2003-04 FERRIS STATE MEN’S TENNIS AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Senior Francisco Valencia Garners Team Most Valuable Player Award Recognition

A four-time (2001-04) All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) First-Teamer, Valencia compiled both a 18-8 overall singles and 20-8 doubles record this campaign. Valencia, who was ranked 43rd nationally in the latest (April 12) Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II National Singles rankings, was the Great Lakes Region's second-ranked singles player and number seven doubles competitor this season. He won his final six regular-season individual matches this campaign including GLIAC Tournament (April 16-17) victories over Northwood's Gerrit Lotz and Wayne State's Sebastian Foka, who were ranked first and third, respectively, in the latest regional rankings. Valencia registered a 4-2 singles and 6-0 doubles record in conference matches this season.

Valencia, who previously received the ITA’s 2003-04 Great Lakes Region Senior Player of the Year Award, concluded his career with a 137-64 (.682) combined overall singles and doubles mark. He presently ranks seventh among the school’s all-time leaders in combined victories. The 5-7 Valencia posted a 77-31 (.713) career doubles record and a 60-33 (.645) singles mark, which rank fifth and ninth, respectively, on FSU’s all-time leaders list to date.

The team’s Most Improved Player Award was presented to junior Jason Cole (Rockford). The 6-3 Cole earned first-team all-conference honors this campaign after previously picking up second-team kudos two consecutive seasons (2002-03). The two-time (2002-03) GLIAC All-Academic Team member registered a 24-5 overall ledger in singles play and a 23-9 doubles record this campaign. He earned both regional singles and doubles runner-up recognition at the 2003 ITA Great Lakes Regional Championships held last fall (Sept. 26-28) at Midland, Mich. Cole, who was ranked second regionally in doubles play and fifth in the singles field, teamed with former Bulldog player Jan Talian to win the regional doubles crown and place second overall in the Division II draw at the 2002 Omni Hotels National Small College Championships (10/17-20) in Corpus Christi, Texas. Cole was 7-0 in GLIAC singles play and 6-1 in conference doubles matches this season.

Ferris State, which was ranked 28th in the latest (April 29) ITA Division II national poll, advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2004 NCAA Division II Championships last week (May 12-15) in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The Bulldogs, who claimed their fifth consecutive regional crown this campaign, recorded their first-ever NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen victory (May 12) with a 5-2 triumph over Kutztown (Pa.). FSU concluded the season with an 18-9 overall record after dropping a 5-0 decision to Rollins (Fla.) last Thursday (May 13) in the national quarterfinals. The Bulldogs made their 10th overall NCAA-II Tournament appearance and eighth berth in the national finals round during the 2003-04 campaign.