FERRIS’ MARTIN HOCH NAMED TO VERIZON ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM

Junior Tennis Player Earns College Division Spring At-Large First-Team Kudos

Junior Martin Hoch (Bludenz, Austria) of the Ferris State University men’s tennis team has been named to the 2003-04 Verizon Academic All-District IV College Division Spring Men’s At-Large First Team which was announced today (May 27) by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The Verizon Academic All-District IV team was voted on by members of CoSIDA from District IV, which encompasses Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. To qualify, student-athletes must have reached at least sophomore status academically, maintain a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and also be a starter or key reserve for their team to be nominated. The At-Large Team represents student-athletes from the following men’s sports: gymnastics, skiing, fencing, ice hockey, swimming, water polo, wrestling, lacrosse, tennis, golf, volleyball and rifle. Hoch was one of 10 first-team honorees and joined Wayne State swimmers Jason Jweda along with David Lutz as the only Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-member school men’s first-team representatives. As a first-team recipient, Hoch is now eligible to receive Verizon Academic All-America consideration.

Hoch garnered first-team All-GLIAC plaudits for the third-straight season after posting a 15-11 overall singles mark and a 21-8 doubles performance during the 2003-04 campaign. The 6-1 Hoch won five of seven league singles outings and was unbeaten (6-0) in GLIAC doubles competition. Hoch, who was the region's seventh-ranked doubles competitor in the latest (April 12) Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II rankings, presently holds a 40-27 (.597) career singles record and a 57-22 (.722) doubles mark to date. He is presently five doubles wins shy of tying Werner Huss (1991-94) and Lee Isler (1982-85) for ninth place on the school’s career leaders list.

Hoch received the team’s Most Improved Player Award in 2002-03 by virtue of finishing league singles play at 8-0 and attaining an 18-7 overall individual record at the number three flight. The 2003 GLIAC All-Academic Team selection also registered a 23-7 doubles mark during the 2002-03 campaign. He posted 7-9 singles and 13-7 doubles records as a freshman in 2001-02.

Ferris State advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2004 NCAA Division II Championships (May 12-15) at Sanlando Park 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.) in the national quarterfinals (May 13). The Bulldogs made their 10th overall NCAA-II Tournament appearance and eighth berth in the national finals round during the 2003-04 campaign.

This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the Verizon Academic All-America program, which was founded by CoSIDA in 1952 to recognize collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field. Over the years, the Verizon Academic All-America program has grown into one of the most recognized and prestigious collegiate scholar-athlete awards nationwide, honoring student-athletes from all NCAA championship sports.