FERRIS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINDS COURT & CLASSROOM SUCCESS
Bulldogs Rank Among Nation's Statistics Leaders, Pace GLIAC In Academic Picks
 | The Bulldog women's basketball squad claimed success both on the floor and in the classroom en route to the NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen this season |
The 2006-07 Ferris State University women's basketball team finished the year ranked among the nation's top 10 teams in three statistical categories, which were recentley compiled by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
FSU placed second overall among Division II's leaders in field goal percentage this campaign as the Bulldogs connected on 935 of 1,994 field goal attempts (46.9%) during the season. Additionally, the Bulldogs were ranked sixth in scoring offense (79.7 ppg) along with ninth in assists per game (17.8 apg). Ferris also finished 14th overall nationally in free throw percentage (.760).
The national rankings included 275 NCAA-II teams submitting final reports through their respective conference offices. Overall, Ferris ranked among the nation's top 60 teams in nine statistical areas.
Individually, Bulldog junior forward Rachel Folcik (Powers/Carney-Nadeau) was the nation's 25th-leading scorer (18.8 ppg) and listed 16th overall in field goal percentage (.555).
The Bulldog women led the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in six statistical areas, including scoring offense (79.7 ppg), rebounding margin (+5.6), rebounding offense (41.6 rpg), defensive rebounding (28.9 rpg), assists (17.8 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (0.99). Ferris ranked second both nationally and within the GLIAC in field goal percentage behind league and national leader Ashland.
Folcik finished second in the conference's overall statistical rankings in four areas. They included scoring (18.8 ppg), field goal percentage (.555), free throw percentage (.860) and defensive rebounding (5.97 rpg).
Ferris also broke 10 school seasonal records with its team performance this year. The school marks included field goal percentage (.469), field goals made (935), free throws made (507), free throw percentage (.760), rebounds (1,331), assists (570), total points (2,550), scoring average (79.7 ppg), home court wins (11) and overall victories (23). Folcik's 602 points and 241 made field goals also represented the best individual season performances in FSU history.
BULLDOG WOMEN LEAD GLIAC IN ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM SELECTIONS
In addition to achieving success on the floor, the Bulldog women's basketball squad also attained success in the classroom during the 2006-07 campaign.
Ferris State had nine players named to the GLIAC All-Academic Team as announced by the conference office last week. FSU's nine selections matched Northwood for the most women's basketball honorees in the 13-team league. Grand Valley State and Hillsdale were the only other conference members with more than five all-academic team recipients with seven and six, respectively. In all, the GLIAC honored 69 women's basketball players for their academic efforts this year.
FSU's GLIAC All-Academic Team members included senior guards Erin Miller (Niles) and Kristin Reinhart (East Lansing), junior guard Katie Loosvelt (Trenton/Carlson) and junior forward/center Rachel Folcik (Powers/Carney-Nadeau). Five sophomores also earned the same recognition, including guard Teghan Thelen (Pewamo/Westphalia) and forwards Caitlin Hutchison (Riverview), Ashley Corbiere (Sault Ste. Marie/Sault Area), Jenna Guay (Escanaba) and Ashley Fleming (Posen/Rogers City).
The Ferris women's basketball squad has placed among the nation's top 25 academic teams the last seven consecutive years in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll list. FSU recorded the nation's highest team grade point average in 1999-00 (3.534) and placed second in 2002-03 (3.604). The Bulldogs finished 20th nationally (3.350) for their efforts in the 2005-06 campaign. This year's academic list will be announced late this summer.
Ferris State, which advanced to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history this season, was ranked 25th nationally in the final 2006-07 USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II Top 25 Poll. FSU posted a school-record 23 wins (23-9) this campaign while advancing to the NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Championship Game for the first time. The Bulldogs, who prior to this year 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 head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk's ninth season at the helm.
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