VAN CULIN IS FERRIS' CCHA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

*2004-05 CCHA Scholar-Athletes of the Year Release* PDF

Ferris State University sophomore defenseman Joe Van Culin (Monticello, Minn.) has been designated as Ferris' representative for the 2004-05 Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year in an announcement made Tuesday (March 8) by the league office.

From the group of 11 outstanding student-athletes, the CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be announced at the 2005 CCHA Awards event to be held Wednesday, March 16, at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Mich. The event, which is open to the public, will begin with a social hour at 7 p.m. (EST) followed by the awards presentation at 8:15 p.m. (EST). Tickets, which are $10 apiece, may be purchased at the door or by mailing a check or money order to: CCHA, 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Farmington Hills, MI. 48335.

The faculty representative at each school, in consultation with the head coach, selected the institution's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Each school's Scholar-Athlete of the Year serves as the school's nominee for CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. All league-member schools nominated a Scholar-Athlete of the Year with the exception of Michigan State.

Joe Van Culin has been designated as Ferris State's CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominee.

Nominees must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 through the fall term of the selection year to receive their school's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. The CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be selected by the 12 faculty representatives with voting based on a system awarding five points for a first-place vote, three points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote.

Van Culin, a business administation major at Ferris State, has 10 points on three goals and seven assists in 36 contests this season. The defenseman has posted a plus one efficiency rating while notching one power-play and one game-winning goal apiece this campaign. He registered a career-best two-point game in a 5-3 home triumph against Connecticut (11/12) with a goal and an assist each.

In 56 career appearances, Van Culin has produced 13 points with four goals and nine assists to go with a plus five efficiency rating.

The Bulldogs, who have posted a 12-20-4 overall mark and a 7-17-4 CCHA ledger, begin a best-of-three CCHA Tournament First-Round series this weekend (March 11-13) versus the nationally-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at OSU's Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The puck drops for this Friday's tourney opener at 7:05 p.m. (EST) and Saturday's rematch will also commence at the same time. The starting time for this Sunday's encounter, if necessary, has yet to be determined.