FSU Volleyball At A Glance - The Ferris State University women’s volleyball team returns home to host three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) opponents this weekend (Friday, Oct. 25-Sunday, Oct. 27) in its final regular-season homestand of the 2002 campaign. The Bulldogs will battle Michigan Tech this Friday at 7 p.m. (EDT) in FSU’s Ewigleben (pronounced A-VAH-glave-in) Sports Arena at Big Rapids. Ferris will then square off against Lake Superior State this Saturday in a 4 p.m. (EDT) encounter and take on Northern Michigan this Sunday at 1 p.m. (EST).

Bulldogs Sweep League Matches - Ferris State, which is ranked tied for 22nd overall in the latest (Oct. 15) American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II national poll, swept two league road matches last weekend (Oct. 18-19). The Bulldogs defeated Hillsdale by a score of 3-1 last Friday (Oct. 18) at HC’s Jessie Phillips Arena in Hillsdale, Mich. FSU then handed Wayne State a 3-1 setback last Saturday (Oct. 19) in WSU’s Matthaei Complex at Detroit, Mich. Ferris, presently 20-3 overall and 11-1 in league action, is ranked second in the latest (Oct. 16) NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional rankings. The next national rankings are slated to be released this Tuesday (Oct. 22).

Last Season - Ferris State concluded the 2001 campaign with a 21-11 overall record, which included a second-place tying 12-6 GLIAC North Division finish. The Bulldogs advanced to the GLIAC Tournament championship match (11/10/01) for the third time in the last four seasons and dropped a 3-0 decision versus Northwood.

The 30th Season Of Bulldog Volleyball - The 2002 campaign marks the 30th anniversary of the Ferris State women’s volleyball program. Since the program’s inception in 1972, the Bulldogs have compiled a 648-372 (.635) overall record. Ferris has won eight GLIAC titles, made 10 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and registered 22 winning seasons in its previous 29 campaigns. FSU needs two wins to garner its 650th all-time victory.

Another 20-Win Season - Ferris State registered its fifth consecutive 20-win campaign with two victories last weekend. The Bulldogs, who have recorded at least 20 victories in a season 16 times, are presently 113-41 (.734) overall since the start of the 1998 campaign. The 1984 FSU squad won a NCAA-II record 46 consecutive matches en route to a school-best 48-3 overall mark. Ferris’ current 11-1 GLIAC mark represents its best league start since posting a 16-0 conference record in 1990.

Home Court Advantage - Ferris State is 208-55 (.791) at Ewigleben Sports Arena since 1981 and sports a 122-39 (.758) conference home mark during that span. The Bulldogs are 109-39 (.736) overall at home since 1990, which includes a 75-35 (.682) conference mark.

Olds Climbs Up The Charts - Senior middle hitter Alaina Olds (Kingsley) tallied 44 kills, 20 digs and six total blocks while registering a .535 attack percentage (44-6-71) in two outings last week. The 2001 American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II All-Great Lakes Region First-Team selection presently has 1,094 career kills and moved past former Bulldog standout Erin Minnis (1998-01) into 11th place on the school's career kills chart last weekend. Olds currently has 420 career blocks and needs 23 more to move into a tie for fifth place with Laura Lee (443; 1986-89) on Ferris' career blocks leaders list. The 5-11 Olds has registered at least one kill in 71 consecutive appearances and has garnered 10 or more kills in 18 consecutive matches to date. A second-team 2001 Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region pick, Olds is both Ferris’ kills (4.46 kpg) and blocks (1.15 bpg) leader this season. She currently ranks third among FSU’s career leaders in attack percentage (.288) and has compiled 12 double-double (kills & digs) performances this campaign.

Head Coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm - FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm presently ranks second among Ferris’ all-time coaching victory leaders with a current 264-91 (.744) career mark. A 1990 Alma graduate, Brandel-Wilhelm guided the Bulldogs to an NCAA-II Tournament appearance in 1999. She previously spent three seasons as head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan (1993-1995) in Buckhannon, W.Va., where she led the Bobcats to a fifth-place finish at the 1995 NCAA-II Championships. Brandel-Wilhelm entered the 2002 season ranked 11th among NCAA-II’s winningest active coaches.

Bulldog Bites - Sophomore outside hitter Karla Fairbanks (Rogers City) presently has registered at least 10 kills in 20 of her last 22 appearances. She notched her 500th career kill at Wayne State ...... Ferris has presently won 17 of its last 19 GLIAC regular season matches dating back to last season .......... Sophomore setter Ashley Green (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) recorded her 350th career dig at Hillsdale. Green is 60 assists away from amassing her 2,000th career assist ......... Senior outside hitter Erin Rind (Carol Stream, Ill./Streamwood) presently has 292 career digs and is eight shy of attaining her 300th career dig ....... Senior outside hitter Stephanie Speed (Bothell, Wash.) needs two kills to garner her 500th career kill and two digs to notch her 850th career dig. She has compiled 10 or more digs in six of her last 10 outings to date ......... Freshman libero Brittny Godlewski (St. Clair Township/Marysville) has totaled 10 or more digs in six of her last seven appearances ...... Alaina Olds is 30 kills shy of matching her 2001 team-high total of 405 kills in 32 appearances. Olds ranks 30th nationally in kills (4.36 kpg) in the latest (Oct. 14) NCAA-II statistical rankings. Her current .367 (375-93-768) season attack percentage tops FSU’s single-season attack percentage chart ........... The Bulldogs have compiled a 38-2 (.950) overall record in three-game matches since the start of the 2000 campaign. In the last two seasons, FSU has totaled a 14-2 (.875) mark during the month of October ........ Ferris has won five consecutive home matches to date.

Weekend Preview - Ferris State will host GLIAC North Division opponents Michigan Tech, Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan this weekend.

Michigan Tech: Ferris and Michigan Tech will square off for the 48th time this Friday with FSU holding a 36-11 series advantage. In the last meeting (9/21/02), the Bulldogs recorded a 3-0 win at Houghton, Mich. Ferris head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm currently has a 10-4 career coaching record against the Huskies. FSU, which has won nine of the past 10 contests, holds a 16-5 all-time record versus MTU in Big Rapids. Michigan Tech registered an 18-12 overall record during the 2001 campaign. The Huskies fell to 11-11 overall and 6-5 in league play this season as a result of dropping a 3-2 conference home decision last Sunday (Oct. 20) versus Findlay. MTU is slated to visit Lake Superior State this Wednesday (Oct. 23) prior to heading to Big Rapids.

Lake Superior State: FSU holds a 48-17 advantage entering this Saturday’s 66th series meeting with Lake Superior State. Brandel-Wilhelm has a current 14-1 career coaching mark against LSSU and guided the Bulldogs to a 3-1 win in the last meeting (10/1/02) at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. LSSU, which will host Michigan Tech this Wednesday (Oct. 23), is presently 12-11 overall and 5-7 in conference play this campaign after posting a 3-1 GLIAC home win versus Ashland last Sunday (Oct. 20). Last season, the Lakers compiled a 16-13 overall record. The Bulldogs are 25-4 all-time versus Lake Superior State at Big Rapids.

Northern Michigan: FSU maintains a 34-31 series edge heading into this Sunday’s 66th series meeting against Northern Michigan. The Bulldogs have won 16 of 27 meetings in Big Rapids. Brandel-Wilhelm, who has a current 5-10 career coaching mark against the Wildcats, led Ferris to a 3-2 victory in the last series meeting (9/20/02) at Marquette. NMU is presently 11-11 overall and 6-6 in league action this season after registering a 3-1 home win over Findlay last Saturday (Oct. 19). The Wildcats are slated to play at Grand Valley State this Friday (Oct. 25). Last season, Northern Michigan compiled a 22-10 record.

Between The Lines - FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm will make regular appearances throughout the season on “Between The Lines,” a weekly half-hour television show devoted to Ferris State Athletics. The program, which is hosted by Ira Childress and produced by FSU’s media productions department, airs each Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on WFQX-Fox 33.

FSU Sports Luncheon - The next FSU Sports Luncheon of the 2002-03 athletics season will be held this Wednesday (Oct. 23) from 12-1 p.m. (EDT) at the Scoreboard in Big Rapids, Mich. Featured speakers include FSU football coach Jeff Pierce, volleyball coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm and men’s and women’s cross country coach Jeff Kavalunas. For more information, contact the FSU Alumni Office at (231) 591-2345.

FSU On The Internet - Ferris State University Athletics’ official web site can be found at www.ferris.edu/sports. The site features information on all of FSU’s varsity athletics programs including rosters, schedules and the latest results.

Looking Ahead - The Bulldogs will battle nationally-ranked Grand Valley State Friday, Nov. 1, in a 7 p.m. (EST) league encounter at GVSU’s Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Mich. FSU defeated the Lakers 3-2 (30-28, 24-30, 26-30, 30-14, 15-5) on Oct. 8 before a capacity crowd of 600 at FSU’s Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids. GVSU is ranked sixth in the latest AVCA Division II poll.