 score in Friday's (May 21) final round and earned a share of 41st-place honors by firing a four-round 312-stroke total (82-79-74-77=312, +24). Burrows moved up 13 places after starting today's fourth round tied for 54th place.

Junior Garrett Simons' (Grand Ledge) 316 (79-82-79-76=316, +28) proved deserving of a 54th-place tie after he previously held a share of 77th place following the first three rounds of competition.

Closing out the scoring for the Bulldogs was junior Joe Brown (St. Ignace/LaSalle), who turned in a 73rd-place tying effort by tallying a 325 score (76-77-81-91=325, +37).

For the full press release, visit: http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/mgolf/2009-10/releases/20100521qtewfg

MEN'S GOLF: Livingston Daily Announces Commitment Of Stark To Ferris

The Livingston Daily.com is reporting that golfer Sam Stark is going to bring his skills to Ferris State University. The newspaper announced a large number of local signings in one big story, and Ferris was mentioned as the destination for one of the golfers.

Here is an excerpt of what was published in a story dated May 24:

Stark, who will play for Ferris State, and Gaines, a Northwood recruit, both found schools they believe are perfect fits.

"The coach at Ferris had my coach at Hartland (Nathan Oake) as his coach in high school, so there was that connection," Stark said. "The program's at nationals now (as of Thursday), so it's pretty well established. It's more of a challenge than the other places I visited. I don't think I'm going to play there right away, and that should make me a better player, ultimately."

"I want to go into finance and business, and it's a great school for that," Gaines said. "They have a golf team I think I can play on. I looked at Wayne State, too. Those were the only schools I was interested in."

Hopefully Stark will keep that strong tradition of golf going at Ferris as his career begins with the Bulldogs in the near future.

Livingston Daily:
http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20100524/SPORTS/5240317/Nine-Eagles-to-continue-athletic-careers-in-college

VOLLEYBALL: Ferris Assistant Beeckman To Speak At NCAA Women's Coaches Academy

Ferris State University volleyball assistant coach Theresa Beeckman continues to make quite a name for herself as a speaker on sport-related topics.

Beeckman, who will enter her sixth season as an assistant coach on the women's volleyball coaching staff at Ferris, is headed to Massachusetts and is scheduled to speak at the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy Dimension 2 Program on Tuesday (May 25) in Boston. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity for Beeckman to showcase some of the volleyball knowledge she brings to the court as an assistant coach at Ferris.

Here is an excerpt from a story published by Ferris State University Athletics Communications:

The NCAA Women Coaches Academy provides skills training for coaches at all levels to assist them in being more efficient, productive, resourceful and successful. The academy is designed for women coaches who are ready and willing to increase their individual effectiveness by learning advanced skills and strategies that directly affect their personal and team success. The participants learn skills that are not sport specific, yet ones that are relevant and necessary for coaching responsibilities, beyond the X’s and O’s.

The WCA Dimension 2 Program will be held May 24-26 at Boston's Hyatt Cambridge and is available exlusively to NCAA Women's Coaches Academy Graduates. Beeckman graduated from the Academy on June 28, 2008.

Beeckman's presentation will focus on recruiting and in particular, the construction of a logistical recruiting plan for your program. Her speech will provide answers to some of the following recruiting questions such as message and letter writing aside, there are many important variables that you must consider when creating a plan for excellence in the most important aspect of your job away from the field of play. What are they? How do the questions get answered? What to do with the answers once they are found? In this hour, everything from vetting top recruits to planning logistical checklists for campus visits, will be discussed.

It's great to see Ferris coaches showcasing their expertise on such a big platform. Learn more about Coach Beeckman's history with Ferris State volleyball and as a speaker, here.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Hiring An Assistant Coach

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University head women's basketball coach Tracey Dorow (pictured) is working on hiring a new assistant coach to fill out her staff.

Last season, the assistant coaching position belonged to Mark DeNoyelles, who had served as a volunteer assistant coach in the past before he filled in last year as a full-time assistant. Ferris also has had the benefit of former All-American player Rachel Folcik, who has been a fantastic addition to the women's basketball coaching staff.

Ferris hopes to have the position filled quickly as recruiting is ongoing and camp season is set to begin in Big Rapids.

Here is the job description:

Assistant Women's Basketball Coach-Ferris State University. A 10 month position is currently available to assist in planning and organizing all phases of an NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Program, including but not limited to the following: recruiting, developing each student-athlete on and off the court, game preparation, hiring work study employees, fundraising, community involvement, and coordination of summer camps and clinics. Required: Bachelor' degree from an accredited college or university. At least two years experience coaching at the collegiate level. Must have previous recruiting experience and knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations.

To apply, access the electronic applicant system by logging onto the FSU Home Page at www.ferris.edu, click Employment (under Campus Resources), click FSU Electronic Employment System - Job Postings. Ferris State University is sincerely committed to being a truly diverse institution and actively seeks applications from women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups. An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Contact Information Tracey Dorow Head Women's Basketball Coach Ferris State University

(231) 591-2869

http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/administration/adminandfinance/Human/Employment /EmplAppl.htm

FOOTBALL: GLIAC Composite Schedule Reveals Non-League Games

Take a minute to check how Ferris State University's non-conference game against Hillsdale College stacks up with openers of other Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rivals in the fall of 2010.

The Bulldogs are at Hillsdale on Friday, Sept. 3, to take on the Chargers in a 7 p.m. non-conference game.

Here is the schedule for week one:

Thursday, Sept. 2
Indianapolis at Kentucky Wesleyan 7 p.m.
Malone (Ohio) at Tiffin 7 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Minnesota St.-Mankato 7 p.m.
Lake Erie at Gannon (Pa.) 7 p.m.
West Texas A&M at Grand Valley State $ 8 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 3
Ferris State at Hillsdale (Non-Conf.) 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 4
Northwood at Wayne State (Non-Conf.) Noon
Tusculum (Tenn.) at Findlay Noon
California (Pa.) at Saginaw Valley State Noon
Bloomsburg (Pa.) at Ashland 1 p.m.

There are some interesting games taking place in non-conference action. Visit Crimson and Gold Report to get early (EARLY) analysis of the other non-conference games.

MEN'S GOLF: Ferris Sitting In Third Place At National Championships

Here is an update on Ferris State University's men's golf team participating in the 2010 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships in Noblesville, Ind.

Here is an excerpt from the press release from Ferris Athletics Communications:

The Ferris State University men's golf team is sitting in third place at the 2010 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships (May 18-21) after firing a 17-over-par 305 team score in Tuesday's (May 18) opening round at The Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville, Ind.

The Bulldogs are presently in third place among the 20 participating teams and trail second-place Florida Southern (305) by two strokes. Nova Southeastern (Fla.) currently occupies the top placing with an 11-under-par 299-stroke total. Ferris State is two strokes ahead of fourth-place Chico (Calif.) State (307, +19) and four in front of fifth-place Queen's University of Charlotte (309, +21).

Leading the way for Ferris State is senior Eric Lilleboe (Okemos/Lansing Catholic Central), who's among four players tied for second place with one-over-par 73 scores. Lilleboe, a two-time (2008-09 and 2009-10) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Golf Athlete of the Year, recorded four birdies and five pars in the 18 holes of play. Nova Southeastern's Ben Vertz is atop the individual leaderboard after shooting an even-par 72 stroke total.

Click here for the full press release.

GO BULLDOGS!

(Pictured is Eric Lilleboe)

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Northwood Brings In Ferris Hall Of Famer Lewis Garner As An Assistant

Ferris State University Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Lewis Garner is rejoining the men's basketball coaching staff at Northwood University under newly-hired head coach Jeff Rekeweg.

Garner, who had an outstanding men's basketball playing career for the Bulldogs and served as an assistant coach for Ferris, brings a wealth of experience to the Timberwolves.

In addition to being a former NU assistant coach (for eight seasons), Garner also has served as men's head basketball coach at Davenport University (an NAIA program) in Grand Rapids.

Garner, in addition to being a member of the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame, is a graduate of Ferris, who later went on to earn a master's degree from Central Michigan University.

Congratulations to Coach Garner on resurfacing at Northwood. I've had a chance to talk to him and interview him several times and it's nice to see good things happen to good people.

BASKETBALL: Special Olympics Teams With Bulldogs Video

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Signs Sagnaw Arthur Hill's Dwyer

BIG RAPIDS - On Crimson and Gold Report, I've posted a blog about the Ferris State University men's basketball team signing Saginaw Arthur Hill forward Tyler Dwyer as the second addition to its 2010-11 recruiting class.

This is a very positive signing for the Bulldogs who had some holes to fill following the conclusion of the 2009-10 season due to graduations.

This is another positive step for the Bulldogs. Learn more about Dwyer by visiting Crimson and Gold Report.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Loses Out On Recruit Who Picks Division I

Although Ferris did sign a talented player in Saginaw native Tyler Dwyer, a 6-foot-4 forward, the Bulldogs did lose out on one player it was in the running for: 6-foot-7 Muskegon West Michigan Christian star Evan Bruinsma.

The Bulldogs were among several teams interested in Bruinsma, who was thought of as a mid-major Division I to top-notch Division II prospect coming off an outstanding prep basketball career (winning three consecutive Class D state championships).

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Bruinsma ended up signing on with a Division I team as he will take his talents to the University of Detroit and play for head coach Ray McCallum.

It's hard to argue with the move for Bruinsma, who is part of a recruiting class that recruits blue-chip recruit Ray McCallum Jr., a standout point guard who was good enough to play at any program in the country, but chose to play for his dad at U of D.

There is not much shame in losing a recruit to a Division I program that suddenly looks like it is on the rise.

HOCKEY: Ferris Recruit Kane Showing A Winning Track Record

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University hockey recruits are doing good things on the relative eve of their arrival in Big Rapids to begin competing at the higher NCAA Division I level for the Bulldogs.

Cory Kane, a 6-foot-3 and 190-pound forward, promises to add some much-needed size and speed to the Bulldogs up front. Kane, a California native, is set to join Ferris' program for the upcoming 2010-11 season, helped to lead his current team to success. He led the Vernon (British Columbia) Vipers to the Royal Bank Cup earlier this month to reign as the Canadian Junior A Hockey National Champions.

It's good to know that Kane will be coming to Ferris with an all-important winning attitude to his credit as he prepares to suit up for long-time head coach Bob Daniels.

Read more about Cory Kane at: http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/mice/2009-10/releases/Kanechampion

SOFTBALL: NCAA Tournament Pairings Are Announced With No Real Surprises

No real surprises for the NCAA Division II Softball Tournament after the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament was canceled.

You can see the tournament pairings are below for the NCAA Division II Tournament and you can scroll down to see the teams that were selected to compete from the Midwest Region. As expected, Ferris State and Northwood were excluded from the tournament field and thus there seasons officially came to an end on Monday as the announcement was made.

It's not to say that Ferris and Northwood were necessarily more deserving than some other teams that made it, but clearly arguments could be made.

Sadly, weather played a huge role in the inability of teams like Ferris and Northwood to get their one last shot at earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament and at winning a conference championship.

Hopefully the GLIAC can make adjustments to its scheduling to provide a little more flexibility to be able to start and finish the conference tournament.

Perhaps beginning on Thursday and having more fields and officials available (on stand by) are options to strongly consider moving forward with the league tournament (as has been discussed quite often since Saturday).

There were a lot of broken hearts as the painful decision was made. Hopefully wise people can get together and make some necessary adjustments to hopefully make this disappointment less likely in the years to come.

See the pairings, here.

SOFTBALL: Teams Likely To Be Even More Disappointed When NCAA Tournament Field Announced

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University and some other Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball teams hurt by the cancellation of the tournament are unlikely to be less disappointed Monday morning when the NCAA Tournament pairings are announced.

The top eight teams in each NCAA Division II region will qualify for NCAA Tournament. From those top eight teams, the top two from each each region will serve as sub-regional tournament hosts on May 14-16. The winners of the sub-regional play in the super regional (May 21-22) with the punching tickets to the 2010 NCAA-II Softball Championships (May 27-31) at Heritage Park in St. Joseph, Mo. The eight NCAA Division II regions are the Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast and West.

The selections are set to be announced on Monday, May 10, at 10 a.m. on the Web at NCAA.com.

Ferris and Northwood University were among the teams playing good softball during the season (perhaps better ball than some teams ranked among them in the regional rankings).

As a side note, on Sunday (May 9), Lewis University won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament courtesy of a 7-5 win over Northern Kentucky University.

In the most recent regional rankings, Ferris was ranked 10th.

Here are the regional rankings as of May 1:

Midwest Region	Division II	In-Region
1. Wayne State (Mich.)	45-10	32-7
2. Ashland	33-11	32-9
3. Indianapolis	34-13	29-7
4. Lewis	28-12	25-8
5. Saginaw Valley State	24-14	20-13
6. Quincy	35-13	32-11
7. Tiffin	31-16	29-13
8. Northern Kentucky	31-16	30-15
9. Northwood	23-17	21-14
10. Ferris State	26-16	24-13

SOCCER: Ferris Has Posted Opening For Head Coach Position

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University has posted the opening for the position of head coach of the women's soccer program (vacated by the resignation of Neathan Gibson).

Here is an excerpt of what I posted earlier this year upon the initial news of Gibson's departure from the Ferris women's soccer program:

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Des Moines Menace welcomes back Neathan Gibson, a former Ferris State University women's soccer head coach who returns to the organization’s coaching staff today.

The South Africa native will be in a familiar role, assisting head coach Laurie Calloway with the Menace’s Premier Development League team and coaching in the Menace Youth Academy.Calloway and Gibson worked together in 2002. It was a benchmark year for the organization, highlighted by the start of the Menace Academy and a regular-season championship by the PDL team.

“I’m really excited,” Gibson said. “I’m even more excited the second time around. It’s coming full circle. I feel honored the Menace invited me back for the opportunity to work with Laurie. There’s a lot of trust and loyalty between us.”

Among other places, the job has been posted at HigherEdJobs.

Here is part of the job description in the posting:

Head Women's Soccer Coach (11-month position)-Ferris State University. Direct and coordinate the functions within an athletic program to include fundraising, recruiting, maintain department budget, and monitoring students' academic success. Maintain program in accordance with the established policies and procedures of NCAA, league rules and standards, Title IX and University policies.

Required: Bachelor's degree. Must possess a strong desire to facilitate the student academic and athletic needs. Strong fundraising, marketing and promotional skills, and the ability to work with various support groups. Must have a thorough knowledge of NCAA rules and theory and excellent communication skills. Must also show demonstrated coaching success. Five years of effective coaching and recruiting. Successful work experience in budget management and development, fundraising, and supervisory responsibilities.

To apply, access the electronic applicant system by logging onto the FSU Home Page at www.ferris.edu, click Employment (under Campus Resources), click FSU Electronic Employment System-Job Postings.

Ferris State University is sincerely committed to being a truly diverse institution and actively seeks applications from women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups. An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Here is information for those who want to apply:

Contact:	Ferris State University
Phone:	(231) 591-2150
TDD:	(231) 591-2150
Online App. Form:	https://employment.ferris.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?t ime=1273255415553

SOFTBALL: Flores, Stevenson, Wade And Peterson All Honored By GLIAC

MIDLAND - Ferris State University had two players earn second-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball team honors while two others earned honorable mention recognition.

Designated player Rhea Flores and pitcher Kayle Stevenson, both seniors, were named to the GLIAC Softball All-Conference Second Team in an announcement made over the weekend by the officials of the league. On the honorable mention listing, senior outfielder Rachel Wade was honored as was sophomore third baseman Makenzi Peterson.

Flores, a 2009 second-team All-GLIAC selection, has enjoyed a solid senior season batting .299 while leading being tied for team-best honors with 38 hits. The Dearborn Heights native who prepped at Southgate Anderson High School also pitched for head coach Keri Becker's squad and had some solid outings in the circle as both a reliever and as a starter during the 2010 campaign. Flores was 6-0 as a pitcher with two saves to her credit.

Stevenson, a left-handed pitcher, is 12-6 this season with a 1.98 earned run average in 20 appearances in the circle for the Bulldogs. The native of Holland, who prepped at West Ottawa High School, was a steady force as a pitcher for the Bulldogs with an unflappable demeanor with the ball in her hands.

Peterson, in just her second year, had a banner campaign as she posted career single-season bests in batting average (.343), hits (36), doubles (nine), RBI (20), slugging percentage (.505), and on-base percentage (.395) for the Big Rapids native while playing steady defense at third base.

2010 All-GLIAC Softball Teams and Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: Alison Allen - WSU / Pitcher of the Year: Casey Hanes - WSU
Freshman of the Year: Katie Martin - GVSU
“Michael J. Corbett” GLIAC Coach of the Year: Sheilah Gulas – AU
GLIAC Softball All-Conference First Team
Pos.	Name	School	Year	Hometown/Previous School
1B	Becca Ryan	Wayne State	So.	Westland, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child
2B	Carrie Hosier	Ashland	Sr.	Decatur, Ala.
SS	Jaci Banton	Wayne State	Sr.	Richmond Hill, Ontario/Cardinal Carter
3B	Michelle Boscola	Northwood	Sr.	Broomfield, Colo./Legacy
C	Brittany Omelanchuk	Wayne State	Fr.	Brooklin, Ont./Wilson S.S.
OF	Alison Allen	Wayne State	So.	Redford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy
OF	Erica Miller	Ashland	Jr.	Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central
OF	Devon Trimmer	Hillsdale	Sr.	Baltimore, Ohio
DP	Jessica McKeith	Saginaw Valley State	Jr.	River Rouge, Mich.
UT	Megan Eddy	Northwood	Jr.	Merrill, Mich.
UT	Logan Hursey	Ashland	Jr.	Zanesville, Ohio/John Glenn
P	Emlyn Knerem	Ashland	So.	Brunswick, Ohio
P	Casey Hanes	Wayne State	Sr.	Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman
GLIAC Softball All-Conference Second Team
Pos.	Name	School	Year	Hometown/Previous School
1B	Breanne Kronberg	Grand Valley State	Sr.	Orland Park, Ill.
2B	Kayleigh Bertram	Grand Valley State	Fr.	Lockport, Ill.
SS	Megan Baird	Tiffin	So.	Ajax, Ont./J. Clarke Richardson
3B	Amanda Temple	Tiffin	So.	Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer
C	Tawna Garver	Ashland	Fr.	Mansfield, Ohio/Hillsdale
OF	Katie Ammons	Findlay	Sr.	Findlay, Ohio
OF	Angela Kaiser	Saginaw Valley State	Sr.	Waterford, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes
OF	Nellie Kosola	Grand Valley State	Fr.	Frankfort, Ill.
DP	Rhea Flores	Ferris State	Sr.	Dearborn Heights, Mich./Southgate Anderson
UT	Lauren Memmer	Saginaw Valley State	So.	White Lake, Mich./Lakeland
UT	Delaney Talmage	Tiffin	Jr.	Millbury, Ohio
P	Alexa Gehrls	Saginaw Valley State	Fr.	Caledonia, Mich.
P	Kayle Stevenson	Ferris State	Sr.	Holland, Mich./West Ottawa
GLIAC Softball All-Conference Honorable Mention Team
Pos.	Name	School	Year	Hometown/Previous School
DP	Samantha Hendrix	Ashland	Sr.	Rogersvlle, Ala./Madison Academy
3B	Alyssa Kelley	Ashland	So.	Mentor, Ohio
1B	Calli Coppus	Findlay	Jr.	Tififin, Ohio/Mohawk
OF	Jaci Messmer	Findlay	Jr.	Forest, Ohio/Hardin Northern
3B	Makenzi Peterson	Ferris State	So.	Big Rapids, Mich.
OF	Rachel Wade	Ferris State	Sr.	Canton, Mich.
3B	Katie Martin	Grand Valley State	Fr.	Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer
C	Carli Raisutis	Grand Valley State	So.	Palos Heights, Ill./Stagg
3B	Jessica Guertin	Hillsdale	So.	Lancaster, Calif./Desert Christian
1B	Jennifer Berlet	Hillsdale	So.	Walton, Ind./Lewis Cass
1B	Lorrie Chaperon	Lake Superior State	Sr.	Howell, Mich.
OF	Nicole Carstensen	Lake Superior State	Jr.	Maple Grove, Minn.
C	Marissa Borkowski	Northwood	Fr.	Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson
P/1B	Jessica Wojcik	Northwood	Sr.	Highland, Mich./Milford
OF	Billi Hoeppner	Saginaw Valley State	Sr.	Hemlock, Mich.
P	Kari Bowlby	Saginaw Valley State	Sr.	Elkhart, Ind./Central
UTL	Tiffany Smith	Tiffin	Jr.	Newark, Ohio
2B	Lauren Mazzuca	Tiffin	So.	Hamilton, Ontario
OF	Stephanie LeClair	Wayne State	Sr.	Kitchener, Ont./Forest Heights C.I.
3B	Rebecca Stanley	Wayne State	So.	Waterloo, Ont.

Graphic: Ferris State University Athletics Communications

SOFTBALL: GLIAC Tournament Officially Canceled Due to Rain, Playing Conditions

MIDLAND - It was a painful blow to head coach Keri Becker's Ferris State University's softball seniors (Amanda Harrington, Rachel Wade, Rhea Flores and Kayle Stevenson) as word officially came down Saturday (May 8) morning that the 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament, scheduled to take place over the weekend at Emerson Park in Midland, was officially canceled.

A steady rainfall, concerns about field playing conditions, the safety of the student-athletes and the time to finish the tournament were among reasons the tournament was officially canceled.

The decision to cancel the tournament is a painful blow to teams like Ferris and Northwood University - teams on the bubble with respect to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Rankings. There were not too many dry eyes in the hotel when the announcement was made to the Ferris team on Saturday morning. In the most recent rankings, Northwood was ninth and Ferris was 10th (the top eight teams at the end of the season (Sunday night) will earn bids to the NCAA Tournament.

With no more opportunities to prove themselves, on the softball diamond, the NCAA outlook is fairly bleak for the softball student-athletes at schools like Ferris and Northwood.

The picks for the NCAA-II Regional Championships officially will be announced Monday (May 10) at 10 a.m. via a Web cast selection show on NCAA.com.

Ferris is holding steady at 26-16 overall after a third-place finish (tied) in the GLIAC standings at 17-9.

As a result of the cancellation of the tournament, Wayne State University, the regular-season GLIAC champions, will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

MEN'S TENNIS: Ferris Eliminated In Regional Tournament By Southern Indiana

MIDLAND - Ferris State University's men's tennis team ran into a bit of a buzzsaw on Thursday as it dropped a 5-1 decision to Southern Indiana in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament at Gerstacker Tennis Center.

USI swept the three doubles matches to take a fairly commanding edge. Winning two of the first three singles matches, the Screaming Eagles earned the victory to end the season for the Bulldogs, who were ranked sixth in the region at 11-8 overall under head coach Alex Palladino. Coach Palladino has done a solid job of building Ferris as a team that expects to be near the top of the GLIAC and the region.

The lone win for the Bulldogs came in No. 6 singles as freshman Tyler Marengo took a 6-2, 7-5 victory against Nathan Lattimer. To have a freshman pull out that kind of a win is a positive for Ferris as it begins to look ahead toward what could be a solid future on the hard courts of the GLIAC, the region and the nation.

Ferris was in its 13th consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament appearance and its 16th overall appearance.

CAPTION: Ferris' Kyle Revall takes part in Thursday's NCAA Regional match (Photo by Travis McCurdy, Northwood Sports Information)

WOMEN'S TENNIS: Ferris Falls In Regional Opener

MIDLAND - Ferris State University played with a lot of fight, but came up short in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional on Friday (May 6) at the Gerstacker Tennis Center in Midland.

Ferris had its season come to an end (12-9) as it dropped a 5-2 decision to Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Wayne State University. Wayne won two of the three doubles matches and then three of the first four completed singles contests to claim victory and advance in the regional tournament.

It brings the season to an end for the Bulldogs of head coach Alex Palladino, who is working hard to rebuild the tradition of excellence in women's tennis at Ferris. This team has taken some very positive strides in advancing to NCAA play and representing the school well.

The Bulldogs did post a win in doubles competition as the No. 3 team of Daniela Dimas and Melissa Flowers topped Debora Correa and Jennifer Bradford, 8-6.

In singles competition, Natalie Diorio posted the lone win for the Bulldogs as she defeated Correa 6-2, 6-3.

This year's NCAA Tournament appearance was the 18th overall for the Bulldogs and just their first since 2007.

CAPTION: Ferris State University's Tiffany Rheynard eyes the ball in Thursday's NCAA Regional Tennis match in Midland. (Photo by Travis McCurdy, Northwood University)

BASKETBALL: Grand Rapids Press Reports On GLIAC Transfers

Grand Rapids Press sports writer Brian VanOcthen is reporting on several transfers from Grand Valley State University's women's basketball program.

The headliner is All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference guard Emma Veach, a 5-foot-9 standout from Grand Haven. Veach, a sophomore last year, apparently is considering transferring to Hillsdale, Michigan Tech, Northern Kentucky and Lewis University (Ill.). There are two other players leaving the program, according to VanOchten's article: Maddie Burnett, a 5-foot-8 guard, and Paige Smith, a 5-foot-11 front court player.

Transfers, as wrote in an earlier article, can have a major impact. Transfers are experienced by all schools at one point or another (both leaving and coming in).

Also in the story is an issue that can be troublesome for a lot of schools (when a player wants to back out of a scholarship and commitment to a school to pursue other options.

The article is an interesting read and can be found here.

SOFTBALL: Friday's GLIAC Tournament Games Postponed

MIDLAND - Ferris State University will have to wait to hopefully begin competition in the 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at Emerson Park (May 7).

The first two games have not been completed as Ashland University and Grand Valley State University are tied 3-3 in one contest frozen in the fifth inning while Saginaw Valley State University is leading Northwood University 4-0 in a game that is still in the fourth inning.

The games were called for the day at about 3 p.m. as tournament officials decided the rain was not cooperative enough to restart the event.

The tournament will be in a holding pattern until Saturday morning when officials of the GLIAC, coaches and the staff of Emerson Park will see if they can get things started (with cooperation from the weather that is not looking particularly promising right now).

These games are important to teams like Ferris State University, Northwood and even Tiffin University that are NCAA Tournament bubble teams right now hoping to solidify their positions before selections are made.

There is a lot at stake for a good number of teams and for seniors who hope to keep their careers going a little longer.

SOFTBALL: Tournament In The Midst Of Rain Delay

MIDLAND - The 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament is in the midst of a rain delay at Emerson Park on Friday (May 7).

The first two games have not been completed as Ashland and Grand Valley State are tied 3-3 in one contest frozen in the fifth inning while Saginaw Valley State is leading Northwood 4-0 in a game that is still in the fourth inning.

The tournament is in a holding pattern until 3 p.m. when officials and coaches will meet to discuss the direction the tournament will move.

May. 7	Ferris St.		TBA		4:00 PM	Live stats
	"GLIAC Tournament" @ Midland, Mich.
	Tiffin		Ferris St.		12:00 PM	Live stats Live stats
	"GLIAC Tournament" @ Emerson Park, Midland, Mich.
	Hillsdale		Wayne St. (Mich.)		12:00 PM	Live stats
	"GLIAC Tournament" @ Emerson Park, Midland, Mich.
	Grand Valley St.	3	Ashland	3	Top of 5	Live stats
	"GLIAC Tournament" @ Emerson Park, Midland, Mich.
	Saginaw Valley	4	Northwood (Mich.)	0	Bottom of 4	Live stats
	"GLIAC Tournament" @ Emerson Park, Midland, Mich.

BASKETBALL: Transfers Could Impact Recruiting For Division II

It's getting close to that time of the year when the semester is coming to an end and student-athletes at the Division I level begin to ponder transferring down to Division I schools.

Every year, or so it seems, there are a few Division I transfers that can shift the balance of power in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. On the women's side, we've already seen Grand Valley State University and University of Findlay have picked up Division I transfers that could have an impact on two of the teams that already were expected to rank among the top teams in the conference.

It's highly likely that we will find out about some transfers that could upset the balance of power on the men's side in GLIAC basketball.

Stay posted as there are lots of rumors out there of guys who are thinking about transferring.

TRACK AND FIELD: Results From Day 1 Of GLIAC Championships

BIG RAPIDS - The 2010 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships kicked off Wednesday (May 5) afternoon at Ferris State University's Top Taggart Field.

Day one action consisted of first-day competition in the multi events, including both the decathlon and heptathlon. The multi's will wrap up with the second day of competition starting on Thursday (May 6) morning at 9 a.m.

The official single track and field events will also begin on Thursday following the multi's at 3 p.m. and run throughout the evening.

The final day of competition is set for Friday (May 7) beginning at 11 a.m.

Please visit this link for complete day one results:
Day 1 Results

Please visit this link for the official meet website:
Meet Website

Source: Ferris State University Athletics Communications

SOFTBALL: Feature Story On Ferris Freshman Dana Bowler

I just posted a feature story on Ferris State University freshman pitcher Dana Bowler on Crimson and Gold Report.

Check out the story to find out how Dana found herself at Ferris and how current teammate (and high school teammate) Morgan Kramerich played a role in her journey to Big Rapids.

Check it out at Crimson and Gold Report, here.

WOMEN'S GOLF: Ferris Places Seventh In NCAA Division II Super Regional

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Ferris State University women's golf team closed out its 2009-10 season with a seventh-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Division II Super Regional One as the Bulldogs carded a team-best 319 score in Tuesday's (May 4) final-round action to post a 969 three-round team score on the par 72, Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo.

The Bulldogs, under third-year head coach Mike Mignano, started out in seventh place following Sunday's (May 2) opening-round 328 stroke total and remained in that position through second-round play conducted on Monday (May 3) after generating a 322 score. Ferris State would conclude play with its best score of the regional tournament in Tuesday's (May 4) final round by shooting a 319 to finish with a 969-stroke total (+105). FSU placed five strokes in front of eighth-place Northern Kentucky (974, +110) and six in back of sixth-place Missouri-St. Louis (963, +99) among the nine teams participating.

Ferris State was led by freshman Ashley Swanson (Flushing/Flint Powers Catholic Central), who netted a team-best 13th-place tie performance by firing a 233 score (78-79-76=233, +17). She started out final-round play with three straight pars before tallying a pair of birdies on the second nine holes, at the par-four number 11 and the par-four 16th hole to finish four under.

For the full story, check Ferris Athletics Communications:
http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/wgolf/2009-10/releases/201005041l44ot

Photo caption:
Erin Fuchik capped off her sophomore season with a 20th-place tying 237 score at the NCAA Super Regional. (Photo courtesy of Drury Sports Information)

WOMEN'S GOLF: Ferris Gets Commitment From Farwell's Emily Rohdy

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University has been a young women's golf team this year, and will have a youthful feel next season to with the addition of Farwell's Emily Rohdy to the roster of head coach Mike Mignano's squad.

Rohdy is a two-time first-team all-state selection (as a junior and as a senior) and a Michigan Wendy's Heisman Award representative for Farwell High School.

"Emily is a very bright, talented and outstanding student-athlete," Mignano, a third-year head coach, said. "She has been very involved in many high school activities, excelled in golf, basketball, and track, all while maintaining a 3.96 cumulative grade point average. We're very excited for Emily to be a Bulldog this fall and I look for her to have an immediate impact on our program.

"Emily displays a tremendous amount of maturity and dedication to her golf game, while also balancing all that she does off the golf course. That is a very important trait and her work ethic will allow her to continue to achieve whatever she sets her mind to," he added.

The bar is relatively high for student-athletes who are coming into the women's golf program at Ferris, a perennial Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, regional and (oftentimes) national power.

FOOTBALL: Max Bankston Featured In Article

BIG RAPIDS - Max Bankston is emerging as one of Ferris State University's top linebackers of the future.

Bankston's early success was saluted in an article by Morning Star Publishing Sports Editor Greg Gielczyk. The story includes interviews with Bankston, Ferris head coach Jeff Pierce and FSU assistant and strength and conditioning coach Whitney Bell.

Here is an excerpt from Gielczyk's story on the former Frankfort High School star:

Over the summer, Bankston will follow a workout schedule given to him by defensive line coach Whitney Bell.

"I'm pretty excited to get back to camp (this coming fall), knowing the starting job is open," Bankston said.

He's getting stronger, Bell said. And he's worked extremely hard to compete for the top linebacker position.

"Max is one of those guys who's going to do anything you ask him to do," Bell said. "He had a couple of tackles for losses (in the scrimmage), and saw the ball well.

The article can be found here:
http://www.morningstarpublishing.com/articles/2010/05/03/grand_traverse_insider/sports/doc4bdf02fbe41eb983699408.txt

SOFTBALL: Here Is An Outline Of The GLIAC Tournament

Here is the breakdown as posted on the Web site of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference:

Tournament Format

The 2010 GLIAC Tournament will be a double-elimination format. If conditions dictate a change in format, only the Tournament Director may make the decision to shorten the tournament.

Tournament Draw

The top eight teams based on regular season conference winning percentage will compete in the tournament.

#1 Wayne State University Warriors

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#2 Ashland University Eagles

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#3 Northwood University Timberwolves

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#4 Ferris State University Bulldogs

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#5 Tiffin University Dragons

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#6 Saginaw Valley State Universtiy Cardinals

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#7 Grand Valley State University Lakers

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

#8 Hillsdale College Chargers

Home Page
Roster
Schedule
Stats

Tournament Schedule

Friday, May 7 - Emerson Park
10:00 am Game 1 (Currie Stadium) #2 Ashland vs. #7 Grand Valley State

10:00 am Game 2 (Diamond 3) #3 Northwood vs. #6 Saginaw Valley State

Noon Game 3 (Diamond 3) #4 Ferris State vs. #5 Tiffin

Noon Game 4 (Currie Stadium) #1 Wayne State vs. #8 Hillsdale

2:00 pm Game 5 (Currie Stadium) Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

2:00 pm Game 6 (Diamond 3) Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4

4:00 pm Game 7 (Diamond 3) Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

4:00 pm Game 8 (Currie Stadium) Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Saturday, May 8 - Emerson Park

10:00 am Game 9 (Diamond 3) Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 5

10:00 am Game 10 (Currie Stadium) Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 6

Noon Game 11 (Currie Stadium) Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8

Noon Game 12 (Diamond 3) Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10

2:00 pm Game 13 (Currie Stadium) Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11

Sunday, May 9 - Emerson Park

10:00 am Game 14 (Currie Stadium) Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13

Noon Game 15 (Currie Stadium) If necessary