FERRIS' RACHEL FOLCIK NAMED TO DAKTRONICS ALL-REGION TEAM

Junior Forward Among Great Lakes Region's First-Team Performers

Junior forward/center Rachel Folcik (Powers/Carney-Nadeau) of the 2006-07 Ferris State women's basketball team has received Daktronics Division II All-Great Lakes Region First Team accolades in an announcement made today (March 7).

Ferris' Rachel Folcik has earned first team all-region accolades this campaign

Folcik joined Amber Rall of Ashland and Gannon's Christina Jackson as first-team all-region representatives from a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-member institution. The other first-team selections were Lewis' (Ill.) Darcee Schmidt and Mary Moskal. Rall, Jackson and Schmidt were all chosen as second-team recipients last season while Moskal is a repeat first-team honoree this campaign. Schmidt was chosen as this year's Daktronics Great Lakes Region Player of the Year. The first-team members are forwarded along to the national ballot and now eligible for All-America recognition.

The Daktronics team is voted on by the sports information directors of the region's member institutions and sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The company also markets DakStats® sports statistics software with programs for football, basketball and baseball available.

With the Daktronics selection, Folcik becomes only the sixth player in FSU women's history to attain all-region laurels. Former Bulldog player Tianna Kirkland was a first-team all-region pick in 2000-01 and Debbie Killips claimed second-team honors in 2001-02. Lucy DeMartin twice attained first-team accolades in 2002-03 and 2003-04 while Bridget Horwitz was a second-team selection in 2002-03. Current FSU senior guard Erin Miller (Niles) received first-team recognition in 2003-04 before picking up second-team honors last season (2005-06).

The 6-1 Folcik previously earned All-GLIAC North Division First Team honors along with GLIAC North Division All-Defensive Team accolades for her performance this campaign. She also attained the league's divisional Player of the Week Award honor six times this year, all of which came in the final nine weeks of the season. Folcik received the league's weekly honor more than any other male or female conference player this campaign.

Recently (Feb. 10), Folcik became only the 14th player in school history to notch her 1,000th career point in FSU's 70-65 league home win over Northern Michigan as she tallied 34 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots in the contest. Her seven blocked shots in the game was one shy of tying the school's single-game record while her 16 made field goals in the contest tied the school record. Additionally, Folcik's 222 made field goals to date this season represents a school single-season mark.

Folcik was featured in the Feb. 19th Sports Illustrated magazine issue in the popular "Faces In The Crowd" section of the weekly magazine. Folcik also was recently named to the 2006-07 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Women's Basketball College Division Second Team for her performance both on the floor and in the classroom.

Folcik, who’s currently averaging a team-best 19.1 points per game, has presently scored in double-figures 24 times to date this year and has notched 12 double-double (points & rebounds) performances. She was honored as Ferris State University’s female Bulldog of the Month award winner for both December, January and February based on her play those three months. A team captain, Folcik is also currently averaging a squad-best 8.2 rebounds per game this campaign. She's presently listed second overall in scoring and fifth in rebounds among the GLIAC's overall leaders while ranking first in field goal (.566) along with second in free throw (.857) percentage.

Last season (2005-06), Folcik was a GLIAC All-Academic Team selection. She finished second among the team's performers in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and third in scoring (12.8 ppg) along with registering 19 double-figure scoring games. Folcik also was named to the Aquinas College Classic All-Tournament Team a year ago. Earlier this year, Folcik was chosen as an all-tourney selection as Ferris posted a 2-0 mark in the season-opening Clarion (Pa.) Classic (Nov. 17-18).

The Bulldog women's basketball squad, which is presently 21-8 overall this year, received its third-ever NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament berth and will take on Northern Kentucky in the regional quarterfinal round Friday, March 9, starting at 3:30 p.m. (EST) in Lewis University's Neil Carey Arena at Romeoville, Ill. The game can be heard live on local radio station News Talk 1460 AM (WBRN) or via the internet by clicking on the Bulldog Athletics Webcast icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.