FERRIS STATE SELECTS LEE ANDERSON AS ASSISTANT COACH

Former Canadian Head Coach Joins Bulldog Women’s Volleyball Program

A native of Renfrew (Ontario), Canada, Anderson has served as head coach the last three seasons (2000-03) at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He replaces Jason Smith, who accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Utah. The 28-year old Anderson will assist in all phases of the program including on-floor coaching responsibilities, recruiting duties and administrative functions.

“Lee brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our program,” Brandel-Wilhelm said. “His background in sports psychology, recruiting and game analysis will make an important difference in the success of our program. We’re excited about his addition.”

Anderson guided Lakehead to a 13-38 (.342) overall record in the Ontario University Athletics East Division during his three seasons at the helm, including a fifth-place 3-14 finish in 2002-03. The Thunderwolves were 7-10 overall in 2001-02 after posting a 3-14 ledger the prior campaign. Anderson also directed volleyball sport development camps and organized department media conferences during his tenure. In addition to his coaching duties, Anderson served as a practical instructor in the school’s kinesiology department.

From June-July 2000, Anderson worked as a personal mental trainer for Finland’s 800-meter run national champion Wilson Kirwa. Besides counseling Kirwa, Anderson was responsible for the planning and implementation of an extensive mental training program to prepare the track and field standout for ongoing competition in the International Association of Athletics Federations League.

A National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Level III Accredited Volleyball Coach, Anderson was an assistant women’s volleyball coach and professor’s assistant at the University of Calgary (Alberta) in 1998-99. While at Calgary, he directed the school’s junior varsity team to a third-place finish at the provincial championships.

Besides his collegiate coaching experience, Anderson has also coached various midget, youth and high school teams since earning a bachelor of science degree in human kinetics from the University of Ottawa (Ontario) in 1998. His previous head coaching positions included Henry Wisewood High School (1999) in Calgary, Ottawa’s Immaculata High School (1995-98) along with both the Northwestern Ontario Under-18 (2002) and Under-17 (2001-02) teams. He led the Eastern Ontario Under-18 Team to both a third-place finish at the 1998 Ontario Summer Games and a a fourth-place showing the following season. Anderson, who helped the Canuck Stuff Juvenile Girls Team claim a provincial championship and a sixth-place national finish in 1998-99, also was the head coach for the University of Ottawa’s senior men’s club team from 1994-95.

As a prepster, Anderson earned Most Valuable Player Award accolades three times (1990, 93-94) in volleyball at Renfrew Collegiate Institute School. The four-time (1989-94) team captain also competed in basketball, soccer, golf, tennis along with track and field. He was active in the school’s choir, concert and jazz bands.

A 1994 graduate of Renfrew Collegiate Institute, Anderson is the son of Norman and Barb Anderson of Renfrew. He attained a masters of kinesiology degree in the art and science of coaching from Calgary in 2000 and is currently working towards a masters of sport psychology degree at Lakehead.

Ferris State compiled a 24-7 overall mark during the 2002 campaign, which represented the program's fifth consecutive 20-win season and included a second-place 15-3 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division mark. The Bulldogs also claimed their 11th NCAA Division II Tournament bid in the program’s history while making their fifth straight league tournament appearance in 2002.

FSU opens its 31st season of varsity competition Friday-Saturday, Aug. 29-30, at the North Florida Labor Day Classic in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bulldogs are slated to face host North Florida Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. (EDT) and then will battle Barry (Fla.) and Tampa (Fla.) the following day at 9 a.m. (EDT) and 6 p.m. (EDT), respectively.