2006 FERRIS STATE ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS ANNOUNCED

Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame to Induct Nine This Year

Bohnet	Casler	Fleming
Gillard	Gionfriddo	Love
Mooney	Pollack	Scovill

Nine athletes spanning four decades and nine different sports are included in the Ferris State University Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2006, which will be inducted later this month.

Chosen as the Class of 2006 are: Mike Bohnet of Jerome, men's basketball (1959-62); Mark Casler of Westminster, Colo., men's swimming (1986-90); Tony Fleming of Detroit, men's track and cross country (1973-76); Doug Gillard of Morgan Hill, Calif., men's track (1980-83); Christie (Duthie) Gionfriddo of Sarasota, Fla., women's swimming (1990-94); Bill Love of Washington, Mich., football (1991-95); Doug Mooney of Stafford, Va., wrestling (1987-90); Amy (Summers) Pollack of Grand Rapids, women's golf (1988-92); and Jodi (Raab) Scovill of Fennville, women's basketball (1989-93).

In addition, former (1990-93) Bulldog football player Ed Philion of Lorraine, Quebec, who was inducted as a member of the 2005 class, will be honored after being unable to attend last year's banquet.

A 14-member Selection Committee of faculty, staff, alumni and community members chose the inductees from among 46 nominees.

The nine new inductees will join 66 honorees already enshrined during the seventh annual Induction Banquet on Oct. 27 at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Big Rapids. The Ballroom opens at 6 p.m. (EDT) with a reception in honor of this year's inductees. The dinner runs from 7-8 p.m. (EDT) and the induction program follows until approximately 10 p.m. (EDT).

The Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame, which inducted its Charter Class in 2000, was established to honor those student-athletes and coaches who have distinguished themselves in their sport or honorary members who made truly exceptional contributions to athletics.

Casler (men's swimming), Gionfriddo (women's swimming) and Pollack (women's golf) will represent the first former student-athletes to be inducted from each of their respective sports.

For ticket information, please contact Ferris State Associate Athletics Director for Advancement Brian Kegler at (231) 591-2970.

Following are thumbnail sketches of each new inductee:

Mike Bohnet – The 6-4 Bohnet scored 1,380 points and had 606 rebounds as a Bulldog men's basketball player from 1959-62. He presently ranks among the top 10 career scoring and rebounding leaders at Ferris State, which represents the highest placings of any Ferris State player other than current Hall of Fame member Bernie Kilpatrick from the pre-1965 era. Bohnet's 21.6 points per game average in his final campaign (1961-62) currently stands as the school's third-best senior class scoring figure while his team-high 23.2 ppg total in 1960-61 also ranks third among Ferris' all-time junior class performers. He led FSU to a 23-3 record and an NAIA National Tournament appearance in his final season under head coach Jim Wink after compiling a 17-5 ledger in the prior campaign. The three-year letterwinner from Lansing set a then-school record with 540 total points as a senior in 1961-62. His 286 rebounds in 1961-62 presently ranks as Ferris' third-best single-season mark. Bohnet's 549 career made field goals currently is listed 11th on the school's all-time chart while his 218 made baskets as a senior is the program's 10th-best single-season figure. He totaled a team-high 399 points in his sophomore season (1959-60) as FSU finished 15-6 overall and reached the NAIA National Tournament. Bohnet, who led Ferris in both scoring and rebounding as a senior, compiled the Bulldogs' second-best junior class rebounding average (11.6 rpg) in 1960-61. He was a two-time Michigan NAIA All-Star pick. Bohnet, who was also a high jump record holder for track coach Norm Bennett, played pro basketball with the Kansas City Steers of the ABL and the Grand Rapids Tackers. He presently resides with his family in Jerome, Mich.

Mark Casler – One of the school's top all-time performers in the pool, Casler served as team captain twice and was chosen team Most Valuable Performer three times during his collegiate career from 1986-90. He continues to hold school records in the 50-yard freestyle (20.69), 100-yard freestyle (46.24) and the 200-yard freestyle (1:42.39). In addition, he also recorded top all-time efforts in the 100-yard backstroke (52.13) and swam on two record-setting school relay teams in the 400-yard medley relay (3:31.41) and the 400-yard free relay (3:08.45). The veteran swimmer also posted pool records in both the 50-yard freestyle (21.46) and the 100-yard freestyle (47.10) at FSU. The Lansing Everett High School product recorded the squad's top performances in 10 different events during the 1989-90 season. He placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke (52.13) to earn All-America honors at the 1990 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. He also finished 12th in the 100-yard freestyle (46.24) and 15th in the 200-yard freestyle (1:42.15). He won a league title in the 100-yard backstroke as a senior under head coach Rick Kowalkoski while leading the Bulldogs to a runner-up conference finish. As a junior, Casler won the 100-yard backstroke (54.24) at the league meet and was the lead swimmer in the school's record-setting 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relays. He also had the Bulldogs' best times in the 50-yard (21.28) and 100-yard (48.16) freestyle events along with the 100-yard backstroke (54.22). During his freshman season, Casler posted season-best times in four different individual events for Ferris State and also swam a leg on four different relay teams. The Bulldogs earned conference runner-up accolades in each of his four seasons at FSU. Casler, who earned a degree in hospitality management from Ferris, currently lives in Westminster, Colo.

Tony Fleming – A four-year (1973-76) standout, Fleming received All-America recognition in 1976 after placing third in the mile run at the NAIA National Indoor Meet and sixth in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Meet. He was also a member of the two-mile relay team that placed fifth. Fleming set school records in the mile run (4:11), three-mile run (14:26) and the 1,500-meter run (3:49.14) during his career. A product of Detroit, Fleming was the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Track Champion in the 1,500 meters during the 1975 season while attaining conference indoor track champion status in both the 600-yard and mile run events the following year. He set a school indoor track mark in the 3,000 meters (8:16.04) in 1976. In cross country, Fleming was an all-conference and all-district runner in 1973 and placed 85th at the NAIA National Championships. Fleming earned 12 varsity letters and was captain of the 1974 and 1975 cross country teams along with the 1976 indoor and outdoor track teams. He serves as a supervising nutritionist in the Detroit Health Department and is captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. He now makes his home in Detroit.

Doug Gillard – A six-time All-America performer in the hammer throw and the 35-pound weight throw, Gillard continues to hold school records in both the indoor weight throw (60-2) and the outdoor hammer throw (200-11). The two-time (1981 & 1983) FSU Most Valuable Performer Award recipient later captured fifth-place at the 1988 Olympic Tryouts in Indianapolis, falling one spot short of an Olympic berth in the hammer throw. In 1980, Gillard placed fifth at the NAIA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw and was sixth at the NCAA-II Outdoor Championships in the same event, becoming the school's first All-America performer in a men's weight event. He finished second in the hammer throw at the 1981 NAIA Outdoor Championships and third at the 1981 NCAA-II Outdoor Championships. Gillard registered a second-place hammer throw finish in 1983 at the NCAA-II Championships. He also took fifth place in the 35-pound weight throw at the 1981 NAIA Indoor Championships. Gillard was a four-time GLIAC Champion, winning two league indoor titles in the weight throw and two outdoor titles in the hammer throw. In his junior indoor campaign (1980-81), Gillard helped lead FSU to a third-place finish at both the GLIAC and NAIA District 23 Championships. The Muskegon Mona Shores graduate was the school's first athlete to ever qualify to take part in the NCAA Division I Championships. Gillard later posted what was then the 11th-farthest toss (234-4) in U.S. Track and Field hammer throw history at a national Olympic tune-up meet. Gillard and his family make their residence in Morgan Hill, Calif.

Christie (Duthie) Gionfriddo – Gionfriddo became FSU's first women's swimming All-America performer by placing sixth (2:09.29) in the 200-yard butterfly at the 1993 NCAA-II Championships. She then attained honorable mention All-America accolades in four events during her final season (1994) including the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly, 500-yard freestyle and the 1650-yard freestyle. A three-time team Most Valuable Swimmer Award recipient, Gionfriddo also earned team Most Improved Swimmer Award kudos in 1994 along with being inducted into the team's Swimming Hall of Fame. The North Farmington High School standout held nine school marks when the program was disbanded following her senior season. The 1993 GLIAC Champion in the 200-yard butterfly, Gionfriddo helped guide Ferris to an 8-2 overall dual mark and a 20th-place national finish as a senior under head coach Rick Kowalkoski. Gionfriddo, who was an All-GLIAC finalist in four events her final campaign, also ranks among the program's top eight all-time individuals in eight events. The two-time FSU Dean's Academic Award recipient helped Ferris garner NCAA Division II Women's Swimming Team All-Academic Award recognition in 1993. Gionfriddo, who graduated from Ferris with a bachelor's degree in business education, currently resides in Sarasota, Fla., with her husband, Gregg. The couple has a son, Hunter, and a daughter, Kaley.

Bill Love – Love led Ferris to a NCAA-II National Semifinal appearance in 1995. The two-time All-America quarterback finished second overall in the voting for the 1995 Harlon Hill Trophy, which is annually awarded to the best Division II player in college football. The 6-1, 200-pound Love threw for 7,752 career yards and 49 touchdowns during his collegiate career. As a senior, he was afforded the team's highest individual honor and earned the 1995 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC) Player of the Year Award as Ferris secured its fourth consecutive conference title and recorded its third-straight undefeated regular season. He played his final season under current Bulldog head coach Jeff Pierce after spending his earlier seasons under former head coach Keith Otterbein. The two-time (1994-95) first team all-conference honoree was an honorable mention offensive pick in his first season (1993) as the starting quarterback. He was also voted the league's Offensive Back of the Year in 1995. As a senior, he earned numerous All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association (1st), College Sports Information Directors of America (1st), American Football Quarterly (1st), Associated Press (2nd), C.M. Frank (2nd) and the Football Gazette (2nd). He currently ranks third all-time in career passing yards at Ferris State as he completed 565 career passes out of 1,012 attempts (55.8%). He's also listed third all-time in total offense (176.3 ypg). His 2,835 passing yards as a senior represents the school's second-best single-season figure while his 2,491 yards in 1993 is the program's fifth-best seasonal mark. He threw for 2,332 yards in 1994 to rank seventh on FSU's single-season leaders chart. Love played his prep football at Stevenson High School in Sterling Heights, Mich. He earned a bachelor's degree in business management from Ferris and now lives in Washington, Mich., along with his wife, Renee, and their two daughters. He works as an architectural consultant.

Doug Mooney – A Bulldog wrestling great, Mooney placed second at 177 pounds in 1989 while earning his second of three All-America finishes. He also took third place in both 1988 and 1990. In addition, Mooney was a two-time (1989-90) first-team academic All-America honoree. He was named FSU's Most Outstanding Wrestler as a senior in 1989-90 after registering a 22-5 record and leading the Bulldogs to a 9-1 dual mark and a ninth-place finish at the NCAA-II Championships. A team captain as a senior, Mooney was both a three-time NCAA-II Mideast Region and GLIAC Champion. He led FSU to both four consecutive league and regional titles during his varsity career as well as a number one national ranking in 1988-89. Mooney registered a 23-8-2 slate along with four pins as a junior while helping Ferris achieve its most successful season ever with a second place NCAA-II Championships finish. As a sophomore (1987-88), the Burlington, Ontario, native finished 26-4 overall as FSU concluded the campaign with an 8-1 dual record and a fourth-place national finish. Mooney garnered 1987-88 NCAA-II Mideast Region Rookie of the Year Award recognition. The Nelson High School graduate was a three-year letterwinner at FSU and finished his career with a 71-9-2 individual record. He was also the Canadian National Greco-Roman champ in the 82-kilo class. Presently, he and his family reside in Stafford, Va.

Amy (Summers) Pollack – Pollack became Ferris first National Golf Coaches Association Women's All-American following a third-place finish at the 1992 NCAA-II Championships. The Kalkaska native currently ranks among FSU's all-time leaders in single-season stroke average as she posted an 80.0 stroke average in 1991-92 over 19 rounds of play. She placed 95th overall at the 1992 NCAA Division I Championships after leading FSU to a fourth place Division II team finish in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. She was the first FSU women's golfer to advance to nationals on an individual basis. Pollack, who received Ferris' team Most Valuable Player Award four times, continues to rank among the school's all-time leaders with an 84.78 career stroke average over 50 rounds. She led the Bulldogs in stroke average all four seasons she played. In her junior campaign (1990-91), she compiled an 87.17 average over 12 rounds of play. As a sophomore (1989-90), Pollack shot 88.56 in nine rounds. She totaled an 87.60 effort while playing 10 rounds in her freshman season (1988-89). Pollack, who garnered FSU's Bulldog Award for dedication and hard work in her final campaign, was the individual medallist in the 1991 Michigan Wolverine Invitational. She currently serves as as PGA Head Golf Professional at the Boulder Creek Golf Club and lives in Grand Rapids along with her husband, Joe, and son, Samuel.

Jodi (Raab) Scovill – A Big Rapids native and former Cardinal basketball and softball star, Scovill set numerous school records as a Bulldog women's basketball standout while starting all 106 of her collegiate contests. She was a second-team All-GLIAC choice as both a sophomore and senior along with being named FSU's team Most Valuable Player in her final season. Scovill posted what was then a school career record for free throws made with 345 in her career. Her 491 career assists currently ranks second all-time at FSU while her 1,210 career points is also included among the Bulldogs' all-time leaders. She set a Ferris record for single-game scoring when she tallied 46 points against Wayne State as a senior and continues to hold current single-game highs for free throws made (15) in addition to assists (15) at FSU. As a senior, Scovill was named national offensive player of the week for the Division II ranks. The 1992-93 Bulldog of the Year Award recipient later was inducted into the Mecosta County Sports Hall of Fame, becoming the youngest person and first woman ever to earn such the distinction. Scovill and her husband, Mark, have two sons and live in Fennville.

2005 Inductee (To be recognized at this year's banquet):

Philion

Ed Philion – Philion was a first-team Kodak & Football Gazette All-America pick as a senior in 1993 after leading FSU to a 9-1-2 mark and the school's second consecutive playoff appearance under head coach Keith Otterbein. The three-time All-Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference honoree registered 335 tackles and 29 sacks during his FSU playing career before beginning his current professional career, which began in 1994. The 1991 and 1993 FSU Most Valuable Player Award recipient presently ranks tied for ninth among the school's all-time tackle leaders and is third in career sacks. He posted a school and personal career-high 14 sacks in 1992 as Ferris recorded a 10-3 overall record. Philion continues to hold school records for fumble recoveries in a game (3) and career tackles for loss (56). The 6-3, 285-pound Philion has played the last eight seasons for the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes after having been traded by the Calgary Stampeders in June 1999. The two-time CFL East Division All-Star helped Montreal win the CFL's Grey Cup Championship in 2002. An 11th overall first-round pick in the 1994 CFL Draft, Philion played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 National Football League preseason before being released in August of 1998. The defensive tackle led the Rhein Fire to the inaugural NFL Europe World Bowl title in '98 and was an all-league selection. Philion, who was out of football in 1997, played in 1996 for the Carolina Panthers after having been claimed on waivers from Buffalo. He re-signed with Buffalo before the '96 season after originally inking a contract with the Bills in 1994. The Essex (Ontario) District High School product currently lives in Lorraine, Quebec, with his wife and three sons.

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