GLIAC PICKS RACHEL FOLCIK AS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Junior Forward Earns North Division Honor For Third Time This Year

The GLIAC office selected FSU junior forward/center Rachel Folcik as the league's North Division Player of the Week once again

Folcik tallied 49 points and 20 rebounds as the Bulldogs increased their winning streak to four games with a pair of league road wins this past weekend in Erie, Pa. The 6-1 Folcik recorded a personal career-high 37 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday’s (Jan. 18) 90-70 win over Mercyhurst. She then netted 12 points and 10 boards as FSU handed Gannon its first conference setback of the year by a 96-83 score on Saturday (Jan. 20). Folcik, who averaged 24.5 points and 10 rebounds on the two-game trip, has presently scored in double-figures 10 consecutive games to date and has notched a double-double effort in six of her last seven outings this year.

Previously, Folcik was selected as the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week for the first time in her career three weeks ago (Jan. 3) and also attained the honor last week (Jan. 15). Her selection as the GLIAC's weekly award winner this week marks the fifth time a Ferris player has earned the distinction this season as both senior guards Kristin Reinhart (East Lansing) and Erin Miller (Niles) were previous recipients on Nov. 20 and Nov. 27, respectively. FSU has presently had a player honored as the league's player of the week 18 times in the last five seasons, including the current year, to date.

Folcik, who’s currently averaging a team-best 17.9 points per game, has presently scored in double-figures 15 times to date this year. She was honored as Ferris State University’s female Bulldog of the Month award winner for December based on her play last month. A team captain, Folcik is also currently averaging a squad-best 8.6 rebounds per game this campaign. She's presently listed fourth overall in both scoring and rebounds among the GLIAC's overall leaders while ranking third in free throw (.836) along with field goal (.551) percentage.

Folcik received the squad's Sixth Player and Rookie of the Year Awards as a freshman in 2004-05 after recording 245 points, 150 rebounds and 39 assists while notching 10 double-digit scoring performances in 28 contests. She tallied 10 points or more in six of the squad's final eight games as a rookie. Folcik also ranked second among the squad's leaders in both field goal percentage (.505) and rebounding (5.4 rpg) along with fourth in scoring (8.8 ppg) in 2004-05.

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).

Ferris State returns home to play three of its next four games inside Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs will next host Ashland Thursday, Jan. 25, with the conference tipoff set for 6 p.m. (EST). FSU then takes on Findlay Saturday, Jan. 27, in a 1 p.m. (EST) league home encounter. Tickets for both games will be available at the door.

Both games will also be carried live by Bulldog Radio, which can heard locally on television Channel 21 both via on-campus cable and Charter Communications in Mecosta County. A live audio webcast will also be provided by Bulldog Radio at www.bulldogradio.org. Fans can watch a live video and audio webcast for only $6 per game by clicking the B2 Networks icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.