Sandy Gholston Receives Peterson Pride Award

Ferris State University employee Sandy Gholston has been selected as the 2010-11 recipient of the Bulldog Athletics Department's annual "Pete Peterson Bulldog Pride Award" for his numerous contributions in promoting the university's athletics teams and its student-athletes for over the past decade. 

Gholston, who presently is serving as the interim Assistant Director of News Services and Social Media Public Relations in FSU's University Advancement and Marketing Division, is the 23rd recipient of the Pete Peterson Bulldog Pride Award which is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated loyalty and unselfish support of Bulldog Athletics. 

The Pete Peterson Bulldog Pride Award is named in honor of former Ferris State Athletics Director and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Commissioner Pete Peterson (1964-79). The award, which was founded in the 1981-82 season, was reinstated following the 2002-03 athletics season after a seven-year absence.  Coaches and athletics department staff nominate individuals to be considered which are selected from alumni, community members, university faculty or staff, and fans. A committee from the administration staff of intercollegiate athletics determined the award recipient.

“Sandy is very deserving of this award and we are pleased to recognize his outstanding spirit and passion for Bulldog Athletics,” said Ferris State Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger. “He is a tremendous advocate for Ferris State Athletics and we congratulate him on this award.”

An award-winning reporter, Gholston is the current author of two popular blogs which focus on Ferris State Athletics -- the "Bulldog Athletics Blog" and the "Crimson and Gold Report" which are available at FerrisStateBulldogs.com and MLive.com, respectively.  A native of Detroit, Mich., Gholston has covered Bulldog Athletics for more than 14 years and started in 1996 as an undergraduate FSU student writing for the campus student newspaper, The Torch.

Gholston embarked on his journalism career in May 1997 covering Bulldog athletics and area sports for the Big Rapids Pioneer.  Gholston, who served as a reporter and then assistant sports editor with the Big Rapids Pioneer, won several awards for his coverage of Ferris State Athletics including a first-place Associated Press Award for "Sustained Coverage of a Single Sports Event" in his reporting on a Bulldog Football student-athlete's tragic death in the fall of 2002.  Additionally, Gholston was chosen as the 2003 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Media Service Award recipient.  He was also presented with the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) Fred Burns Journalism Award in 2002 for his coverage of the Bulldog men's and women's tennis teams and was a finalist for the 2004-05 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Grant Burger Media Award after being tabbed as a national honoree in the print journalism category.        

A resident of Big Rapids, Gholston is an active community member.  The Ferris State University graduate serves as an assistant varsity girls basketball coach at Reed City (Mich.) Public Schools.

Pete Peterson Bulldog Pride Award Recipients:
2010-11 - Sandy Gholston (Journalist, Bulldog Athletics Blog writer)
2009-10 - Tom Kirinovic (Athletics Director, Associate AD, Assistant AD, Ice Arena Manager, Athletics Business Manager)
2008-09 - Bob Horan III (Local Businessman, Financial Supporter, Fan, Gridron Club, Rebounders Club & Blueline Club Member)
2007-08 - Stanley Gustafson (Statistician, Hockey Season Ticket Holder, Fan)
2006-07 – Mike Wissink (Team Chaplain, Team Building Coordinator)
2005-06 – Paul Quick (Ticket Manager, Business Operations)
2004-05 – Sueann Walz (Local Businesswoman, Financial Supporter, Fan, Blueline Club Member)
2003-04 – Paul Davis (Ticket Manager)
2002-03 – Dick Hawkins (Dean, Blueline Club Member)
1995-96 – Rich Currie (Local Businessman, Bulldog Club Member, Bulldog Football’s “Number One Fan”)
1994-95 – Lyn Hanson (Bus Driver, Fan)
1993-94 – Judd Folske (Baseball Head Coach, Assistant to Athletics Director)
1992-93 – Dean Davenport (Athletics Director, Administrator, Coach)
1991-92 – Rachel Snyder (Associate Professor, National Anthem Singer, Athletic Advisory Committee Member & Chair)
1990-91 – Bill Scheible (Alumni Director, Bulldog Club Member, Athletics Business Manager, Assistant to Athletics Director, Ewigleben Ice Arena Manager)
1989-90 – Tom Cook (CCHA Institutional Representative, Dean of Gerholdz Institute for Lifelong Learning, Administrative Consultant)
1988-89 – Carma Burcham (Assistant Registrar For Athletic Eligibility, Bulldog Club, Blue Line Club, Fastbreak Club)
1987-88 – John Allshouse (Athletics Associates Board Member and President, Fund raising event organizer)
1986-87 – Bob Leach (Alumni Affairs Director, Assistant Vice President For Alumni and Development, Head Football Coach, Development Officer)
1985-86 – Tom Walsh (Dean, Official Timekeeper, Athletic Associates Member)
1984-85 – Bill Buckingham (Public Address Announcer, Associate Vice President For Student Services)
1982-83 – Tim Pendell (Sports Information Director)
1981-82 – Dr. Frederick Birkham (Health Center Director)