Women's BB Notes: Ashland/Tiffin (Dec. 3 & 5)
Click
Here For Complete Game Notes (PDF)
* The Game: The Ferris State women’s basketball
team continues a three-game homestand this week with a pair of
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) games
against Ashland on Thursday (Dec. 3) and Tiffin on Saturday (Dec.
5) at Wink Arena. Game times are set for 6 p.m. (EST) on Thursday
with Saturday’s outing starting at 12 p.m. (EST).
* Ticket Info: Tickets for both doubleheaders
will be available at the door starting one hour prior to the
women’s tipoff. All single-game general admission ticket
prices are $7. FSU students are admitted free with ID. For more
info on home ticket sales, please call the FSU Athletics Ticket
Office at (231) 591-2888.
* Game Promotions: Thursday’s contest
represents Student-Athlete Night as various FSU athletics teams
will be in attendance helping support the Bulldogs. The Manton
Youth Basketball Program will be in attendance for Saturday’s
basketball doubleheader with more than 80 kids on hand and Bulldog
players will sign autographs after the game.
* Media Coverage: Both women’s games are
slated to be carried live by Bulldog Radio on Charter Channel 21 in
Mecosta County or online at www.bulldogradio.org.
A live audio and video pay-per-view webcast via B2 Networks will
also be available along with live internet statistics. Please visit
FSU’s Athletics Website at
www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com to find links for all
available coverage in the “upcoming events” tab.
* Follow On Twitter: Bulldog fans can follow all
FSU games this year via Twitter. To access the service, please
visit www.twitter.com/ferrisathletics
to follow the tweet-by-tweet coverage with periodic scoring
updates.
* Last Time Out: FSU jumped out to a 10-point
advantage only 11 minutes into the game, but visiting archrival
Grand Valley State battled back to post a 57-43 victory in the
GLIAC opener for both teams at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena on Monday
(Nov. 30) evening. The Bulldogs shot 45% from the floor in the
first half and led 18-8 with 8:56 to play in the opening stanza
before the Lakers closed the period on a 16-5 run to take a
one-point edge (24-23) at the break. In the second half, the Lakers
scored the first four points of the final half and built a 13-point
lead only 12 minutes into the second period en route to the
victory. GVSU took advantage of 20 Bulldog turnovers by outscoring
Ferris 17-7 in points off miscues and also grabbed 21 offensive
boards, which helped lead to a decisive 19-2 edge in second chance
scoring. The Lakers totaled 41 rebounds compared to only 31 for
FSU. Becci Houdek paced Ferris with 12 points
while Kelsey DeNoyelles chipped in with 11 and
Tiara Adams pulled down 11 boards.
* The Records: Ferris State (1-3, 0-1 GLIAC)
concluded the 2008-09 season with a 13-15 overall record after
winning seven of their final nine contests. The Bulldogs made their
10th consecutive and 11th overall berth in the GLIAC Tournament
where they advanced to the semifinals for the third-straight year
in 2008-09.
Ashland (2-1, 0-0
GLIAC) recorded a 17-11 overall record in 2008-09 and came in third
in the GLIAC South Division with a 13-9 mark.
Tiffin (2-1, 0-0
GLIAC) posted a 7-20 mark a season ago and was 6-16 in
GLIAC???South Division action.
* The Coaches: Ferris State – Tracey
Dorow (Western Michigan, 1996), 12th season, 189-127 (.598)
– (7-9-0 vs. AU & 2-1-0 vs. TU). Dorow presently ranks as
Ferris’ all-time winningest coach. She guided FSU to a 22-7
mark and the school's first NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tourney
appearance in 1999-00. She spent three seasons as an assistant
coach at Lake Michigan College (1994-97) and one season at
Indianapolis (1997-98). She also directed FSU to an NCAA Tourney
berth in 2003-04 and the NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen in 2006-07.
Ashland – Sue
Ramsey (Miami, Ohio, 1978), 15th season, 223-173 (.563),
23rd season overall, 318-301 (.514). Ramsey has more wins than any
coach in school history and has twice led the Eagles to the NCAA-II
Tourney. Previously, she spent eight years as head coach at NCAA-I
Dayton (Ohio) and was a collegiate assistant at several
schools.
Tiffin – Pam
Oswald (Malone, 1995), 3rd season, 21-36 (.368). Oswald
embarks on her third year at TU following time as an assistant
coach at Wheeling Jesuit (W.Va.) and Kent State.
* Welcome Back: Ferris State welcomes back eight
letterwinners to its official roster this season from a year ago,
including four players who started at least one contest last
season.
* The Injury Factor: The Bulldogs have battled
injuries and illness through the preseason with two veteran players
now sidelined for the forseeable future in junior guard
Stephanie DeNoyelles (Mt. Pleasant/Sacred Heart)
and senior center Andrea Clancy (Port Austin/North
Huron). DeNoyelles was injured in the offseason while Clancy played
four minutes in FSU’s exhibition at Oakland before likely
being lost for the year. Ferris used all 10 available players for
its home opener against Lewis.
* Coming Up Next: The Bulldogs hit the road for
two league games at Findlay (Dec. 10) and Hillsdale (Dec. 12)
before breaking from game action for two and a half weeks.
* New Wink Arena Look: The Bulldogs played their
first game inside Wink Arena last Tuesday (Nov. 24) versus Lewis
following the facility's most recent renovation this past spring.
The gym floor was completely sanded down, refurbished and painted
with a new design and color corresponding with the university's
graphic identity. The new look in Wink Arena, which has been home
to both the Bulldog men's and women's basketball programs since the
1999-00 season, now includes an extra large "Bulldog" head in the
center of the floor replacing the former basketball design found in
the center circle. Additional wording includes both the GLIAC logo
and the "Wink Arena" designation in two seperate places. The floor
is outlined in Ferris' official crimson color with gold wording. In
addition, the lane found under both hoops now features a light
open-colored appearance replacing the old maroon background. The
women's three-point line maintains its black appearance with the
men's line in crimson. The Ferris signature line remains on both
baselines.
* Looking At Ashland: Ashland recorded a 17-11
overall record in 2008-09 and came in third in the GLIAC South
Division with a 13-9 mark. The Eagles are off to a 2-1 start this
year under 15th-year head coach Sue Ramsey with wins over Urbana
and Mercyhurst to open the year. They suffered a 83-74 setback to
California (Pa.) in their most recent action (Nov. 29) at home. AU
was picked to finish fourth in the 2009-10 GLIAC South Division
Preseason Media Poll and is currently led in scoring by freshman
forward/center Beth Mantkowski (13.7 ppg.). Two starters and six
letterwinners are back from a year ago.
* Looking At Tiffin: The Dragons posted a 7-20
mark a season ago and were 6-16 in GLIAC South Division action, but
are currently off to a 2-1 start this campaign heading into
Thursday’s league opener at Grand Valley State. Third-year
head coach Pam Oswald’s team is led in scoring to date by
sophomore guard Mandy Jaeb (19.0 ppg.). The Dragons’ lone
loss came at Merrimack (Nov. 20), but they are coming off a 57-44
win over East Stroudsburg (Pa.) in a neutral site contest (Nov. 21)
going into the GVSU game.
* Series Info: Ashland holds a 13-9 all-time
series’ edge over FSU and beat the Bulldogs twice last season
by scores of 92-89 at Ashland (12/4/08) and 84-62 at Big Rapids
(1/17/09). AU has won seven of the last eight outings between the
two teams while FSU head coach Tracey Dorow
presently holds a current 7-9 career coaching mark versus AU
............. The Bulldogs have won two of the first three
series’ meetings over Tiffin in the last two years, including
a narrow 83-82 win in the most recent game at Big Rapids (1/15/09).
Saturday’s encounter will be only the second matchup between
the two teams at Wink Arena.
* Six Games, Three Days, One Place: This
week’s games will be part of FSU’s promotion of Six
Games, Three Days, One Place! Both the Bulldog men’s and
women’s basketball teams are at home on Thursday and Saturday
with the nationally 17th-ranked FSU hockey team hosting
Nebraska-Omaha across the hall in the Ewigleben Ice Arena in a
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) series’ on
Friday and Saturday evenings. Saturday features a tripleheader with
hockey starting at 5:05 p.m.
* FSU Picked Third: Ferris was picked to finish
third in the 2009-10 GLIAC North Division Preseason Media Poll in
conjunction with the league’s annual media day
teleconference. The Bulldogs totaled 74 points in the balloting and
trailed Michigan Tech's 142 points and second place Grand Valley
State's 122 points in the North Division. The preseason nationally
top-ranked Huskies earned 22 of a possible 24 first-place votes
with GVSU earning the final two top votes. Northwood received 16
first-place votes in being selected the South Division favorite by
a group of 24 media members.
* Last Season: Ferris State concluded the 2008-09
season with a 13-15 overall record after winning seven of its final
nine contests. The Bulldogs made their 10th consecutive and 11th
overall berth in the GLIAC Tournament where they advanced to the
semifinals for the third-straight year in 2008-09.
* The Bulldog Roster: Ferris’ current
2009-10 roster includes one senior, four juniors, three sophomores
and five freshmen. Seven of the 13 players are guards while the
remaining six are frontcourt players. Eleven players on the roster
hail from Michigan with one each from Ohio and Indiana.
* Three Make Debut: Three Bulldog players made
their official debut in the season opener at Gannon (Nov. 20),
including freshman guard Kylie Muntz (Dayton,
Ohio/Wayne), freshman forward/center Leah Kebler
(Midland/Dow) and freshman forward/center Katy Fox
(Royal Center, Ind./Pioneer). All three played at least 13 minutes
and Kebler narrowly missed double-digits with eight points.
* The Bulldog Tradition: The Ferris State
women’s basketball program, which is midst its 36th season of
varsity competition, has compiled a 442-452 (.494) all-time mark.
The Bulldogs won their only GLIAC crown, advanced to their first
NCAA-II Regional Tournament and recorded the nation’s highest
grade point average in 1999-2000. FSU, which claimed GLIAC Tourney
runner-up honors in 1999-00 and 2003-04, has posted 10 or more
victories 13 consecutive seasons.
* Great Season: Ferris State advanced to the
NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Championship Game for the first time
ever in 2006-07 and was ranked 25th nationally in the final 2006-07
USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll. The Bulldogs, who
prior to 2006-07 had never won a NCAA Tournament game, recorded
back-to-back wins in their first two national tournament contests
en route to the regional runner-up finish. Ferris also compiled a
second-place tying 13-5 GLIAC regular-season finish and earned the
program's eighth consecutive GLIAC Tournament bid in the historic
campaign.
* Coaching Staff Changes: Ferris head coach
Tracey Dorow put the finishing pieces of her
coaching staff together for the 2009-10 campaign with the
appointment of Mark DeNoyelles, who served as a
volunteer assistant coach for the Bulldogs in 2008-09, to the
assistant coaching post following the departure of former assistant
Crystal Harris, who left earlier this summer for a NCAA Division I
assistant coaching position in her home state at Cal-State
Fullerton. Former Bulldog standout Rachel Folcik
has also returned to the program as a student assistant coach for
this year. Folcik wrapped up her stellar Bulldog career in 2007-08
and spent last year playing overseas, but has returned to FSU to
pursue a Master's degree. The Bulldogs' staff this season will also
include Dorow's father, Rick Bloodworth, as a
volunteer assistant coach for the fourth season and current FSU
student Miles Prendergast in a student coaching
role.
* Bulldog Notes: FSU will play a 27-game
regular-season schedule this year with 22 league contests. Twelve
games are at home ....... Ferris has won nine or more home games
three of the last four years to date ...... Assistant coach
Mark DeNoyelles is the father of both
Stephanie and Kelsey DeNoyelles
and served as their prep head coach at Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart
...... FSU owns an all-time Jim Wink Arena mark of 81-33 (.711) in
the 11-year old facility.
* Notes From The GVSU Game: The
conference-opening loss was FSU’s first setback in a league
opener since 2001-02. The Bulldogs had won their first GLIAC
contest seven-straight years ……… GVSU improved
to 51-24 all-time against FSU with the victory in the 75th
series’ encounter ……… A crowd of 850
fans were on hand for the “Big Monday” matchup
……… Freshman guard Ashley
Huntey tallied the first points of her career in the game
and finished with six off the bench in only her second collegiate
contest after joining the Bulldogs following a successful season
with the FSU volleyball team ……… The Bulldogs
utilized all 10 available players for the second-straight game
……… Ferris was only three-of-16 (18.8%) behind
the three-point line compared to GVSU’s 5-of-20 (25%) showing
…… Neither team attempted more than 10 free throws.
