2004 Ferris State Volleyball Quick Facts

GENERAL
City/Zip: Big Rapids, Mich./49307-2741
Founded: 1884
Enrollment: 11,822
Nickname: Bulldogs
School Colors: Crimson and gold
Arena: Ewigleben Sports Arena
Capacity: 600
Affiliation: NCAA Division II
Conference: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic (GLIAC)
President: Dr. David L. Eisler
Alma Mater, Yr.: Michigan, 1972
Athletics Director: Tom Kirinovic
Alma Mater, Yr.: Ferris State, 1977
Email: kirinovt@ferris.edu
Assistant Athletics Director: Brian Kegler (Northern Iowa, 1998)
Senior Women's Administrator: Tia Brandel-Wilhelm (Alma, 1990)
Coordinator of Records & NCAA: Carma Burcham
Faculty Athletics Representative: Terry Nerbonne
Athletics Department Phone: (231) 591-2860
Athletics Department Fax: (231) 591-2869
Ticket Office Phone: (231) 591-2888

HISTORY
First Year of Volleyball: 1972
Overall All-Time Record: 667-390 (.631)
Conference All-Time Record: 272-147 (.649)
No. years in NCAA Tourney/Last: 11/2002
All-Time NCAA Postseason Record: 7-12 (.368)
Last NCAA Tourney Opponent: Wheeling Jesuit (W.Va.)
Result: Lost 3-2
No. years in GLIAC Tourney/Last: 6/2003
Last GLIAC Tourney Opponent: Gannon
Result: Lost 3-2

ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
Athletics Communications Director: Joe Gorby
    SID Office Phone: (231) 591-2336
    Home Phone: (231) 796-2732
    Email Address: gorbyj@ferris.edu
Assistant Athletics Communications Director (Volleyball Contact): Rob Bentley
    Office Phone: (231) 591-3821
    Home Phone: (231) 796-1178
    Email Address: bentleyr@ferris.edu
Athletics Communications Fax: (231) 591-3775
Athletics Hotline: (231) 591-2375
Mailing Address: 210 Sports Drive, Sports Complex 001, Big Rapids, MI 49307-2741
Website: www.ferris.edu/sports

MEDIA INFORMATION
Local Newspaper: Big Rapids Pioneer
Contact Person: Sandy Gholston
Address: 502 North State Street, Big Rapids, MI 49307
Phone: (231) 592-8363
Email: sgholston@pioneergroup.net

COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Tia Brandel-Wilhelm
    Alma Mater/Year: Alma, 1990
    Year Entering At School: Ninth
    Record at Ferris State (yrs.): 165-89 (.650)/Eight
    Career Record (yrs.): 283-109 (.722)/Eleven
    Record vs. the GLIAC (all matches): 107-58 (.648)
Volleyball Office Phone: (231) 591-2871
Best time/day to reach coach: M-F 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Assistant Coaches (Alma Mater):
    Lee Anderson - 2nd season
    Dale Wilhelm (Volunteer Assistant) - 1st season
Head Athletic Trainer: Dave Lucey, ATC
Assistant Athletic Trainer: Tim Glover, ATC
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Volleyball): Michael Blackburn, ATC
Office Phone: (231) 591-2872
Equipment Managers: Ben Mumah, E.M.,C.

TEAM INFORMATION
2003 Overall Record: 15-14
Conference Record/Finish: 12-6/3rd - North Division
2003 Non-Conference Record: 3-8
2003 Record At Home/Conference: 6-2/6-2
2003 Record Away/Conference: 6-6/6-4
2003 Record on Neutral Courts: 3-6
Final 2003 Ranking (poll): n/a
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 12/0

Starters Returning:
    Danielle Baucher, OH, 5-10, So.
    Emily Clouse, DS, 5-9, Jr.
    Karla Fairbanks, OH, 5-11, Sr.
    Ashley Green, S, 5-9, Sr.
    Brittny Godlewski, LIB, 5-7, Jr.
    Lauren Heine, MH, 6-1, Jr.
    Becky Thurau, MH, 6-4, Jr.

Other Returning Letterwinners:
    Keagan Krauss, OH, 5-10, So.
    Sarah Miller, OH, 6-3, Jr.
    Jamie Palazzolo, OH, 5-7, So.
    Molly Pickvet, OH, 6-0, So.
    Karla White, MH, 6-0, So.

Starters Lost:
    None

All-Star Candidates:
    Ashley Green, Karla Fairbanks, Brittny Godlewski

Returning Statistical Leaders:
    Danielle Baucher* (OH, 5-10, So.): 250 kills, 314 digs
    Emily Clouse** (DS, 5-9, Jr.): 76 assists, 191 digs
    Karla Fairbanks*** (OH, 5-11, Sr.): 516 kills, 336 digs, 64 blocks
    Ashley Green*** (S, 5-9, Sr.): 1,215 assists, 197 digs, 74 kills, 45 blocks
    Brittny Godlewski** (LIB, 5-7, Jr.): 315 digs, 22 assists
    Lauren Heine** (MH, 6-1, Jr.): 221 kills, 120 blocks
    Becky Thurau** (MH, 6-4, Jr.): 259 kills, 113 blocks
* - Denotes letters won

Key Losses:
    None

Key Newcomers:
    Jessica Dezelski, OH, 5-10, Fr.
    Megan Dusnik, S/DS, 5-5, Fr.
    Lindsay Johnson, OH, 5-10, Fr.
    Candice Marut, S/OH, 5-10, Fr.
    Emily Nemmers, OH/MH, 6-0, Fr.
    Ashley Ollenburger, OH, 6-1, Fr.
    Lindsay Tye, OH, 5-10, Fr.
    Andrea Zylstra, MH, 6-2, Fr.

TEAM NOTES:
The 2004 season marks Ferris State’s 32nd women’s volleyball campaign. Ferris compiled a 15-14 overall mark during the 2003 campaign, which represented the program's sixth consecutive winning season and included a third-place 12-6 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division finish. The Bulldogs also made their sixth-straight league tournament appearance in 2003.

Ferris has won 20 or more matches five times under ninth-year head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm. The Bulldogs are 132-55 (.706) over the past six years and have twice reached the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament.

The Bulldogs return all 12 squad members from last season’s team, which won 12 of its final 18 matches.

Senior outside hitter Karla Fairbanks (Rogers City, Mich.) currently has 1,111 career kills and is 30 shy of tying Lisa Haan (1,141) for 11th place on the school’s career kills chart. Fairbanks received both American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention All-America and AVCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team accolades in 2003.

Senior setter Ashley Green (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) presently has 3,528 career assists and ranks third on the school’s all-time chart. Green needs 1,426 more to match Sharon Sanders’ (4,954) second-place FSU career mark. Green attained honorable mention AVCA All-Great Lakes Region kudos last season after garnering first team all-region laurels in 2002.

Ferris has compiled a 217-57 (.792) record to date in 23 seasons of action (1981-present) at FSU’s Ewigleben Sports Arena. The Bulldogs are 59-10 (.855) in home matches since 1998. In 2002, Ferris posted an 8-0 home mark, which was the program’s sixth undefeated campaign in the 600-seat facility. FSU was 6-2 at home last season.