NATIONAL RUNNERS-UP ANNOUNCE 2005-06 TEAM AWARD WINNERS

Senior Elena Robles (Torrance, Calif./Redondo Union) of the 2006 NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship runner-up Ferris State University women's golf team has been named the squad's Most Valuable Player for the 2005-06 season and junior Casey McKinnon (St. Ignace/LaSalle) was chosen as the recipient of the Bulldog Award in an announcement made by seventh-year head coach Brad Bedortha.

Robles, the 2006 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (GLIAC) Women's Golf Athlete of the Year, was selected as Ferris State's MVP for the third year in a row as she earned the honor in both the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. Robles attained National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) NCAA Division II All-America Second-Team accolades this season for the second consecutive time.

McKinnon, who also received the Bulldog Award in the 2003-04 season, garnered honorable mention All-America kudos this spring for the second time (2003-04) in her Ferris career.

The two were instrumental in leading Ferris State to its highest-placing ever in the school's athletics history with a second-place 925 team score at the three-round 2006 NCAA-II Women's Golf Championships (May 10-13) in Allendale, Mich. Robles and McKinnon paced the Bulldogs with third-place tying 226-stroke totals at the national tourney. FSU finished in a second-place tie at the four-round 2004 NCAA-II Women's Golf Championships in Longwood, Fla., as a result of totaling a 1,264 score.

Robles set a single-season school record by averaging 76.14 strokes (2,132 total strokes) in 28 rounds. She recorded a team-leading 11 top-20 finishes, including eight top-five placings. The three-time (2002-03, 2004-05 and 2005-06) All-GLIAC First-Teamer garnered top individual medalist in three tournaments (Ball State Cardinal Classic, Northwood Invitational, and Findlay William "Bing" Beall Classic) this season. Robles guided Ferris State to the 2006 GLIAC Championships title by carding a second-place 221 score in the three-round event. The 2002-03 GLIAC Freshman of the Year and 2003-04 second-team all-conference performer concluded her four-year career as Ferris' all-time strokes average leaders at 78.81 (8,827 total strokes) in 112 rounds of competition.

A three-time (2003-06) All-GLIAC First-Team selection, McKinnon averaged a career season-best 79.46 strokes (1,996 total strokes) in 25 rounds this season. Her 2005-06 season average presently is eighth-best ever among the Bulldogs' single-season leaders. McKinnon, who was the GLIAC's Freshman of the Year in 2003-04, produced five top-10 placings this campaign and had 10 in the top 20. The two-time (2003-04 and 2004-05) NGCA All-America Scholar-Athlete currently has posted an 80.77 career average (6,704 total strokes) in 83 rounds which ranks fifth on the program's career strokes average leaders chart.