GENERAL NEWS: Bulldog Athletics Hall Of Fame Takes Aim At 2011

This summer has been a period of transition for Ferris State University's Athletics Department with the retirement of long-time AD Tom Kirinovic.

Due to the transitions taking place in Ferris' Athletics Department, the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame is going to look ahead to 2011 as it aims to put together a first-class program for the next class of inductees.

So, there will be no 2010 Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony, but Ferris remains committed to the hall of fame and will work to bring it back in 2011. By the time 2011 rolls around, Ferris expects to have its next AD in position to take a lead role with the Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame.

It was a tough decision for all parties involved, but it is the best move for all parties involved as everyone strives to put forth a first-class presentation.

BASKETBALL: Midland Daily News Article Highlights Reasons For Basketball Switch

Fred Kelly, a writer for the Midland Daily News, went into depth to explain the previously rumored reasons for the switch of start times for men's and women's Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball games.

As I (and many others I'm sure) struggle to find many people who would be in favor of such a change, regardless of some of the reasons, the MDN article explains things. Speculation has been pretty consistent that the GLIAC would not have made such a change on its own, this newspaper article works to clear up some of the mystery behind this major scheduling adjustment.

Here is an excerpt from the Midland Daily News article:

Fans of GLIAC basketball -- not to mention players and coaches -- will have to adjust their schedules when the 2010-11 season gets underway.

The GLIAC, in response to a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR), has flip-flopped the start times for its women's and men's basketball games for the upcoming season.

That means that the men, who have traditionally played shortly after the women's game, will play first, with the women's games to follow.

The basketball schedule will revert back to women-first and men-second for the 2011-12 season, then continue rotating back-and-forth annually.

Jeff Ligney, assistant commissioner for media relations for the GLIAC -- which includes Northwood and Saginaw Valley State universities -- said the move was made at the request of the OCR.

"They (the OCR) asked us to do something. They didn't force us (to make the switch)," Ligney noted. "They just told us that a complaint was filed against us and that some people felt we were not treating women's basketball the same as the men by having them play first all of the time.

The rest of the article goes into more detail and includes comments from basketball coaches at Saginaw Valley State University and Northwood University. None of the comments from any of the coaches could be characterized as a ringing endorsement of the new scheduling format the GLIAC plans to adopt.

I realize we live in a politically correct world these days, but I would certainly question the wisdom of this move.

Time will tell, but hopefully time will not confirm what seems obvious: that this change will create more problems than it will solve.

HOCKEY: Alexander Participates In Washington Capitals Development Camp

Ferris State University hockey player Eric Alexander will have a pretty nice story to tell if anyone asks him what he did or accomplished over the summer.

Alexander, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound winger from Kentwood who will be a sophomore in the fall, made quite an impression as he competed in the Washington Capitals' summer development camp.

It is pretty clear early in this article that Alexander handled himself quite well during the camp, and the Bulldogs surely are hopeful that carries him into the 2010-11 season.

Here is an excerpt from a story published by the The Washington Post:

Invitee Andy Miele scored a pretty goal in regulation and an even prettier one in the shootout to help White beat Red, 3-2, in the last of three scrimmages at Caps' summer development camp.

Miele had a big day for a player who's listed at 5 foot 8, 175 pounds on the website for Miami of Ohio, his college team. But the rising senior wasn't the only player Coach Bruce Boudreau singled out for praise.

Asked for his all-camp team, Boudreau named invitees Miele and Eric Alexander (Ferris State) as well as prospects Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, Cody Eakin, Dustin Stevenson and Joe Finley.

Last year, as a freshman, Alexander scored three goals to go with four assists for seven points as he played in 23 of 40 games as Ferris finished with a record of 21-13-6 and just narrowly missed earning its second trip to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Westendorp Named Assistant Coach

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University women's basketball coach Tracey Dorow has named Kurt Westendorp as its new top assistant coach.

Westendorp, a native of Dowagiac who most recently served as an assistant coach at Division III Albion College for three seasons, fills a position held by Mark DeNoyelles, who last season filled in as the full-time assistant coach. In need of a full-time assistant, one who could commit the time to do a lot of the duties necessary in the office and on the recruiting trail in addition to games and practice, this was a natural move for the Bulldogs and Coach Dorow.

For his part, Westendorp could not be more excited to have an opportunity to move up to the Division II level. The knowledge he already has, in recruiting the state of Michigan, should allow him an opportunity to step in and hit the ground running.

"I'm excited to get started at Ferris," Westendorp said. "I've known Coach Dorow for some time and am familiar with the girls on the team from recruiting within the state the last three years. I know there's a lot of talent there and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with them."

Dorow, obviously, is very excited about what she believes Westendorp will bring to the Ferris program.

"Words can't begin to express how excited I am that Coach Westendorp has chosen to become a Bulldog," she said of Westendorp, who also served as the head women's golf coach at Albion. "His background, knowledge and passion for the game is exceptional. He also has strong connections with coaches across the state of Michigan and his enthusiasm will attract student-athletes to Ferris State University.

"He works hard to develop and refine player skills and will do whatever it takes to maximize the potential of our women's basketball players," she added of Westendorp, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Valparaiso University in Indiana.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: Lots Of Home Matches On 2010 Schedule

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University will enjoy the comforts of home early in the season for a rare time - or so it seems.

Normally, the Bulldogs have been road warriors at the beginning of the season. This fall, Ferris will host two Minnesota schools to begin the season as it hosts Minnesota State University on Sept. 3 and then Winona State University on Sept. 5.

Those will be tough opponents for the Bulldogs. And, from there, it doesn't get any easier with defending NCAA Division II National Champion Grand Valley State University on Sept. 8.

So, the good news is three home matches to open the season. The bad news is that the opponents will be top notch for first-year head coach Matt Kellogg, who was announced as Ferris' new head coach on Monday (July 19).

Ferris also will be hosting the two new schools as both Lake Erie College (Sept. 26) and Ohio Dominican University (Oct. 1) will be making trips to Big Rapids.

The Bulldogs get their rematch with Grand Valley on Oct. 30 in Allendale.


2010 Ferris State University Women's Soccer Schedule

Sept. 3	Minnesota State		4 p.m.
Sept. 5	Winona State		12 p.m.
Sept. 8	Grand Valley State *		4 p.m.
Sept. 10	at Saginaw Valley State *		4 p.m.
Sept. 12	at Northwood *		12 p.m.
Sept. 17	at Northern Michigan *		12 p.m.
Sept. 19	at Michigan Tech *		12 p.m.
Sept. 24	Ashland *		4 p.m.
Sept. 26	Lake Erie *		1 p.m.
Oct. 1	Ohio Dominican *		4 p.m.
Oct. 8	Saginaw Valley State *		4 p.m.
Oct. 10	Northwood *		12 p.m.
Oct. 12	at Lewis (Ill.)		2:30 p.m.
Oct. 15	Michigan Tech *		4 p.m.
Oct. 17	Northern Michigan *		12 p.m.
Oct. 22	at Findlay *		4 p.m.
Oct. 24	at Tiffin *		12 p.m.
Oct. 30	at Grand Valley State *		12 p.m.
Nov. 2	TBD		TBA
	GLIAC Tournament First Round
Nov. 5	TBD		TBA
	GLIAC Tournament Semifinal Round
Nov. 7	TBD		TBA
	GLIAC Tournament Championship
Nov. 11	TBD		TBA
	NCAA Midwest Regional
Nov. 18	TBD		TBA
	NCAA Midwest Regional Elite Eight
Dec. 2	TBD		TBA
	NCAA National Championships

Mekyla Spraggins (Photo by Ed Hyde-FSU Photographic Services)

WOMEN'S SOCCER: Ferris Hires Kellogg As Its New Head Coach

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University is ready to write a new chapter in the relatively short history of its women's soccer program. Ferris announced it has hired Matt Kellogg as its new head coach - the fourth in the 11-year history of the program.

Kellogg, most recently an assistant at Morehead State (Ky.) University who was in his second season, replaces Neathan Gibson, who resigned from the position in April to pursue another job opportunity out of the state. The announcement was made official by Keri Becker, interim director of athletics at Ferris.

"I've spent the last seven years with the goal of directing a college program and now I'm ready," Kellogg said. "I'm thankful to Keri (Becker) and the administration at Ferris State for giving me an opportunity to show what I can do. I grew up in Michigan so it's going to be nice being close to a lot of my friends and relatives which I haven't seen in a while."

Ferris believes Kellogg has the ability to come in and elevate the program to new heights as he takes over for Gibson. Becker, also the head coach of a Ferris softball team she and others have worked to build up over the years, understands what it takes to be successful as a collegiate head coach. With Kellogg entering the picture, Becker is confident Ferris has identified someone who can get the job done as head coach.

"We are excited Matt Kellogg will become a part of our Bulldog family," Becker said. "He will bring a great deal of game knowledge, recruiting connections, and enthusiasm to the women's soccer program. The team is hungry for a renewed energy that will help them reach their potential and Matt was a great match to lead this team!"

Kellogg has extensive experience in coaching having also served as an assistant at the University of Kentucky and Western Michigan University. He also has served as a head coach at Kalamazoo College.

Also of significance is the fact that he has coaching roots in the state of Michigan.

For more on Kellogg, visit the Ferris Athletics Web site, here.

GENERAL NEWS: GLIAC Names Doss and Ek Basketball Supervisors Of Officials

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recently announced the hiring of two new supervisors of officials.

According to a press release from the GLIAC, Rob Doss has been hired as the supervisor of officials for women's basketball while Bill Ek has been named to the same position for the men's basketball side.

The appointments are effective immediately.

“We are extremely pleased with the addition of both Bill and Rob to our staff,” GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson. “They have the knowledge, experience, and networks that will take our basketball officiating program to the next level.”

What impact this will have is difficult to tell. Typically, anything that occurs with officials is done behind closed doors.

So, the impact remains to be seen. Officials in the GLIAC have been criticized at times for some inconsistency issues (cheap hand checks on the perimeter while guys are banging and battling like gladiators in the paint). Officials at all levels hear some criticisms like the aforementioned.

On the men's side, there has been some criticism of games being a little too physical at times, but you hate to see games controlled too much by the refs. Most of us want to see players play.

GENERAL NEWS: Is Urbana (And Maybe Cedarville) Future GLIAC Schools?

We know it's a good bet the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which includes schools like Ferris State University, is not done with expansion in spite of the additions of Lake Erie College and Ohio Dominican University (made official this summer).

One candidate for future expansion that frequently has been mentioned has been Urbana University in Ohio.

Recently, Urbana received a bit of good news documented by media members like the Dayton Daily News:

Urbana University received word Friday, July 9, from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Membership Committee that the Blue Knights will compete as a full-fledged member of NCAA Division II starting this coming fall.

The good news ended the arduous process that began in March of 2007 when the school first announced its intent to apply to become an NCAA Division II member. Since that time, the Blue Knights underwent a mandatory two-year candidacy phase and a one-year provisional membership in 2009.

Also, Cedarville University was approved for Candidacy Year Two in the membership process on Friday.

At this point, there are not realistic options for expansion in Michigan.

Speculation about Davenport University making the jump are just that: speculation.

We shall see if Urbana does indeed become a member of the GLIAC soon and whether Cedarville might also be a candidate.

Dayton Daily News:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/urbana-university-to-join-d-ii-this-fall-805172.html

BASKETBALL: GLIAC To Switch Start Times Of Men's And Women's Basketball Games

I suppose I was not overly surprised when I read a press release that discussed the decision of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader start times to have the men play the early game and the women play the later game.

Apparently, this is going to alternate each year for the foreseeable future. Again, this is not a particularly stunning announcement in a time when people clamor for what they see as equality for the genders.

In some ways, I imagine it will be ideal for parents of some of the women's basketball players to be able to get to games without missing the work time due to some of the 6 p.m. starts. That is what I've heard from some people as far as start times are concerned.

"We believe the changes to be implemented beginning in the 2010-11 academic year will ensure that both our women’s and men’s basketball teams will have an equal opportunity to play the second game of our doubleheaders," GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson said.

This will be an interesting adjustment for fans and a part of me wonders how well this will go over at many schools. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Again, the thought behind it is not all that surprising. I am not sure how to read this change.

At the risk of sounding sexist, men's basketball is more popular than women's basketball and tends to be the featured-type event as the late game.

Hopefully, this move will significantly boosts women's attendance without damaging crowd size at men's games which typically bigger numbers as far as attendance. I do have some doubts, however. I can imagine a mass exodus at the end of the men's game with conversations taking place all around the court and the women's game being ignored by a large number of people.

Last year, the men's basketball team was fourth in the league in attendance at 793 while the women averaged 447. Overall, in 2009-10, women's basketball teams in the GLIAC averaged 564 while men's basketball averaged 769. The 8 p.m. date is considered by some people to be more of a marquee starting time.

I guess we will see how it plays out, but I do wonder about it.

FOOTBALL: It's Never Too Early To Begin Projecting

I was on the D2football.com message board checking things out and saw a preseason All-GLIAC football team being discussed.

Obviously, it is an unofficial team, but it strikes me as being a decent shot in the dark. My first thought was who might Ferris State University have on this team and the first person that jumped in my head was linebacker Matt Ryan, who finished third in the GLIAC last season in total tackles (124) as part of a banner campaign. He was all over the place last fall making plays for that defense. I would think Matt (pictured right on top) has to fit somewhere on that board (if, in no other place, at least in an honorable mention category).

Chad Wilson, at strong safety, is coming back off a season wiped out by injury and may have been forgotten by some people. Also, don't forget about receiver Chris Wilson, who could be a weapon for the team in the red zone (or anywhere else on the field). Chris is pictured at right on the bottom.

That's just two names. Check below for the team that was floated around.

OFFENSE:

QB - SR Troy Weatherhead - Hillsdale - 6'3" 223 - O Player of the Year
RB - SO Monterea Williams - Findlay - 5'9" 190
RB - SR Xavier Walker - SVSU - 5'10" 195
WR - SR Andre Holmes - Hillsdale - 6'5" 206
WR - GR Joe Horn - Ashland - 6'0" 191
TE/WR - GR Christian Livingston - Ashland - 6'2" 220
OT - SR Cameron Bradfield - GVSU - 6'5" 295
OT - SR Will Floyd - Northwood - 6'4" 311
OG - SR Nick Schaffer - Findlay - 6'4" 285
OG - SR Phil Doerfler - Hillsdale - 6'1" 270
C - SR Marc Cuddeback - Wayne State - 6'2" 286
K - JR Gregg Berkshire - Ashland - 6'1" 196
KR - JR Josh Renel - Wayne State - 5'9" 177

DEFENSE

DL - SR Danny Richard - GVSU - 6'4" 255 - D Player of the Year
DL - JR Brandon Cornell - Findlay - 6'4" 260
DL - SR Nick Lawrence - GVSU - 6'3" 245
DL - JR Andrew Smith - Northwood - 6'1" 275
LB - SR Justin Victor - GVSU - 6'1" 225
LB - JR Nick Thomas - Wayne State - 6'3" 237
LB - SR Quinton Scott - Ashland - 6'0" 212
LB - SR Andrew DeWeerd - Northwood - 6'3" 212
DB - JR Carlton Downs - SVSU - 5'6" 175
DB - SR Craig Ray - UIndy - 6'1" 206
DB - JR Zach Breen - GVSU - 5'10" 200
DB - JR Nick Hixson - Hillsdale - 6'1" 187
P - SO Brent Schmeidebusch - Findlay - 6'4" 205
PR - JR Ryan Fourney - UIndy - 5'8" 167

GUYS TO WATCH:

Sherrod and Jackson at RB from GVSU
Glendenning at RB from Hillsdale
Milbrath at RB from MTU
Dowdell at QB from SVSU
Gallina at WR from SVSU
Parnell at DB from MTU
Knez and McGruder on the OL from Ashland

FOOTBALL: Debate About Pre-Conference Games

BIG RAPIDS - I was wondering when someone was going to step up and question the season-opening contest between Ferris State University and Hillsdale College.

I ventured over to D2football.com (an excellent resource for Division II football) and read up on an interesting issue regarding the game between the Bulldogs and the Chargers.

One person wondered the following in print on the D2football.com message board:

Nothing like a super-boring one-sided shlacking to start off a season. I really cannot get behind all GLIAC non-conference games. I would have loved to see ferris go up against a central state or a quincy to free up hillsdale for an opponent who didnt go winless in conference play (unless you count that 'non-conference' game against tiffin).

Clearly, this person assumes that Ferris will come relatively close to duplicating last season's 1-10 record. And, I suppose, this person is entitled to an opinion. It will be up to the Bulldogs to prove this opinion wrong as the season starts.

There is no guarantee that Central State or Quincy would want to play Ferris (or vice versa ... if they could get a lot of details to work) or could make it work with their schedules.

This is Division II and not the BCS. Teams can't just fly all over the country on a whim to play a game. There are many factors that go into scheduling a non-conference football game for GLIAC schools, not the least of which is money.

Such a game has to make sense for both teams.

Ferris and Hillsdale playing each other makes sense on a lot of levels (traveling, cutting down on expenses, keeping a rivalry going, etc.).

To pull off a non-conference game it has to work for both schedules, both teams generally want a home game, both schools want a certain amount of home games each season, etc.

To make a long story short, it takes a lot to put together a non-conference game.

SOFTBALL: Bulldogs Add Carlson, A Transfer From Albion College

Ferris State University softball head coach Keri Becker has added the duties of interim athletics director to her plate, since the retirement of Tom Kirinovic, but that has not stopped her pursuit of top-notch student-athletes to strengthen her program.

Becker promised that the added duties would have no adverse impact and that has proven the case as she has recently announced the addition of Emily Carlson, who is transferring to Ferris after playing for Albion College, where she played one season. Carlson, a native of Wixom who prepped at Walled Lake Western High School, will have three years of eligibility remaining as she arrives at Ferris to continue her college playing career.

"Emily is a pitcher who plays first base as well," Becker said of the 5-foot-7 Carlson. "She's a seasoned player who will provide quality depth to our team."

As a player for Albion, Carlson batted for a .205 average with nine hits during the 2010 spring season through 15 games. She started all 15 of her games for the Britons. As a pitcher, she was 6-11 with a 3.95 earned run average and 90 strikeouts to lead the team. Carlson was named to the 2009-10 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll and was a Dean's List student in the 2009 fall and 2010 spring semesters.

She arrived at Albion with a solid resume to her credit. She was a two-time (2008-09) team Most Valuable Player and a 2009 state finalist for Miss Softball Pitcher.

As a prep senior, Carlson finished 12-11 record with a 2.00 earned run average in 140 innings. She totaled five shutouts and 174 strikeouts as she started in 23 of 31 appearances. She also got it done at the plate as she batted .313 hitting average with 26 hits in 83 at bats. She added five doubles, three triples, a home run and 14 RBI.

Carlson fits the mold of the kind of versatile players Becker has typically recruited - kids who are capable of playing multiple positions on the diamond.

The newest Bulldog joins a good-sized class Becker will welcome to Ferris, a group that includes: Bianca Vasovski, of Farmington Hills; Emily "Alex" Wittman, of St. Joseph; Amy Dunleavy, of Canton; and Cara DeLange, of Plainfield, Ill.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Don't Play This Man In H.O.R.S.E.

Over the house, off the backboard ... nothing but net.

If you see former Ferris State University men's basketball sharpshooter Austin Randel opposing you in a game of H.O.R.S.E., you might want to think twice about taking on that challenge.

Here's why you don't want to mess with A10, who is working on that Hoop Dream:



Remember this old-school McDonalds commercial?

HOCKEY: Bob Daniels Featured In Ferris TDMP Video

Ferris State University hockey head coach Bob Daniels is being featured in a video produced by students in FSU's Television and Digital Media Production program.

It's a nice video that gives insight into Coach Daniels, where he grew up, his time at Michigan State University, how he ended up at Ferris and how he and his family have come to call Big Rapids home.

SOFTBALL: Ferris Recruit Vasovski Earns All-Area Recognition

Coming off a solid 2010 spring campaign, Ferris State University and head softball coach Keri Becker hoped to build off the promise of the most recent season.

With a solid recruiting class, one that includes catcher Bianca Vasovski, of Farmington Hills Harrison High School, Ferris has high hopes.

In spite of its youth, the Bulldogs were one of the surprising teams of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This year, Ferris hopes to not be one of the surprise teams, but to use its experiences from last year to be a wire-to-wire contender in the GLIAC.

Recently, the future Bulldog earned all-area honors from a local publication in her Detroit-area community. Here is a capsule on Vasovski:

Bianca Vasovski, Sr. C, Harrison: Vasovski was a four-year starter for the Hawks, moving from shortstop to catcher this year to fill a need at that position. She batted .410 with 45 hits, which included 14 doubles and five home runs. She drove in 35 runs and scored 26. Vasovski had a .673 slugging percentage and graded .933 on her fielding.

“Bianca is by far the best athlete I have had the privilege of coaching,” coach Kristen Zabalavicius said. “Her hard work and love of the game make her enjoyable to be around and a model to her teammates. I know Bianca will make a very positive impact on the Ferris State softball program next year and will surely be missed by her Hawk softball family. I am very excited for her!”

For the full listing and the complete story, visit here.

SOFTBALL: Ferris Recruit Dunleavy Earns All-Area Honor

Ferris State University head softball coach Keri Becker has been working hard to strengthen her program over the years.

Last year, the young Bulldogs surprised some teams and started to peak near the end of the season. Next year, the spring 2011, the Bulldogs hope to take a big step with quality young talent returning and some talented newcomers donning the crimson and gold.

One of those coveted newcomers is pitcher Amy Dunleavy, who finished her senior season at Canton and comes to the Bulldogs highly touted for her skills in the circle.

Recently, she earned all-area honors from a local publication in her Detroit-area community. Here is a capsule on Dunleavy:

Amy Dunleavy, Sr. P, Canton:The dedicated, talented Dunleavy did it all again in 2010 for the Chiefs, earning team MVP honors after finishing with a 16-5 record, 1.40 ERA and 186 strikeouts while walking just 17. She provided potent offense, too, with a .451 batting average and .634 slugging percentage.

For her efforts, the National Honor Society member and scholar athlete collected All-District, All-Conference and All-Region honors.

“She worked hard her whole high school career and all the hard work and extra effort she put in has paid off,” said Canton head coach Jim Arnold. “She's had a great career (54 victories) and earned herself a scholarship to Ferris State.”

For the full listing of that all-area team, check out the article here.

BASKETBALL: Brandyn Mungo YouTube Highlight Tape

Check out this YouTube video of Brandyn Mungo from his prep days at Renaissance High School in Detroit.

Mungo has transferred from Clarion University (Pa.) to Ferris State University to continue his college basketball career.

FOOTBALL: Ferris Recruit Jackson Admires For All-American Joique Bell

So, is Ferris State University welcoming the next Joique Bell with the signing of St. Joseph High School's Jamaal Jackson, a talented running back who signed with the Bulldogs back in February?

Recently, Jackson was named the Herald-Palladium’s 2010 Senior Male Athlete of the Year.

Bell, the outstanding running back who prepped at Benton Harbor High School and went on to great success as an All-American running back for Wayne State University.

Jackson hopes his success at the college level can mirror the success enjoyed by Bell. Jackson, however, hopes to get it done in Ferris' crimson and gold colors for head coach Jeff Pierce. The Bulldogs, like any other team, covets a game-breaking back carrying the football out of the offensive backfield. Jackson will be one of several players vying to be that player when training camp commences later this summer in Big Rapids.

Here is an excerpt from Al Arend's story published in the Herald-Palladium in the St. Joseph/Benton Harbor area:

Jamaal Jackson hopes to be like Joique Bell.

Bell, a Benton Harbor native and standout running back at Wayne State University, won the Harlon Hill Trophy last fall as the best college football player in Division II.

Jackson, named The Herald-Palladium's 2010 Senior Male Athlete of the Year, has big goals for his collegiate football future at Ferris State University.

"My goal is to try and match (Benton Harbor native) Joique Bell's effort at Wayne State," added Jackson. "But I could be redshirted my freshmen year, and most likely probably will be. Football has been my favorite sport ever since Rocket football days."

The three-sport standout's senior season at St. Joseph was cut short when he had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee just before the state wrestling finals, which he had qualified for the second straight season.

"My knee is real good right now," said Jackson. "I'm almost back to 100 percent, probably 90 to 95 percent."

Ferris hopes Jackson can come in and enjoy a level of success. If he can come anywhere near the success enjoyed by Joique Bell, then Ferris fans will have a lot to smile about during the next four to five years.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Newbies Strengthen Perimeter Play For Bulldogs

At the close of the 2009-10, Ferris State University men's basketball head coach Bill Sall knew he had to hit the recruiting trail pretty hard to fill spots vacated by the graduations of Josh Young, Jon Yeazel and Austin Randel.

The Bulldogs have some talented freshmen players coming into the program in Flint's Demarco Sanders and Saginaw's Tyler Dwyer. But, Ferris knew it needed some experience to go along with the talented freshmen joining the program. With that in mind, Sall's staff secured commitments from a pair of transfer student-athletes - both of whom are Michigan natives in Augustana College's Kenny Brown and Clarion University's Brandyn Mungo.

These additions were very necessary for the Bulldogs and Sall is excited about what he feels the 6-foot-2 Brown, a native of Farmington who prepped at the area's Harrison High School, and the 6-foot-5 Mungo, from Westland and Detroit Renaissance High School (where he was a prep teammate of current Bulldog forward Daniel Sutherlin) can bring to the table for his program.

"We're excited about adding both of these guys," Sall said. "They'll help provide us with nice depth at the guard position, especially after graduating three seniors at that spot this past year."

You have to think Sall is looking for more than depth as far as what these guys can provide. These guys surely will be coming in looking to compete for spots and to compete for playing time and starting positions.

The summer workouts, preseason scrimmages and early practices should be highly competitive once all these guys get together.

For individual and in depth updates on these two newest recruits, visit Crimson and Gold Report on the MLive.com network.

FOOTBALL: Former Bulldog Player Jim Bourdlais Continues To Compete And Inspire

Former Ferris State University football player Jim Bourdlais claimed gold medals in a number of categories during the third annual "Thunder In The Valley Games" for disabled athletes in early June at Saginaw Valley State University in University Center.

Bourdlais, a native of Newberry in the Upper Peninsula, has been a beacon of inspiration for so many people. He suffered a spinal cord injury in a 2006 car accident that left him paralyzed. Since that time, he has worked to be able to walk again and to inspire others to believe in themselves and their ability to come back - regardless of the odds faced. Bourdlais earned a degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris in May 2008 and made television highlights and newspaper headlines as he walked across the stage to receive his degree.

Bourdlais, who played mostly as a lineman for the Bulldogs during his time as a student-athlete, won gold in the shot put, discus, javelin and in archery. He earned second-place finishes in weight lifting as he qualified nationally in an event that had athletes classified for competition based on the level of their injury.

June 30, Ferris State University Athletics Communications: Bourdlais threw the javelin 16.38 meters despite never picking up a javelin prior to the competition. He also posted top marks of 6.49 meters in the shot put and 14.55 meters in the discus with a top score of 486 in archery.

Bourdlais, who originally joined the Bulldog program as a freshman tight end in 2002, played in eight games for the Bulldogs during the 2004 season and posted a pair of tackles along with a pass breakup along the FSU defensive line. He later became a student assistant coach and valuable supporter following his accident.

Bourdlais played tight end for the Bulldogs and also spent some time playing as a defensive lineman. Following his injury, he returned as a student assistant coach while pursuing his academic college degree.

Read more about Bourdlais's efforts in this competition by visiting the Ferris State University Athletics Communication Web site, here.