INDIANA PRODUCT LATEST FERRIS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RECRUIT

Mandy Yoder Plans To Attend & Compete At FSU Starting In 2007-08

The 5-8 Yoder tallied 16 points, five rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest as a prep senior in 2006-07 for Northwood High School, which is located in Nappanee, Ind. Her squad posted an 18-4 overall record under prep head coach Steve Neff.

"Mandy's a steal for us," Bloodworth-Fisk said. "We rarely recruit out of state, but she contacted us because of her interest in FSU's architecture program. We brought her to campus and she was a perfect fit with the people in our program.

"She's a great team player who competes to win and is excited to be at Ferris," she added.

A four-year letterwinner, Yoder earned All-Northern Lakes Conference kudos for the fourth-straight year as a senior. The two-time (2005-06 & 2006-07) team Most Valuable Player Award recipient notched her 1,000th career point at the high school level and received Scholar-Athlete Award laurels for the fourth consecutive campaign in 2006-07.

Yoder, who ranks second on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,235 career points, helped NHS to the program's third sectional championship in as many years during her junior season (2005-06) by averaging 15 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest. The squad posted identical 20-5 marks in both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 campaigns. Yoder helped the program to a regional championship as a sophomore (2004-05) when she tallied 11.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

"Mandy has a solid all-around game and comes from a strong high school program," said Bloodworth-Fisk. "She has been extremely well-coached and is prepared to compete at the collegiate level. Northwood High School has an exceptional tradition."

Yoder led Northwood in free throw percentage her final three seasons after previously claiming team Most Improved Player Award honors as a freshman (2003-04). She was named as the area's Student-Athlete of the Week by WHMB Television Channel 46 this past season. Additionally, Yoder was among 40 players from across the state invited to try out for the Indiana All-Star Team. She earned the right to play for both the Nancey Rehm and South Bend Sports Festival All-Star Teams.

In addition to basketball, Yoder claimed three varsity letters in soccer and also competed in tennis for two years along with a season of track and field. Besides athletics, she was involved in other activities including the Euchre Club, 4-H and served as a school ambassador. The daughter of James and Retha Yoder, Mandy plans to major in architecture at Ferris State.

"She really loved what was available in terms of the architecture program at Ferris State," Bloodworth-Fisk said. "We're thankful both the students and faculty in the program at Ferris were helpful and showed her what she would be able to do with a degree in that field when she's all finished."

Yoder joins prep guards Katie Mount (Waterford/Mott) and Becci Houdek (Canton) in addition to forward Amy Joostberns (Nashville/Lakewood) as members of the Bulldogs’ current recruiting class.

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 Bloodworth-Fisk's ninth season at the helm.