FERRIS' BRIDGET HORWITZ GARNERS ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS

Senior Standout Honored By College Sports Information Directors Of America

FSU senior forward/center Bridget Horwitz, shown here against Hillsdale earlier this season, has received first-team Academic All-District IV kudos

Senior forward/center Bridget Horwitz (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) of the 2004-05 Ferris State University women’s basketball team has been recognized as an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV College Division Women's Basketball First-Team selection in an announcement made today.

Horwitz and Ashland's Jackie Mason were the lone representatives from a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-member school named to the first team in voting conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Lake Superior State's Randi Johnson received second-team recognition.

Student-athletes must have reached at least sophomore status academically, maintain a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and also be a starter or key reserve for their team to be nominated. The District IV team is comprised of colleges and universities located in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. As a first-team recipient, Horwitz is now eligible to receive ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America consideration. Currently, she's pursuing a master's degree in business administration at Ferris State.

A two-time (2002-03) All-GLIAC North Division Second Team honoree, Horwitz presently ranks as FSU's leading rebounder (6.9 rpg) and second-leading scorer (14.6 ppg) to date this season. She has posted 20 double-digit scoring performances and five double-double (points & rebounds) efforts in 23 outings to date this campaign. The 2002-03 Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region Second-Team pick also attained GLIAC North Division Player of the Week accolades this season (Jan. 3). She currently ranks among the school's all-time top 10 career leaders in points (1,342), rebounds (683), blocked shots (119), made free throws (238), field goals made (551) and field goal percentage (.491).

Horwitz, who missed all of last season with an injury, was a two-time (12/9, 2/17) GLIAC North Division Player of the Week during the 2002-03 campaign. She totaled 420 points (16.8 ppg) and a team-leading 210 rebounds (8.4 rpg) in 25 appearances in 2002-03. The 6-2 Horwitz scored 10 points or more in 22 games while notching nine double-double (scoring & rebounding) performances.

The Bulldogs, who are presently 10-14 overall and 8-7 in league action, have clinched their sixth consecutive GLIAC Tournament berth. They will host Northwood Saturday, Feb. 19, in their regular-season home finale beginning at 1 p.m. (EST) inside FSU's Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich.

This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the Academic All-America program, which was founded by CoSIDA in 1952 to recognize collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field. Over the years, the program has grown into one of the most recognized and prestigious collegiate scholar-athlete awards nationwide, honoring student-athletes from all NCAA championship sports. This season marks ESPN The Magazine's first year of sponsoring the Academic All-America program, which was formerly endorsed by Verizon.

The 2004-05 campaign represents the fifth consecutive season in which Ferris State has had a player named to the Academic All-District IV First-Team as former players Debbie Killips (2000-01, 2001-02) and Lucy DeMartin (2002-03, 2003-04) were both two-time honorees. Both Killips and DeMartin went on to attain Verizon Academic All-America First Team kudos as Killips received the honor during the 2001-02 campaign and DeMartin earned the distinction a year ago.