Ferris State Athletics Reaches Goal In Major "Be A Playmaker" Hockey Fundraising Campaign
Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University Athletics and the Bulldog Athletic Association have announced the completion of the major $1.5 million "Be A Playmaker" endowment campaign for the Bulldog men's ice hockey program.
The campaign was a by-product of the Bulldogs' run to the National Championship game in 2012 and the changing landscape in college hockey necessitating Ferris State's entry into the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) in 2013. Participating in the Frozen Four enriched the Bulldog Hockey brand and elevated its overall awareness, which opened the door for the campaign and fundraising opportunity designed to bolster financial support for the program in the years to come.
A Campaign Steering Committee was therefore formed and the campaign operated in a quiet phase until 2014. The campaign has now reached its goal through generous private support from those who love Bulldog Hockey and were interested and willing to help secure the sustainability of the program's elite status for years to come.
The "Be A Playmaker" campaign was launched to help provide resources for recruiting, team travel, strength training and conditioning, performance technology along with facility upgrades, allowing the Bulldog Hockey program to continue to compete at the highest level. It was Ferris State's first athletics-based major fundraising campaign.
"It is truly gratifying to see the success of the Playmaker campaign," said Ferris State University President Dr. David L. Eisler. "I want to thank everyone who came forward to help assure that our men's ice hockey program continues its tradition of excellence. I also want to thank everyone who worked on the campaign.
"This support will help our student-athletes as they strive to excel both on and off the ice," he added.
As Bulldog Hockey continues to add new chapters to its amazing story and remarkable history, the completion of the "Be A Playmaker" campaign helps assure it continues to flourish. Fans, friends and alumni all came together to help power the program in its quest for continued excellence thru a variety of giving options.
"With this being the first capital campaign for Ferris State Athletics, I thought the work of the development team as well as the committee was outstanding," said Steering Committee Chair Chris Bowers ('78). "During this campaign, we had a great response and an opportunity to reconnect with a lot of former student-athletes and set a foundation for other fundraising initiatives in the years to come."
A number of familiar faces and names were part of the "Be A Playmaker" steering committee helping to ensure Bulldog Hockey success, including past alumni such as two-time Stanley Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Chris Kunitz ('03) along with Bowers ('78), Gary Cousino ('73), Lyle Nagle ('76) and Zach Redmond ('11), who's currently a member of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Colorado Avalanche. Former head coach Rick Duffet, who was the school's first Division I coach, served as a co-vice chair along with Kunitz while former Ferris State University President and hockey program founder Bob Ewigleben was also part of the steering committee, which also included past player parent Dick Redmond and Ferris State Board of Trustees Vice Chair Sueann Walz.
"We're so appreciative of those who supported this campaign and the members of the committee and staff who put forth the time and effort to bring this to a completion," said FSU head coach Bob Daniels, a two-time NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year who's midst his 24th season at the Bulldog helm. "The ongoing support of our donors thru the campaign will help ensure a first-class experience for our student-athletes while they continue to earn their degrees and compete at the highest level of collegiate athletics."
The Bulldog men's hockey program has been a treasured part of the University and West Michigan for more than 40 years, bringing national attention to Ferris State on numerous occasions. The Bulldogs have ranked among the nation's best over the past decade, producing their top seasonal performances at the NCAA Division I level, a trio of league regular-season championships, three NCAA Division I regional championship trips, an NCAA Frozen Four Championship berth, three Hobey Baker Award finalists and multiple American Hockey Coaches Association awards since 2003.
The success hasn't stopped on the ice as the Bulldogs have also ranked among the nation's 10 best teams in the classroom and the program annually contributes to a wide range of worthwhile charitable and community service projects as a way of giving back to its faithful fans, who often fill the Ewigleben Ice Arena to produce one of the top home-ice advantages in the country. The home of Bulldog Hockey, Big Rapids, was voted this past summer as the nation's 12th-best hockey city and the top college hockey city in Michigan.
While the "Be A Playmaker" campaign has met its goal, those wishing to support Bulldog Hockey can continue to do so through a wide range of giving options. To help support Bulldog Hockey, please contact Will Goode at (231) 591-3818 or via email at: williamgoode@ferris.edu.