School-Record All-Sports Finish For Bulldogs

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Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University finished a school all-time best 15th nationally of nearly 300 NCAA Division II institutions in the final Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings for the 2011-12 campaign announced on Wednesday.

The Bulldogs' 15th-place effort is the best in school history and tops the previous highest finish of 21st set during the 2004-05 campaign.  FSU compiled 514.50 points overall this campaign, which is also the school's highest point production since the standings were implemented.

FSU was among three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) schools in the top 15 nationally along with runner-up Grand Valley State and Ashland (3rd).

Grand Canyon (Arizona) unseated eight-time defending champion GVSU to become the first school other than the Lakers to win the all-sports competition since the 2003-04 season.  Grand Canyon compiled 924.50 points with GVSU next in line with 894.0 points. Ashland took third (750.50) with Augustana (S.D.) in fourth place (682) and Indianapolis fifth (673.75) in the top five overall.

The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 14 sports -- seven women’s and seven men’s. 

Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA’s website at www.directorscup.org.

The 2011-12 athletics season marked Learfield Sports' fourth year as title partner of the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. A preeminent leader in the collegiate sports marketplace for nearly four decades, Learfield Sports manages the multimedia rights for more than 50 collegiate properties, including flagship Mizzou, which it has represented since 1975.

The final Division II listing included 244 schools that recorded at least five points during the 2011-12 athletics season. FSU scored 200.75 points this spring with 62.75 from women's outdoor track and field, 51 by the women's golf team, 50 from men's tennis and 34.5 by women's golf. The Bulldogs recorded 197.75 points during the winter season after scoring 116 points in the fall.

Besides placing 15th nationally, Ferris State placed third in the final 2011-12 GLIAC President's Trophy Standings as the Bulldogs secured a top-five finish for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.  It was the program's highest finish since the 2007-08 season when FSU also was third among all league schools.

FSU captured conference divisional crowns this past year in volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball while the men's tennis team won the GLIAC Tournament.  A total of five Bulldog teams experienced championship success with the program's Division I men's ice hockey team claiming the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Regular-Season Championship en route to the national title game at the Frozen Four. 

A total of eight Bulldog teams had representation in the NCAA Tournament during the 2011-12 athletics campaign, including men's golf, men's ice hockey, men's tennis, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's track and field along with volleyball.

This year ends up as the Bulldogs' highest finish ever in the Directors Cup standings, which date back to the 1995-96 season. The highest-ever prior placing for Ferris State was in the 2004-05 season when the Bulldogs finished in 21st place with 387.5 total points. Additionally, Ferris State's 514.50 total points this year is the best figure in school history, topping the 414.50 points in 2006-07 when FSU finished 28th nationally. In all, the Bulldogs have now placed in the top 40 nine times over the last 17 years.

An operating unit of Learfield Communications, the company also operates regional and statewide radio networks, provides exclusive sports programming to more than 1,000 radio stations nationwide and creates nearly 7,000 radio game broadcasts and coaches’ shows each year. These ever-expanding, collegiate relationships also feature comprehensive corporate sponsorship platforms, official university publications, Internet, digital media, hospitality and game-day events. To learn more about Learfield Sports’ expertise, its history and complete collegiate portfolio, visitwww.learfieldsports.com.

Ferris State's final finishes in the Directors' Cup

Year - Place - Points
1995-96 -- 68thT -- 98.0
1996-97 -- 64thT -- 8.5
1997-98 -- 34thT -- 140.0
1998-99 -- 45thT -- 110.0
1999-00 -- 53rd -- 180.0
2000-01 -- 37th -- 265.5
2001-02 -- 36thT -- 259.5
2002-03 -- 37th -- 317.5
2003-04 -- 45th -- 285.0
2004-05 -- 21st -- 387.5
2005-06 -- 35th -- 316.0
2006-07 -- 28th -- 414.5
2007-08 -- T60th -- 282.0
2008-09 -- 32nd -- 391.25
2009-10 -- 63rd -- 282.75
2010-11 -- 53rd -- 291.0
2011-12 -- Finished 15th with 514.50 points!