Six athletes and four coaches pushed membership in Ferris State’s Bulldog Athletic Hall of Fame to 33 this fall.
Willie Bouyer was Ferris State’s first football All-American with NAIA Second-Team recognition in 1972. In track, Bouyer helped lead the Bulldog indoor team to three straight NAIA District 23 Championships. He died on Feb. 1, 1977. Bouyer’s sons Willie Jr. and Chris, and his brother Corey represented Bouyer at the awards ceremony.
Quarterback Dave DenBraber was a 1987 AP Little All-America honorable mention selection. He holds records for most career passing attempts (1,254), completions (661) and total offense (1,522 yds.).
John dePourcq shares the University’s single-season mark for most goals by a freshman with 26 in the 1987-88 season, when he was the nation’s top scoring freshman with 53 points. DePourcq has played hockey professionally in Holland, Italy and the United States.
Kurt Hammerschmidt, a two-time All-American in tennis, teamed with Aga Soemarno in 1989 to capture the NCAA Division II National Doubles title. Hammerschmidt was a five-time National Amateur Champion in singles and doubles. In his first year after graduation he established a tennis scholarship at Ferris State.
Terry Kirkpatrick was a first-team catcher as a senior with a .325 batting average and 10 home runs during a GLIAC
championship season. During his career, Ferris compiled a mark of 92-46-1.
Gary Waters got his basketball coaching start at Ferris after a successful playing career. He joined Eastern Michigan as assistant and later associate head coach from 1989-96. Hired in 1996 by Kent State, he was twice named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year. In 2002, his first year as head coach at Rutgers, his Scarlet Knights beat four Top 25 foes and made the NIT, earning him District II Coach of the Year honors.
Monica Folske coached tennis, volleyball, softball and started women’s basketball at Ferris. As softball coach for eight years, she won more games than anyone except current coach Keri Becker.
The late Bill McElwain started Ferris’ athletics program and was the school’s first athletic director. A standout gridder himself, McElwain played for the Chicago Bears, where he was coached by George Halas and played with Red Grange, both NFL Hall of Famers. He died on Nov. 26, 1996. McElwain’s daughter Irene Gallagher represented her father at the awards ceremony.
Walt Piggott, who served 15 years as head baseball coach, posted a 295-218-2 overall record while garnering District 23 Coach of the Year honors in 1972-73 and GLIAC Coach of the Year laurels in 1983.
W.C. “Top” Taggart was Ferris’ first official varsity football coach, beginning with the 1911 season. A former star halfback, Taggart was a long-time University benefactor. He died in 1968.
The 10 are joined by Jim Baker of Monroe, hockey (1978-82), who was previously chosen in 2001 and enshrined during the third annual induction banquet on Sept. 27 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center.

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