FERRIS' ERIN MILLER EARNS ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS

Junior Guard Honored By College Sports Information Directors Of America

FSU junior guard Erin Miller has received first-team Academic All-District IV kudos

Junior guard Erin Miller (Niles) of the 2005-06 Ferris State University women’s basketball team has been recognized as an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV College Division Women's Basketball First-Team selection in an announcement made last Thursday (Feb. 9).

Miller was the lone representatives from a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)-member school named to any of the three District IV teams (first, second, third) selected in voting conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). She was joined on the first-team by Calvin's Lisa Winkle, Jamie Fornetti of Albion, Danielle Holbrook of Otterbein (Ohio) and Capital's (Ohio) Sara Heitkamp.

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 District IV team is comprised of colleges and universities located in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. As a first-team recipient, Miller is now eligible to receive ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America consideration. Currently, she's pursuing a degree in accounting/finance at Ferris State.

A team captain, Miller presently ranks as FSU's leading scorer (15.3 ppg) to date this season. She is currently listed among the GLIAC's overall statistical leaders in nine different categories and has compiled 19 double-figure scoring outings this campaign. Earlier this season (Dec. 8), Miller became the 12th player in school history to register her 1,000th career point. She currently ranks ninth on FSU's all-time scoring list with 1,235 career points. Miller received GLIAC Player of the Week Award laurels once (Dec. 5) this year.

Miller returned this season after missing all but the first two games of the 2004-05 campaign due to injury. She previously reached double-figure scoring in 28 of her 31 contests in 2003-04 and ranked as the Bulldogs' second-leading scorer (17.0 ppg). Miller was the recipient of the GLIAC’s 2002-03 Freshman of the Year Award after being the team’s third-highest scorer (12.5 ppg) in her initial season.

The 2003-04 Verizon Academic All-District IV Third Team and GLIAC All-Academic Team honoree also attained GLIAC North Division Player of the Week accolades twice (Jan. 5 & Feb. 9) in 2003-04. She earned first-team Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-Great Lakes Region and All-GLIAC North Division, second-team Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region honors along with being among 40 finalists for the NCAA Division II Kodak/WBCA All-America Team during the 2003-04 campaign.

The Bulldogs, who are presently 16-8 overall and 10-5 in league action, have clinched their seventh consecutive GLIAC Tournament berth. They will host Wayne State Thursday, Feb. 16, in a 6 p.m. (EST) league home contest at FSU’s Jim Wink Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs will then square off against Michigan Tech Saturday, Feb. 18, with the conference home tipoff set for a 1 p.m. (EST) start.

This year marks the 54th anniversary of the 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 program has grown into one of the most recognized and prestigious collegiate scholar-athlete awards nationwide, honoring student-athletes from all NCAA championship sports. This season marks ESPN The Magazine's second year of sponsoring the Academic All-America program, which was formerly endorsed by Verizon.

The 2005-06 campaign represents the sixth consecutive season in which Ferris State has had a player named to the Academic All-District IV First-Team as former players Debbie Killips (2000-01, 2001-02) and Lucy DeMartin (2002-03, 2003-04) were both two-time honorees while Bridget Horwitz (2004-05) earned the same distinction last campaign. Both Killips and DeMartin went on to attain Verizon Academic All-America First Team kudos as Killips received the honor during the 2001-02 campaign and DeMartin claimed the recognition in 2003-04.