The Ferris women's basketball squad will play a pair of GLIAC North Division contests this week. Junior guard Katie Loosvelt is shown handling the ball in Thursday's home triumph over Ashland.

FSU Basketball At A Glance: The Ferris State women’s basketball team squares off against Saginaw Valley State Wednesday, Jan. 31, in a 6 p.m. (EST) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) road outing at University Center, Mich. FSU then returns home to host Northwood Saturday, Feb. 3, in a 1 p.m. (EST) league tilt at Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Both games will be the first contest of a women’s and men’s doubleheader.

The Records: Ferris State, which owns a six-game winning streak, holds a current 14-6 overall record and is 8-3 in GLIAC action this season heading into Wednesday's contest. SVSU enters the game with a 7-12 mark and is 4-7 to date in league play. Northwood maintains a 9-10 overall ledger, but is only 3-8 in the GLIAC prior to Saturday's tilt.

Media Coverage: Both games will be carried live by Bulldog Radio, which can be heard locally on television Channel 21 both via on-campus cable and Charter Communications in Mecosta County. A live audio only webcast of both games will also be offered at www.bulldogradio.org. SVSU will offer live internet stats for Wednesday’s game at www.svsu.edu/athletics (click women’s basketball and then live stats link). A live video and audio webcast of Saturday’s game against NU will be available for a charge of $6 on FSU’s Athletics Website at www.ferris.edu/sports. Live internet statistics Saturday will be offered on FSU’s Athletics Website at www.ferris.edu/sports.

The Standings: Ferris enters this week’s play still one-game behind both Grand Valley State and Lake Superior State in the GLIAC North Division standings. GVSU and LSSU are both 9-2 in league play with FSU at 8-3 in the conference. Gannon is on top of the South Division with a 9-1 league mark. SVSU and NU are listed fifth (4-7) and sixth (3-8), respectively, in the North Division heading into this week’s conference play.

Ticket Info: Ticket information along with travel directions for Wednesday’s game at SVSU can be obtained by calling the Saginaw Valley State Athletics Office directly at (989) 964-7306. Tickets for Saturday’s home game will be available at the door. For more information, please contact the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at (231) 591-2888 or go online at www.starticketsplus.net. Tickets for home games are $7 (general admission) or $10 (reserved) for adults along with $5 for students (K-12) or faculty/staff. FSU students are admitted free of charge with identification. A family pass with two adult and two youth tickets is $15.

FSU Sweeps At Home: Ferris State increased its winning streak to six consecutive games with a pair of league home wins inside Jim Wink Arena last week. FSU topped Ashland 91-79 Thursday (Jan. 25) evening and then defeated Findlay 93-82 Saturday (Jan. 27). Senior guard Kristin Reinhart (East Lansing) averaged 18 points, five rebounds and four assists in the Bulldogs’ two victories over the weekend. Junior forward Rachel Folcik (Powers/Carney-Nadeau) also continued her impressive play for Ferris by scoring a team-high 26 points and grabbing seven rebounds versus Ashland.

Last Season: Ferris State wrapped up its 2005-06 women's basketball season with an 18-10 overall record and made its seventh consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance last campaign. FSU, which posted a third-place tying 12-6 mark in GLIAC North Division play a year ago, also registered its 10th consecutive season with 10 or more victories in 2005-06.

Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk: Ninth-year FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk presently ranks as Ferris’ all-time winningest coach with a current 149-93 (.616) career record at Ferris State. A 1996 graduate of Western Michigan, she guided FSU to a 22-7 mark and the school's first NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tourney appearance during the 1999-00 campaign. She spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Lake Michigan College (1994-97) and one season at Indianapolis (1997-98).

The Bulldog Tradition: The Ferris State women’s basketball program, which is midst its 33rd season of varsity competition, has compiled a 402-418 (.490) all-time mark. The Bulldogs won their only GLIAC crown, advanced to their first NCAA-II Great Lakes Regional Tournament and recorded the nation’s highest grade point average in 1999-2000. FSU, which also claimed GLIAC Tournament runner-up honors in 1999-00, has posted 10 or more victories 10 consecutive seasons to date.

Looking Back At 2003-04: The Bulldogs compiled a 21-10 overall record in 2003-04 and reached the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament for only the second time in school history. FSU was second (14-4) in the GLIAC North Division and advanced to the GLIAC Tournament title game during the 2003-04 campaign. The Bulldogs also recorded the program’s second-ever 20-win campaign three seasons ago.

The Bulldog Roster: Ferris’ 2006-07 roster includes three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen. Six of the 13 players are guards while the remaining seven are frontcourt players. All 13 players on the roster hail from Michigan.

Jim Wink Arena: Ferris has recorded a 59-24 (.711) overall record to date in games at Jim Wink Arena, including a 46-21 (.687) mark in league play. The 2,400-seat facility replaced the Old Jim Wink Arena, which was converted into the current Student Recreation Center after the 1997-98 campaign. FSU won its first 14 games in the facility.

On The Road: Ferris State is 186-133 (.583) overall since 1995-96 and sports a 107-89 (.546) record in road/neutral site contests during that span. The Bulldogs are 64-49 (.566) overall in road games under head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk, including a 47-31 (.603) record in GLIAC play.

The Team Captains: FSU senior guards Erin Miller (Niles) and Kristin Reinhart along with Rachel Folcik are serving as the Bulldogs’ team captains for the 2006-07 campaign. Miller picked up first team All-GLIAC and Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region Second Team accolades last campaign. Reinhart was named to the All-GLIAC North Division Second Team for the second consecutive season. Folcik started 26 contests.

Live Internet Stats: “Live Stats” of all 2006-07 Ferris State home games will be provided in progress via the internet. Visit the site at www.ferris.edu/sports and click the “Live Stats” icon to access.

B2 Broadband Webcasts: A live broadband video and audio webcast will be available via B2 Networks for FSU’s remaining home games this season. The cost is $6 per game and includes live video along with a radio audio feed. To access the service or obtain more info, please visit the FSU Athletics Website at www.ferris.edu/sports.

Listen To The Bulldogs: FSU women’s basketball (GLIAC games only) will be carried live this season through a partnership with Bulldog Radio, a registered student organization on the Ferris campus. The station can be heard locally on television Channel 21 both via on-campus cable and Charter Communications in Mecosta County. A live 24-hour webcast of the signal is also available at www.bulldogradio.org. Fans wishing to access the live internet broadcast of the GLIAC contests will also be able to visit the Bulldog Athletics Webcast icon at www.ferris.edu/sports.

On The Internet: Ferris State University Athletics’ official web site can be found at www.ferris.edu/sports. The site features information on all of FSU’s varsity athletics programs including rosters, statistics, yearbooks and more.

GLIAC Preseason Poll: Ferris State was picked to finish second in the 2006-07 GLIAC Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason North Division Poll released by the league office (Nov. 8). The Bulldogs totaled 29 points in the balloting, which was conducted by the conference's head coaches. A year ago, Ferris State took fourth place in the conference's preseason coaches poll with 23 points. Defending NCAA Division II National Champion Grand Valley State was selected as the North Division favorite as the Lakers recorded 36 points along with six first-place votes. Ashland claimed 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.

Academic Success: The Bulldogs have ranked among the nation’s top academic programs seven consecutive seasons, according to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll list. Ferris compiled a 3.350 grade point average in 2005-06 to place 20th overall in Division II. FSU had the nation’s highest gpa in 1999-00 and placed second in 2002-03.

Keep Up The Work: FSU’s Rachel Folcik has been recognized as the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week three times over the course of four weeks in January. The 6-1 Folcik has averaged 19.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs in the last 11 games while notching 10 double-figure scoring performances and recording seven double-double (points & rebounds) efforts in the stretch. In those 11 games, Folcik is shooting 58% (84-145) from the floor and has made 50-of-57 (.877) free throws. She recently tallied a personal career-high 37 points and had 10 rebounds in a road win at Mercyhurst (Jan. 18). A FSU player has earned the league’s weekly award distinction five times this campaign and 18 times in the last five seasons, including the current year, to date.

Bulldog Bites: Ferris head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk needs one more win to notch her 150th career coaching victory ...... The Bulldogs have outrebounded their opponents in 13 of 19 games this season ....... This year marks the 11th consecutive year the Bulldogs have won 10 or more games ........ Junior guard/forward Sam Johns (Allendale) scored her 500th career point versus Ashland ....... Erin Miller is only seven points shy of posting her 1,500th career point. She moved into a tie for third place on the school’s career steals chart during the Findlay game and currently has 198 career thefts ..... Sophomore forward Ashley Fleming (Posen/Rogers City) netted a career-high 10 points against the Oilers.

More FSU Notes: Five of FSU’s remaining eight regular-season tilts this campaign are at home ......... Rachel Folcik’s 37 points at Mercyhurst (Jan. 18) were the most recorded by a Bulldog player in a single game since former standout Jodi Raab notched a school-record 46 points against Wayne State in the 1992-93 season (2/6/93). Folcik earned her 900th career point against Ashland ........ Kristin Reinhart sank her 450th career field goal versus Findlay ....... Both Kristin Reinhart and Erin Miller are closing in on 400 career assists with 392 and 383, respectively, heading into Wednesday’s game.

What’s On Tap: Ferris continues its league homestand by hosting Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan next week at Jim Wink Arena. FSU takes on MTU Thursday, Feb. 8, starting at 6 p.m. (EST) and will host NMU Saturday, Feb. 10, with tipoff set for 1 p.m. (EST).

Statistics Notes: The Bulldogs are currently ranked fifth nationally in field goal percentage (.466) along with seventh in scoring offense (80.0 ppg), ninth in three-point percentage (.381) and 16th in assists (17.8 apg) according to the latest (Jan. 29) NCAA-II National Statistics. FSU currently leads the GLIAC in scoring offense, rebounding offense (41.5 rpg), assist/turnover ratio (1.0) and assists while ranking second in rebounding margin (+5.2), free throw, three-point and field goal percentage for all games played overall .... Rachel Folcik is third overall in both scoring (17.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.4 rpg) within the GLIAC. She’s listed 20th nationally in field goal percentage (.550) along with 36th in scoring.

FSU vs. SVSU/Northwood Notebook:

Scouting SVSU: The Cardinals hold a 39-26 advantage heading into Wednesday’s 66th series meeting. However, FSU has won 15 of the last 16 meetings and defeated the Cardinals 82-71 in the most recent game (12/2/06) this year at Big Rapids, Mich. The two teams split a pair of meetings last campaign as SVSU pulled out a 76-67 triumph in the initial contest (12/3/05) at University Center, Mich. FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk presently has a 15-2 career coaching mark versus SVSU. The Cardinals, who are currently 7-12 overall and 4-7 in the GLIAC this season, lost a 63-56 league home decision to Northern Michigan Saturday (Jan. 27). Junior guard Jenna Schroeder is the squad’s leading scorer (14.4 ppg) to date this year. Last year, the Cardinals compiled a 8-19 record and finished tied for fifth place (5-13) in GLIAC North Division play. SVSU, which is coached by third-year head coach Vonnie Killmer, placed sixth in the 2006-07 GLIAC Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason North Division Poll. SVSU has lost three-straight games to date this year.

Scouting Northwood: The Bulldogs maintain a 40-12 advantage heading into this Saturday’s 53rd series meeting. FSU has won 22 consecutive series’ games and beat NU 94-81 in the last meeting (11/30/06) earlier this year at Midland, Mich. FSU head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk presently has a 17-0 career coaching record against the Timberwolves. Ferris State is 21-4 (home), 19-7 (road) and 0-1 (neutral) all-time to date versus NU. Northwood is presently 9-10 overall and 3-8 in the GLIAC following Saturday’s (Jan. 27) 85-65 league home loss to Michigan Tech. Northwood, which is led in scoring by senior guard Sara Bilunes (11.5 ppg), was 10-16 overall in 2005-06 and placed fifth (5-13) in the GLIAC’s North Division. The Timberwolves, who are guided by third-year head coach Jeff Curtis, were picked to finish fifth in the 2006-07 GLIAC North Division Preseason Coaches Poll. NU has dropped four of its last six outings to date heading into Saturday’s game.