2001-02 News

APRIL 25: FSU NAMES BILL SALL NEW MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

Former Bulldog Assistant Coach Returns To Program’s Head Post

Sall, who has served the past four seasons (1998-2002) as the assistant men’s basketball coach at Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) member Hillsdale (Mich.) College, was a unanimous choice of the five-member search committee. Six finalists interviewed for the position vacated by the Feb. 28 resignation of sixth-year head coach Edgar Wilson.

“We’re extremely excited after an extensive search to name Bill Sall our new head coach,” Kirinovic said. “He’s a proven winner who’s an outstanding teacher of the game and comes in with a tremendous work ethic.

“We look forward to Bill leading our program back to the successful level that Bulldog basketball has enjoyed throughout its rich history,” added Kirinovic.

In four seasons at Hillsdale, the 34-year-old Sall has been instrumental in leading the Chargers to a 72-41 (.637) overall record and two consecutive (2001-02) NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional tournament appearances while being involved with the administrative, recruiting and on-floor coaching aspects of the program under head coach Ed Douma. The Chargers reached the regional semifinals during the 2000-01 campaign while posting a 24-8 overall mark en route to a first-place 13-4 GLIAC South Division title. This past season, Hillsdale was 20-8 overall and compiled a fourth-place (South Division) 11-6 league finish.

Prior to his appointment at Hillsdale, Sall was the top assistant coach at Ferris State for three seasons (1995-98) and spent the first year (1995-96) as an assistant to head coach Tom Ludwig. During the 1995-96 campaign, he had the opportunity to serve a portion of the season as the Bulldogs’ interim head coach. In his brief tenure, Ferris recorded a 5-8 start before finishing the year with a 6-20 overall record. As an assistant under Wilson, Sall helped guide FSU to a 21-12 finish along with a GLIAC Tournament Championship title and a NCAA Division II National Tournament berth during the 1997-98 season.

“I’m excited about this opportunity and really believe in this university,” Sall said. “With what they’ve done in the past three years, it’s a new campus and a new atmosphere that I think will allow us to attract quality student-athletes. It’s going to take lots of energy and hard work both from the coaching staff and the group of players, but I’m confident we can turn the corner.”

A nine-year collegiate assistant coach, Sall received his coaching start under Douma at his alma mater Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., from 1992-95. The Knights made two NCAA Division III National Tournament appearances, claimed the 1993-94 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Championship and were 37-17 (.685) overall during his two seasons as an assistant coach.

Before joining the coaching ranks, Sall was a standout player at Calvin from 1985-1990. A two-time (1989-90) MIAA Co-Most Valuable Player, Sall currently ranks as the Knights’ third-leading all-time scorer with 2,063 points, which included a 70-game double-figure scoring streak. The 6-5 forward also grabbed 738 career rebounds as Calvin captured three (1986, 89-90) MIAA championships, earned four NCAA-III tournament bids and advanced to the 1990 NCAA Division III Final Four. During his collegiate career, the three-time (1987, 89-90) first-team All-MIAA honoree reached double-figure scoring in 100 of 109 outings, which presently ranks second on the all-time Calvin chart. Sall, a two-time (1989-90) second-team National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All-America performer, is currently listed 10th (864 points) among the MIAA’s all-time scoring leaders and is seventh (.586; 341-582) on the league’s career field goal percentage chart.

As a prepster, Sall attained honorable mention all-state and all-area basketball laurels at Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, Mich. The Zeeland, Mich., native displayed his athletic versatility by winning the 1985 Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Class B State 400-meter run title. He also competed in cross country.

A member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Sall is married to the former Karen Brower. He graduated from Calvin in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation management.

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BILL SALL CAREER BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Age: 34
Born: June 10, 1967 - Zeeland, Mich.
Family: wife – Karen (Brower); parents – Calvin and Florence Sall

Years Of Collegiate Coaching Experience: Nine
Overall Assistant Coaching Record: 150-102 (.595) - nine seasons
High School: Unity Christian High School (Hudsonville, Mich.) - 1985
College Education: Calvin College - bachelor’s degree in recreation management (1994)

Named Head Coach At Ferris State: April 23, 2002
Coaching History: 1992-95 – Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.) - assistant coach; 1995-96 – Ferris State University (Big Rapids, Mich.) - interim head coach; 1996-98 – Ferris State University (Big Rapids, Mich.) - assistant coach; 1998-2002 – Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, Mich.) - assistant coach

Player History: 1985-90 – Calvin College, four-year letterwinner
Player Honors: Two-time (1989-90) National Association of Basketball Coaches Division III Second-Team All-America honoree, two-time (1989-90) Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co-Most Valuable Player, three-time first-team All-MIAA (1987, 89-90), elected team captain of 1990 NCAA Division III Final Four team.
Player Statistical Totals: 2,063 points (*third-leading scorer in Calvin history), 738 rebounds, 70-game double-figure scoring streak, reached double-figures in 100 of 109 career outings, led team to three conference titles (1986, 89-90) and four NCAA Division III Tournament bids, currently ranks as MIAA’s 10th-leading all-time scorer (864 points) and is seventh (.586; 341-582) on the league’s career field goal percentage chart.

Season Records and Postseason Experience:

As a Collegiate Player:
1985-86 Calvin, 20-6 (.769) - NCAA-III 1st Round
1986-87 Calvin, 21-5 (.808) - NCAA-III 1st Round
1987-88 Calvin, Redshirted
1988-89 Calvin, 19-7 (.731) - NCAA-III 2nd Round
1989-90 Calvin, 28-3 (.903) - NCAA-III Final Four
Totals = 88-21 (.807)

As a Collegiate Assistant Coach:
1993-94 Calvin, 20-7 (.741) - NCAA-III 2nd Round
1994-95 Calvin, 17-10 (.630) - NCAA-III 2nd Round
1995-96 Ferris State*, 6-20 (.231)
1996-97 Ferris State, 14-12 (.538)
1997-98 Ferris State, 21-12 (.636) - NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional
1998-99 Hillsdale, 12-14 (.462)
1999-00 Hillsdale, 16-11 (.593)
2000-01 Hillsdale, 24-8, (.750) - NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional (Semifinals)
2001-02 Hillsdale, 20-8 (.714) - NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional
Totals = 150-102 (.595)

* – Also Served As Interim Head Coach

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For more information, please contact the Ferris State University Sports Information Office at (231) 591-2336/3821 or email Assistant Sports Information Director Rob Bentley at bentleyr@ferris.edu