MEN'S BASKETBALL: DeHart Earns GLIAC North Division Player Of The Week Honors

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University senior basketball player Matt DeHart picked up a little hardware from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as he was named the league's North Division Player of the Week honors due in no small part to his dynamite performance during the 131 Showdown in Grand Rapids.

In Saturday's 131 Showdown, against rival Grand Valley State in Van Andel Arena, the Bulldogs had a strong performance from DeHart who scored a career-high 21 points as he banged in six shots from outside the three-point line against the Lakers in a 79-72 overtime win.

The 6-foot-4 DeHart proved he is not just a shooter, however, as he added eight rebounds and four steals playing near his hometown of Greenville in front of 5,863 fans in Grand Rapids.

For more on DeHart's honor, visit the Ferris Athletics website at: http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/mbkb/2010-11/releases/2011013189g7tr

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Falls Short To Grand Valley In 131 Showdown

Ferris State University's Tiara Adams (right) goes down for a loose ball against Grand Valley State University's Lauren Stodola during the 131 Showdown at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids on Saturday night. (FSU Photographic Services/Bill Bitzinger)

GRAND RAPIDS - It was not due to any lack of effort, but Ferris State University fell just short in its bid to knock off Grand Valley State University in the 131 Showdown in Van Andel Arena.

The Bulldogs were led by Tiara Adams who had 14 points while Tricia Principe had 11 and Sarah DeShone came off the bench to score 10, but the Bulldogs dropped a 69-62 decision in Grand Rapids..

Becci Houdek had nine points, Lindsey Pettit totaled seven points, Andrea Clancy had five and Kelsey DeNoyelles added four for the Bulldogs.

As a team, head coach Tracey Dorow's Bulldogs shot 47.7 percent from the floor, 31.6 from outside the 3 point line and 77.8 from the free throw line.

Grand Valley only connected on 44.4 percent from the floor and shot lower percentages at the 3 point line and the free throw line, but still won the game.

With the loss, Ferris falls to 9-9 overall and 5-7 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while Grand Valley improves to 15-4 overall and 8-4 in league play.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Wins In Improbable Fashion Over Grand Valley In 131 Showdown

GRAND RAPIDS - Heavy doses of Justin Keenan, the preseason national player of the year, and sharpshooter Matt DeHart, a native of Greenville playing near his hometown, helped lift Ferris State University to a stunning 79-72 come-from-behind overtime win over Grand Valley State University in the 131 Showdown before a crowd of 5,863 in Van Andel Arena.

Keenan, the Grand Rapids native, led the Bulldogs and all scorers in the game with 24 points to go with 12 rebounds while DeHart added 21 points and eight rebounds with four steals.

Dontae Molden totaled eight points, six rebounds and six assists, but his biggest contribution was a buzzer-beating shot at the end of regulation that sent the game into overtime.

In the extra session, Ferris outscored the Lakers 12-5 to earn the victory.

Justin Ringler led Grand Valley with 20 points before he fouled out while James Thomas added 18 points and Nick Carreri finished with 11 for the host Lakers in the game hosted at Van Andel Arena.

It was a sensational win for the Bulldogs to bounce back from a six-point deficit with 5:54 to go in the second half.

With the win, Ferris improves to 14-5 overall and 10-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while GVSU drops to 15-4 overall and 10-2 in the conference.

HOCKEY: Ferris Set To Take On Michigan State

This should be a fun game this evening in Big Rapids as Ferris State University is set to host Michigan State University in Ewigleben Ice Arena.

The puck is set to drop tonight at 7:36 for this evening's showdown.

The Bulldogs of head coach Bob Daniels come into this contest at 11-12-4 overall and 8-10-3-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association while the Spartans come in at 10-12-4 overall and 6-10-2-0 in the CCHA standings.

MSU coach Rick Comley has already announced that he is going to retire at the end of the season as the head coach of the Spartans. So, that has added yet another subplot to the game.

The folks from Fox Sports Detroit are in the house as the game is going to be televised this evening with Ken Daniels and Fred Pletsch on the call.

ICE HOCKEY: Ferris State-Michigan State Preview

Here is the video Ferris State-Michigan State college hockey preview.

It should be a fun evening of college hockey in Ewigleben Ice Arena as the two Central Collegiate Hockey Association rivals go at it in Big Rapids.

The Bulldogs need some points, but it will not be easy against the Spartans.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Keenan Named GLIAC's North Division Player Of The Week

The hits just keep on coming for Ferris State University's Justin Keenan, the preseason national player of the year.

The 6-foot-7 senior from Grand Rapids earned a little more hardware as he was again named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's North Division Player of the Week. It's the second week in a row that Keenan has been honored by the league's office as his play continues to impress this season for the Bulldogs.

Keenan averaged 29.5 points and 10 rebounds as the Bulldogs were 2-0 with North Division victories over Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan. As a result of his two performances, he moved into second place on the school's list of career scoring leaders. Keenan totaled 31 points and 10 rebounds in a 70-63 win over Northern, on Saturday, and put up 28 points with 10 rebounds in the 70-60 victory over Tech two days earlier, last Thursday.

The Bulldogs take on rival Grand Valley State on Saturday, Jan. 29, in the "131 Showdown" at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

The women's contest will be played first starting at 6 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 8 p.m. Tickets can be bought online by visiting www.131showdown.com.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Houdek Named GLIAC North Division Player Of The Week

Becci Houdek is in the midst of a strong season on the hardwood for Ferris State University's women's basketball season.

Last week was a great example of that as she led the Bulldogs to a 63-60 win over eighth-ranked Michigan Tech and a 74-44 win over Northern Michigan.

Houdek, a Canton native, had 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists against Tech and then 17 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Wildcats en route to earning Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division Player of the Week honors.

It's a well-deserved honor for Becci as she led the team to a great upset win and was one of the reasons the Bulldogs did not let down on Saturday against Northern.

The Bulldogs take on rival Grand Valley State on Saturday, Jan. 29, in the "131 Showdown" at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

The women's contest will be played first starting at 6 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 8 p.m. Tickets can be bought online by visiting www.131showdown.com.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Keenan Moves Into Second Among Ferris' Career Scoring Leaders

Ferris State University senior Justin Keenan (40) has moved into second place among the school's career scoring leaders. (Ed Hyde/FSU Photographic Services)

Ferris State University senior standout Justin Keenan, the preseason national Division II player of the year, just continues to play superb basketball for the Bulldogs.

Keenan, the 6-foot-7 All-American, finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds Saturday afternoon as he led Ferris to a 70-63 win over Northern Michigan University on Saturday afternoon in Jim Wink Arena.

As part of the game, however, Keenan made a little extra history as he moved into second place on Ferris' career scoring as he passed Jesse Mangham (1966-72) during the game. Keenan entered the weekend with 1,916 points, but passed Mangham thanks to a pair of monster performances in wins over the Huskies of Michigan Tech University and the Wildcats of Northern Michigan. He now has 1,975 points and is just 25 short of becoming only the second player in school history to score 2,000.

Dennis Johnson (1969-1973) is the school's career scoring leader with 2,312 points.

"It means a lot to move up and feels good, but we still have a lot of team goals left to accomplish this year," said Keenan.

Ferris State University Career Scoring Leaders

2,312 Dennis Johnson 1969-73
1,975 Justin Keenan 2007 -
1,962 Jesse Mangham 1966-72
1,910 Clarence Carlisle 1969-73
1,846 Dannie Hayes 1991-95
1,839 Bernie Kilpatrick 1961-65
1,713 Jarvis Walker 1985-89
1,597 Adam Anderson 1998-03
1,544 Carlton Epps 2001-05
1,504 Dennis Springs 2002-06
1,450 Marcus Kennedy 1986-89
1,437 Lewis Garner 1971-75
1,380 Mike Bohnet 1959-62
1,377 David Tuck 1986-90
1,370 Art Tetzlaff 1967-71
1,296 Ty Miller 1990-94
1,239 Zarie Phillips 1993-98
1,177 Ray Waits 1996-99
1,176 Richard Legreair 1985-89
1,161 Ted Bee 1973-77
1,159 Terrance Shaw 2003-07
1,098 Mike Gillespie 1979-83
1,082 Craig Chappell 1984-88

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ferris Playing Strong Basketball With Back-To-Back Wins

Ferris State University's Katy Fox sets up for a free throw during the game on Saturday afternoon against Northern Michigan University in Big Rapids. (Photo by Ed Hyde, FSU Photographic Services)

It has been a weekend to remember for Ferris State University's women's basketball team.

The Bulldogs began the weekend with a stunning 63-60 upset victory over eighth-ranked Michigan Tech University and followed it up with a dominating 74-44 victory at the expense of Northern Michigan University in Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids.

Following Thursday's win over MTU, I talked to head coach Tracey Dorow and her players about maintaining a high level of play and not letting down. Both coach and the players understood fully the importance of not letting down.

It became clear, too, early that the Bulldogs had no intention of letting down on Saturday.

Becci Houdek, who continues to play well as one of the leaders of this team from the guard position, scored 17 points and Andrea Clancy added 10 as the Bulldogs earned the 30-point win over the Wildcats in Wink Arena to improve to 9-8 overall and 5-6 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

What an amazing weekend for the Bulldogs.

Lets see if Ferris can continue to perform at a high level.

HOCKEY: Bulldogs Swept In Weekend Series By Northern

It was not totally unexpected that the Bulldogs might run into a bit of a buzzsaw in Marquette against Northern Michigan University.

Ferris State University did in fact run into one as Coach Bob Daniels' squad dropped a 2-1 overtime decision on Friday night and fell 3-1 on Saturday evening to the Wildcats at the Berry Events Center in the Upper Peninsula. With an 0-2 trip to the U.P., the Bulldogs fall to 11-12-4 overall and 8-10-3-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings while Northern improves to 11-11-4 overall and 9-7-2-0 in CCHA action.

It's the fourth straight loss for the Bulldogs as Ferris has scored only five goals in those four contests.

Unfortunately, the competition continues to get tough for the Bulldogs as Michigan State comes to Big Rapids on Thursday evening (Jan. 27) at 7:35 p.m.

Ferris needs wins and/or points in a bad way as this regular season inches toward a close.

HOCKEY: Ferris-Northern Highlights

GENERAL NEWS: Grand Rapids Press Article Discusses Change In Schedule For Basketball Games

Here is an interesting article out of the Grand Rapids Press discussing the change in start times that has girls basketball games being played after the boys contests.

What is interesting is that it reflects the changes that have taken place in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as women's games this season are being played after the men's games.

The change in start times has been highly controversial at both the prep level and at the college level. In many cases, following the early men's contest, fans are flowing out of the game. By halftime of the women's game, the crowd is a fraction of what it was during the peak time of the men's contest.

In the Grand Rapids Press article, writer Steve Vedder talks to several prep coaches, athletics directors and even fans to get their perspectives on the changes and what many people see as the negative impact of the changes in start times.

Becca Quinn knew her priority should be focusing on her basketball game with a cross-district rival. But it was impossible to ignore the hundreds of fans streaming past her toward the exits.

In fact, her Forest Hills Northern team’s game against Forest Hills Central was delayed to allow for the sweeping exodus right after the 6 p.m. boys game.

“Instead of focusing on the game, we were looking at our fans. We’re thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, they’re all leaving,’” said Quinn, a senior and team captain.

The crowd of more than 1,600 would eventually dwindle to about 300 for the nightcap.

Then, there was this quote from a local prep girls basketball coach, and a highly-successful one, down in the Grand Rapids area:

“Bottom line, this isn’t working,” said coach Colleen Lamoreaux-Tate, whose Catholic Central girls are the defending Class B champions. “What we’re finding is that this just doesn’t make sense.”

For the full article, one that is highly recommended, visit here.

GENERAL ATHLETICS: Longtime Ticket Manager Paul Davis Dies

I was saddened today to learn of the news of the death of longtime Ferris State University ticket manager Paul Davis, who died on Monday at the age of 63.

He was a kind-hearted man who was dedicated to his work and a loyal supporter of Ferris Athletics who was dedicated to his job.

I can remember Paul from my days as a student at Ferris in the early 1990s, through my days working for the Ferris State Torch, in other capacities as a sports writer, photographer, as a radio broadcaster, a blogger, videographer and more.

He was a friendly presence with a kind word.

Here is a press release put together by Ferris Athletics Communications.

We'll miss our friend Paul Davis, who was beyond loyal not only to Ferris Athletics, but also to Ferris State University in general.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Pride And Passion 4

In this short video clip, part four of the Pride and Passion series, Ferris State University basketball standout Tricia Principe talks about her style of play on the basketball hardwood.

HOCKEY: Ferris-Michigan Highlights 1-15-2011

Here are hockey highlights from the Ferris State University-University of Michigan game in Big Rapids at Ewigleben Ice Arena.

HOCKEY: Bob Daniels Press Conference

Ferris State University hockey head coach Bob Daniels speaks in his post-game press conference to the media in Ewigleben Ice Arena.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Thoughts From The Bulldogs' Win Over Northwood

MIDLAND - Frankly, there are not too many thoughts from the Ferris State University-Northwood University men's basketball game other than one: Justin Keenan is the best player in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Keenan, the league leader in scoring and rebounding, was on his game as he scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Ferris to a 94-85 league win over the Timberwolves on Saturday night in Midland.

Throughout the game, he was virtually unstoppable. The Timberwolves tried a couple of different players on the 6-foot-7 Keenan, who was dominant from start to finish on the NU campus. For the T-Wolves, Bobby Gibson had the size, but not the quickness and athleticism while Will Bowles had the quickness and athleticism, but nowhere near the strength to contain Keenan.

Depending on who was playing him, Keenan attacked accordingly.

Sharpshooter Matt DeHart hit six 3-pointers and had 18 points for Ferris while Kenny Brown added 12 points for the Bulldogs in the victorious effort.

As part of his 33-point effort, Keenan climbed into third place on the school's all-time scoring list as he passed former Ferris standout Clarence Carlisle.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Thoughts From The Bulldogs' Win Over Northwood

MIDLAND - The game was not without its scary moments for Ferris State University, but it also was not without its moments of pride.

Head coach Tracey Dorow's Ferris squad battled back from a late first-half deficit to claim a 65-55 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win over Northwood University.

One of the sweet aspects of the win was defense. Going against one of the best players in the league, Northwood's Pam Wilson, the Bulldogs knew it would need a major defensive effort. The Bulldogs "held" Wilson to 16 points as the team scored a 10-point victory. Considering Wilson's explosive capabilities, holding her to 16 is a major victory. Considering the talent on Northwood's roster (and that the team is well coached) - this is a nice win for Ferris.

Tricia Principe led the Bulldogs with 14 points and eight rebounds as Ferris improved to 7-8 overall and 3-6 in the league. Becci Houdek added nine points and nine rebounds while Tiara Adams added nine points and seven rebounds.

Another nice aspect of the win was that as the Bulldogs got into some early foul trouble, other players came in and stepped up. Felicia Standley (pictured), Nikki Arner, Sarah DeShone, Kylie Muntz and Lindsey Pettit made great contributions to the team effort.

Winning on the road in the GLIAC is a challenge, but the Bulldogs were up to that challenge Saturday night.

HOCKEY: Daniels Humbly Celebrates His 300th Career Win

Ferris State University hockey head coach Bob Daniels head a chance to stand back and discuss a historic mark he recently achieved when he reached his 300th career victory in the crimson and gold colors of the Bulldogs.

Daniels, who has been a cornerstone of the FSU program, is here on video talking humbly as always about his individual success.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Bulldogs Garner Much-Needed Road Win Over Saginaw Valley

Going up against Saginaw Valley State University, even on the road, this was one Ferris State University knew it needed to find a way to win ... and it did.

The Cardinals were winless in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but the Bulldogs knew SVSU would be better with standout forward Keithan Jackson playing in his second game of the season. Ferris, however, was strong and equal to the task. Ferris was able to limit the dangerous Jackson's damage inside and use an 18-point effort from senior Justin Keenan en route to an 82-74 win over SVSU in O'Neill Arena.

The Cardinals tried to collapse inside on Keenan, but that was difficult to do as Matt DeHart, hit four 3-pointer and contributed 16 points in the win.

Lou Williams (pictured), who has been playing very well in the absence of Jerrell Sanders who had season-ending knee surgery, added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Williams was not only strong with his scoring, but his rebounding and defense were very positive.

The game had some highs and lows, but the Bulldogs did a great job of showing the kind of mental toughness it takes to win on the road in the GLIAC. Saginaw made a big run late in the first half to regain control of the contest.

In the second half, however, Ferris regained its composure and did a better job of valuing the basketball and attacking the basket.

The Bulldogs will have a one-week break between games as they will be back on the road Saturday in Midland to take on Northwood University in a GLIAC contest.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Bulldogs Narrowly Miss A Chance To Steal A Road Win

UNIVERSITY CENTER - It was a tough pill to swallow on the road Saturday evening in O'Neill Arena at Saginaw Valley State for Ferris State University's women's basketball team.

The Bulldogs dropped a 70-67 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference decision to the Cardinals in spite of a balanced scoring effort led by senior guard Becci Houdek's (pictured) 15 points.

Ferris fought back valiantly, in the closing minutes of Saturday's contest, but was unable to fully climb the hill to knock off SVSU to steal the victory. The Cardinals nearly gave away the win, but the Bulldogs were not quite able to fully squeeze it in the closing seconds as the home team hung on for the victory.

Tricia Principe added 12 points on the night, freshman guard Sarah DeShone scored 11, coming in off the bench for FSU, while senior forward Tiara Adams contributed 10 points in Ferris' road defeat.

It was a win the Bulldogs could desperately have used in a GLIAC where road wins can be hard to come by and the opportunities to get them must be seized. The Bulldogs have had their struggles in O'Neill Arena and those difficulties continued on Saturday evening.

Head coach Tracey Dorow's squad will have another opportunity to claim a road win as it heads back east to take on SVSU's rival, Northwood University, this Saturday in Midland.

SOFTBALL: Millett Brings Speed And A Great Arm To Ferris Outfield For The Future

Symone Millett, an Ypsilanti native who prepped at Bellville High School, is a player who comes to Ferris State University's softball program with a lot of talent and, in the eyes of head coach Keri Becker, a chance to make an immediate impact in the Bulldog outfield.

Here is a portion of a Ferris State University Athletics Communications press release:

Millett earned Most Valuable Player accolades and was a first-team All-Western Wayne Athletic Conference (WWAC) selection at Belleville (Mich.) High School as a junior in the 2010 season. The 5-6 outfielder was tabbed the Tigers' Best Offensive Player this past campaign for the second season in a row as she batted a .589 average with 53 base hits in 90 at bats as a 31-game starter. Millett totaled nine doubles, seven triples, 14 RBI's, 28 stolen bases, 48 runs scored while producing an .844 slugging percentage and a .641 on-base percentage in helping lead head coach Peg Curtis' team to the WWAC crown.

As a sophomore in 2009, Millett claimed first-team All-Mega Red Conference laurels as a result of hitting a conference-best .316 at the plate with 30 hits in 95 at bats while appearing in 31 outings. The swith hitter tallied two doubles, one home run, eight RBI's, 14 stolen bases, and a league-leading 19 runs scored as the Tigers finished 23-8 overall with a Mega Red Conference Co-Championship title. Millett achieved team Most Improved Player Award recognition as a freshman in 2008 following a 26-hit campaign in which she batted a .279 average with nine RBI's, 16 stolen bases, and 20 runs scored.

"Symone will be a serious contender in the outfield next year with her superb speed and powerful arm. She hits and runs from the left side creating extreme pressure on the defense to get her out," said Becker, who will begin her 14th year at Ferris State this 2011 spring season.

The daughter of Robert and Cassandra Millett of Ypsilanti, Mich., Symone will graduate in 2011 and plans to study nursing at Ferris State.

Players who can come in with speed and the ability to play in the outfield are coveted in this day and age of college softball.

Possessing a strong arm and great speed, she could be a key component of the Bulldogs defense when she arrives on campus in the fall of 2011 for competition in the spring of 2012.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Keenan's 28 Leads Ferris To Big Win Over Lake Superior

On Thursday evening, for Ferris State University, the mission was about taking care of business on the hardwood.

The Bulldogs of head coach Bill Sall came out strong and finished strong en route to a solid 79-61 win over Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Lake Superior State University in Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids.

"We did a much better job of taking away the penetration in the second half," Sall said. "We did a nice job of keeping them out of the paint and forced them into a lot of jump shots that were contested. They're a good shooting team so that feels pretty good."

It was great to see Ferris get 6-foot-7 center Justin Keenan established early and often against the visiting Lakers. Keenan led all scorers in the game with 28 points as he knocked down 8-of-10 shots from the floor overall and 12-of-17 from the free throw line. Keenan also had 10 rebounds to go with two assists and two steals.

Darien Gay totaled 22 points as he connected on 8-of-17 shots from the floor overall and 5-of-11 from 3-point land. He had a big-time shooting performance from the floor. Matt DeHart, who also shot the ball well from deep, added 19 points as he hit 6-of-11 shots from the field and nailed 5-of-11 triples in the win.

As a team, Ferris drained 11-of-30 3-pointers against the Lake State defense.

Defensively, the Bulldogs did a good job on sharpshooting guard Kyle Hunt, who was held to 12 points on just 5-of-16 shooting from the field. Any team that plays the Lakers is going to make Hunt a point of defensive emphasis.

With the win, Ferris now is 9-5 overall and 5-2 in the GLIAC while LSSU falls to 8-4 overall and 2-3 in the league.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Bulldogs Run Into Red-Hot Lakers

It was one of those games where Ferris State University ran into a hot shooting team that had things cooking in the first half.

Lake Superior State University hit 54.8 percent of its shots in the first half, led by as many as 23 points, and rolled to a 73-56 win over the Bulldogs Thursday night in Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids.

Tiara Adams and Kelsey DeNoyelles each added 13 points apiece for the Bulldogs in the loss while Andrea Clancy and Lindsey Pettit each contributed nine points.

The Lakers, however, were led by Emily Joseph, who was on fire as she totaled 28 points. Maria Blazejewski finished with 13 points while Nicole Marshall added 11.

With the win, Lake Superior improved to 8-3 overall and 5-0 in the GLIAC while Ferris dropped to 6-7 overall and 2-5 in the league.

The Bulldogs had a difficult time controlling the Lakers' long-range shooting as LSSU connected on 9-of-22 from outside the 3-point line.

NOTES: Nikki Arner (pictured), who has the makings of a good future Bulldog, had a chance to get some time as she played 12 minutes and scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting with one rebound and one block ... freshman Sarah DeShone was 1-of-3 from 3-point line, she had a rebound and had two assists ... The Bulldogs had 14 points off the bench ... Becci Houdek was banged up a little bit late in the game

GENERAL ATHLETICS: Former Ferris SID Pendell To Retire From Post With Detroit Lions

Tim Pendell

Former Ferris State University Sports Information Director Tim Pendell has announced that he will retire from his post as senior director for community affairs with the Detroit Lions.

Pendell, who served as SID at Ferris from 1976 to 1983, recently had a health scare with a heart attack, but came through it. His recovery from that scare is the most important thing.

Here is an excerpt from a blog that appeared in the Detroit Free Press:

Tim Pendell, the Detroit Lions’ senior director of community affairs, announced that he will retire Feb. 1 after 26 years with the organization.

Pendell, 62, suffered a massive heart attack in September. The scary incident was profiled in a December story by Free Press sports writer Jo-Ann Barnas.

“It has been a difficult decision but with my heart ‘adventure’ in September it seems that the time is right for me to step down,” Pendell wrote in an e-mail. “I am feeling well — getting better each day — and am very thankful for it. But, it is time.

“I will remain involved with the Lions so, while stepping back, I am not totally stepping away.”

Pendell is a class act, who has always had time for Ferris State University even in the years since he left Big Rapids.

We wish Tim well in a restful retirement.

For the full blog entry, visit here.

SOFTBALL: Ferris Excited About The Addition Of Tononi To Roster For Future

Michelle Tononi, of Clinton Township and L'Anse Creuse High School, brings the kind of versatility Ferris State University softball coach Keri Becker generally has coveted in her recruits.

The 2010 All-Macomb Athletic Gold Conference's Most Valuable Player, as a junior at L'Anse Creuse High School in Harrison Township, Mich., the 5-foot-3 Tononi has been a utility player capable of playing a number of different positions. Tononi batted a team-best .469 average with 38 base hits in 81 at bats as a junior. She also drove in a team-leading 26 runs and scored 18. A two-time team MVP (2009 and 2010), Tononi showed a little power as she belted a team-leading five home runs, 11 doubles, and four triples.

Tononi has played club softball for the Vengeance Fastpitch team since 2007.

"There isn't anything Michelle can't do on a softball field," Becker said. "She is an exciting player to watch defensively and she will hit the ball a ton."

For more on Tononi, visit the Ferris Athletics website, here.

VOLLEYBALL: Rehm Adds More Size, Athleticism At The Net For Bulldogs

The Bulldogs have been looking to add size and athleticism at the net for the 2011 season.

It's recruiting class, as it has come together so far, is showing that that focus is beginning to pay off for Ferris State University head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm and her staff.

The Bulldogs, during the early-signing period, added 6-foot-2 middle hitter Courtney Rehm of Portage Central High School. Rehm is coming off a banner senior season for the Mustangs as she helped lead her team to a record of 49-10.

"Courtney is an incredible athlete - quick, high jumping and intensely competitive," Brandel-Wilhelm said of Rehm. "She's still young in the sport of volleyball and has an outstanding potential ahead of her. We're truly excited to have her join the Bulldog Volleyball family."

Her athleticism was on display during the spring as part of track and field season. She set a school record in the high jump as she cleared 5 feet, 6 inches as a junior as she went on to become a regional champion. She also earned Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference runner-up honors in the high jump.

For more on Rehm's signing, visit the Ferris Athletics website here.

VOLLEYBALL: Heitzman Brings Size, Athleticism, Local Flavor To Bulldogs

Ferris State University's volleyball program has never really been afraid to scour the local region for talent.

That strategy, once again, has paid dividends with Ferris being able to attract the 6-foot-1 Caroline Heitzman, a Newaygo native who preps at Fremont High School. Heitzman, who will join the program during the fall 2011 semester, was signed by the Bulldogs during the early period and is a welcomed addition to an FSU program that is on the rise in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference that is strong among its peers in Division II women's volleyball.

Heitzman received All-Great Lakes 8 Conference First-Team honors as a senior during her final campaign for the Packers. As team captain, she compiled 466 kills, 101 aces, 84 block solos, 45 block assists and 97 digs in 52 matches. She helped lead Fremont to a district tournament title and a regional runner-up finish in 2010.

"Caroline is an exciting addition to the Bulldog Volleyball Family," said Brandel-Wilhelm. "She's a tough competitor and an extremely hard worker. She has a lot of potential and we look forward to the opportunity in helping her develop."

For more on Heitzman, visit the Ferris website here.

HOCKEY: Comments From Coach Daniels After Mariucci Classic

HOCKEY: Bulldogs And Golden Gophers Settle For 1-1 Tie

Our appetites hungered for a shootout - one we thought was called for by rule.

We were denied in a bizarre fashion only to have to wait nearly a half an hour to essentially find out the shootout was called off because University of Minnesota head coach Don Lucia didn't feel like there was enough on the line to justify a shootout.

It's his tournament and, in essence, his choice. To be fair, he is hardly the only person in college hockey to hold a dislike of shootouts.

Oh well. As a result, the Bulldogs and the the Golden Gophers settled for a 2-2 tie (Jan. 1) in the Mariucci Classic Saturday night in Minneapolis.

The Bulldogs played a good game as they used goals from Matthew Kirzinger and Brett Wysopal along with a solid performance between the pipes from goaltender Pat Nagle (pictured above who was aided by superb defense in front of the net) to hang tough with the Golden Gophers.