KLOBUCHER, FOLCIK AND SMILANICH NAMED BULLDOGS OF THE YEAR

Trio Chosen As 2006-07 Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" Award Recipients

The award winners were selected by a FSU Athletics Department committee.

The Dean Davenport “Bulldog of the Year” Award, which was reinstated in the 2002-03 season following a seven-year absence, is presented annually to the most outstanding Ferris State male and female student-athlete. Award criteria consists of strong athletic achievements (must be a letterwinner and achieve outstanding athletic accomplishment), strong individual character and academic achievement.

The award was renamed in honor of former Ferris State Athletics Director Dean Davenport, who served in the position from 1979-93. During his tenure at Ferris, Davenport was instrumental in the planning of the FSU Sports Complex, the growth of women's intercollegiate athletics, the emergence of Ferris' NCAA Division I men's ice hockey program and the development of the athletics scholarship program. He also led the athletics department to 14 consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) President's Cup Championships. Davenport founded the "Bulldog of the Year", "Pete Peterson Pride" and "Jimmy Swears Courage" Awards at Ferris State.

Klobucher, a three-year starter at middle linebacker for the Bulldog football team, received All-America honors both academically and athletically following the 2006 campaign as nationally-ranked Ferris produced its best record since 1996 at 8-3-0 overall. The two-time (2005-06) team defensive co-captain was honored as a 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Football First-Team member as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and was also named to the 2006 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches All-America Team.

The 2006 All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) First-Team pick and two-time (2005-06) FSU Most Valuable Player paced Ferris in tackles for the third consecutive year with 92 total stops (47 solos) in 10 2006 season contests. Klobucher, who was the recipient of the 2006 GLIAC's Jack H. McAvoy Award for outstanding character and leadership, concluded his four-year career ranking seventh among the program's all-time leaders with 389 career tackles (206 solos) in 42 games. He was named to the 2006 National Football Foundation's (NFF) National Scholar-Athlete Class and was a finalist for the prestigious Draddy Trophy, which is awarded annually to college football's top scholar-athlete. Klobucher was also inducted into the inaugural NFF National Honor Society in late April.

A 2007 NCAA Division II Kodak/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Honorable Mention All-American, Folcik 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 in the 2006-07 campaign. Folcik averaged a team-leading 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 en route to being tabbed as the 2006-07 team's Most Valuable Player.

Folcik attained the conference's divisional Player of the Week Award honor six times during the season and became only the 14th player in school history to notch her 1,000th career point this season. Her 241 made field goals and 602 total points in the 2006-07 campaign both represented school single-season marks while her 261 rebounds was the second-highest seasonal figure in FSU history. The forward-center was named to the 2006-07 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Women's Basketball College Division Second Team as well as both the Division II Kodak/WBCA All-Region and Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region First Team squads. Folcik played an instrumental role in leading the nationally-ranked 2006-07 Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history and a school-record 23 victories (23-9 overall).

Smilanich earned the distinction of being the first-ever All-American in the eight-year history of the Ferris State women's soccer program as the midfielder was tabbed as a 2006 Daktronics NCAA Division II Womens' Soccer All-America First-Team honoree. Smilanich, who was previous chosen as a 2007 Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region First-Team selection, totaled a team-high 39 points and 18 goals for the 2006 season while attaining first-team All-GLIAC recognition. Her 39-points total this past fall marked the program's top seasonal performance in school history while her 18 goals also ranked as the program's top single-season performance ever.

Smilanich, who recorded five multiple-goal game efforts this past season, was the 2006 team's recipient of the Attacking Player of the Year Award as the Bulldogs concluded the campaign at 7-11 overall. She became only the second individual in the program's history to garner all-region kudos and the first-ever player chosen as a first-team all-region honoree by Daktronics. Smilanich presently has 67 career points and 27 total goals, which are both second best all-time on Ferris' career performers list.

Prior to this season, the only two previous times three student-athletes were honored for this award was in the 1982-83 and 1986-87 seasons. Bruce Faccio (football), Monta Ware (women's basketball) and Linda Spicer (women's volleyball) were 1982-83 award winners while Brad Morris (wrestling), Patty Theis (women's volleyball) and Karen Kramer (women's basketball) were the award recipients for the 1986-87 season.

Bulldog of the Year Recipients
2006-07 – Mike Klobucher (Football), Rachel Folcik (Women's Basketball), and Kristie Smilanich (Women's Soccer)
2005-06 – Dennis Springs (Men's Basketball), Jenny Irwin (Women's Cross Country and Women's Track & Field)
2004-05 – Carlton Epps (Men's Basketball), Karla Fairbanks (Women's Volleyball)
2003-04 – Derek Fudge (Football), Lucy DeMartin (Women's Basketball)
2002-03 – Chris Kunitz (Men's Ice Hockey), Kathryn Bobbie (Women's Golf)
1995-96 – Bill Love (Football), Theresa Luciow (Softball)
1994-95 – Bill Love (Football), Shelli Gaul (Women’s Track & Field)
1993-94 – Ed Philion (Football), Kathy O’Connor (Women’s Volleyball & Women’s Basketball)
1992-93 – Monty Brown (Football), Jodi Raab (Women’s Basketball)
1991-92 – Dan Hutcheson (Wrestling), Monica Ferguson (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field)
1990-91 – John DePourcq (Men’s Ice Hockey), Karen Volkers (Women’s Volleyball)
1989-90 – Paul Cochran (Men’s Track & Field/Football), Karen Volkers (Women’s Volleyball)
1988-89 – Jarvis Walker (Men’s Basketball), Penny Bailey (Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country)
1987-88 – Dave DenBraber (Football), Patty Theis (Women’s Volleyball)
1986-87 – Brad Morris (Wrestling), Patty Theis (Women's Volleyball) and Karen Kramer (Women’s Basketball)
1985-86 – Scott Kelly (Baseball), Patty Theis (Women’s Volleyball)
1984-85 – Paul Jungck (Wrestling), Sharon Sanders (Women’s Volleyball)
1983-84 – Terry Schumacher (Wrestling), Leigh Feenstra (Women’s Volleyball)
1982-83 – Bruce Faccio (Football), Monta Ware (Women’s Basketball) and Linda Spicer (Women's Volleyball)
1981-82 – Tim Smelser (Wrestling), Vicki Williams (Women’s Basketball)
1980-81 – Rick Baillergeon (Men's Basketball), Terri Fraser (Women’s Volleyball & Women's Basketball)
1979-80 – David Sall (Football), Roxanne Abramouski (Softball)
1978-79 – Tim Herman (Men's Basketball), Sharon Lipinski (Women’s Basketball)