FERRIS DUO PICKS UP GRAND RAPIDS PRESS ALL-AREA KUDOS

Folcik & Reinhart Selected Among West Michigan's Top Collegiate Players This Year

The Ferris State University women's basketball squad continues to reap the awards of a record-breaking season as junior forward/center Rachel Folcik (Powers/Carney-Nadeau) and senior guard Kristin Reinhart (East Lansing) were recently included in the Grand Rapids Press' Women's Basketball All-Area Teams for the 2006-07 campaign. The collegiate honorees were selected by Press Sportswriter Howie Beardsley in the publication's March 23 edition.

Rachel Folcik

Kristin Reinhart

The annual all-star list entitled "Bearsley's Best", which began six years ago, recognizes the top players and coaches in one of the nation's premier areas for small college basketball. The Grand Rapids Press coverage area includes some of the finest small college programs from the NCAA Division II, III and NAIA levels including Ferris State, Calvin, Hope, Grand Valley State, Aquinas and Cornerstone among others.

Folcik was named to the Grand Rapids Press' All-Area First Team while Reinhart was a second-team selection. The other "Beardsley's Best" first-team recipients included Calvin's Lisa Winkle, Jeanette Woodberry of Davenport along with Grand Valley State's Julia Braseth and Crystal Zick. In addition to Reinhart, the second-team selections featured Jackie Braspenninx (Aquinas), Marcia Harris (Calvin), Joslyn Narber (Aquinas) and Jenna Plewes (Cornerstone). Five others attained third-team recognition.

Calvin's Winkle claimed the women's Player of the Year honor while head coach John Ross of Calvin was honored as the area's Coach of the Year for the 2006-07 campaign. Folcik was mentioned as a candidate for women's Player of the Year laurels and FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk received consideration for the head coaching award.

The 6-1 Folcik, who was named to the Division II Kodak/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Honorable Mention All-America Team, earned All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (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. Additionally, she was selected as both a Daktronics and WBCA All-Region choice.

Folcik's 241 made field goals and 602 total points this season both represented school single-season marks while her 261 rebounds was the second-highest seasonal figure in FSU history. Folcik, who averaged a team-best 18.8 points per game, scored in double-figures 27 times this year and notched 13 double-double (points & rebounds) performances. A team captain, Folcik also averaged a squad-best 8.2 rebounds per game this campaign. She finished the year listed second overall in scoring and fifth in rebounds among the GLIAC's overall leaders while ranking second in both field goal (.555) and free throw (.860) percentage for all games played.

The 5-5 Reinhart received All-GLIAC North Division Second Team kudos for the third consecutive campaign as a team captain this season. Reinhart, who was chosen as this season's first recipient of the GLIAC Player of the Week honor (Nov. 21), totaled 25 double-figure scoring efforts and scored more than 20 points in nine outings this year. She concluded her career ranked among the program's top 10 all-time statistical leaders in eight categories, including third in assists (439) and fifth in scoring (1,424 points).

The Ferris State women's basketball squad posted a school-record 23 wins (23-9) this campaign while advancing to the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Championship Game for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs, who suffered a 79-69 loss to Drury (Mo.) in the regional final (March 12) at Romeoville, Ill., reached the NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen for the first time and recorded back-to-back wins in their first two national tournament games.

Prior to this year, Ferris had never won a game in the NCAA Tournament. Folcik and Reinhart were both chosen as NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional All-Tournament Team selections for their efforts in guiding the Bulldogs to a regional runner-up finish.