FSU THIRD IN GLIAC MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
Two-Time Defending North Division Champions Garner One First-Place Vote
Click Here For 2005-06 Preseason Poll
 | Senior guard Dennis Springs and the two-time defending league champion Bulldogs were picked to finish third in this year's GLIAC Preseason Poll |
Two-time defending divisional champion Ferris State was picked to finish third in the 2005-06 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason North Division Poll, which was released Thursday (Nov. 10) by the league office.
The Bulldogs totaled 28 points along with one first-place vote in the balloting, which was conducted by the conference's head coaches. A year ago, Ferris State took second place in the conference's preseason coaches poll with 32 points and two top votes.
Northern Michigan was selected as the North Division favorite as the Wildcats recorded 33 points along with four first-place votes. Findlay took the top spot in the South Division with 24 points and four first-place votes.
The league's 13 head coaches voted for the division in which they play, but were not allowed to vote for their own team. The first-place team in the North Division ballot received six points while the second-place team received five points, etc. In the South Division, the first-place team was granted five points while the second-place team took four points, etc.
Ferris State capped off a banner 2004-05 season with a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament (March 12-15) held in Findlay, Ohio. FSU reached the regional championship game for only the third time in school history last season.
The Bulldogs, who won their second-straight GLIAC North Division Championship with a 13-5 league mark last campaign, concluded the year with a 24-7 overall record and fell one game shy of advancing to the NCAA-II Elite Eight for the second time ever. FSU's 24 victories represented the third-most wins in school history.
Ferris State, which was ranked 23rd in the final (March 8) National Association of Basketball Coaches/Division II Bulletin Regular-Season National Poll, also advanced to the GLIAC Tournament for the second year in a row in 2004-05. Last season marked Ferris State's first appearance in the national rankings since the 1988-89 campaign.
Fourth-year FSU head coach Bill Sall returns three starters and six letterwinners this season, including a two-time second-team All-GLIAC North Division and GLIAC All-Defensive Team honoree in senior guard Dennis Springs (Toledo, Ohio/Scott).
The Bulldogs will officially open their 78th season of varsity competition against Saint Joseph's Tuesday, Nov. 15, beginning at 8 p.m. (EST) in Rensselaer, Ind. FSU has won more GLIAC championships (11) than any other league member.
The following is the complete 2005-06 GLIAC Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll with first-place votes in parenthesis.
North Division
1. Northern Michigan (4) - 33 points
2. Grand Valley State (2) - 31 points
3. Ferris State (1) - 28 points
4. Michigan Tech - 20 points
5. Northwood - 15 points
6. Saginaw Valley State - 14 points
7. Lake Superior State - 6 points
South Division
1. Findlay (4) - 24 points
T2. Gannon (1) - 18 points
T2. Wayne State (1) - 18 points
4. Hillsdale - 15 points
5. Ashland - 9 points
6. Mercyhurst - 6 points
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