FERRIS STATE WOMEN'S GOLF TEAM RANKED SECOND NATIONALLY

Ferris State's Elena Robles ranks 200th among the nation's top collegiate golfers for all divisions by Golfstat.

Coming off winning two tournaments and finishing runner-up in three others during the 2004 fall season, the Ferris State University women's golf team is presently ranked second nationally in the latest (Oct. 26) NCAA Division II national rankings by Golfstat, the official source for college golf scores and statistics.

The Bulldogs, who held the top position a week ago (Oct. 19), are presently in second as two-time (2003-04) defending national champion Rollins College (Fla.) moved up one placing into the number one slot. Ferris State has recorded a 77.65 adjusted scoring average while posting a 4-0 mark against the NCAA-II's top 25 teams to garner points in the computer-generated ranking system.

FSU, which claimed top team honors at the Ferris State Bulldog Invitational (Sept. 4-5) and Northwood Invitational (Oct. 1-2) this fall, also turned in a noteworthy second-place effort at the 17-team NCAA Division I Ball State Cardinal Classic (Sept. 11-12).

"The team had a great fall season and performed outstandingly," said sixth-year Ferris State head coach Brad Bedortha. "We set a goal to average 320 and were able to average 311 which was the lowest scoring average in Division II. "We turned in solid performances at the two Division I tournaments we competed in. To finish tied for second at nationals last year and then to back it up with a great fall (season) is outstanding. I'm really proud of these ladies and what they've accomplished so far," added Bedortha. Along with FSU occupying second place in the team rankings, the Bulldogs' freshmen class is listed first among Golfstat's NCAA-II Freshmen Class in impact rankings with a 78.92 average stroke score to go along with a 568.766 computer points total. Ferris State's freshmen class consists of Becky Hoffman (Gaines/Swartz Creek), Yasuyo Kiyota (Kumamoto, Japan/Chou-O), Missy Ward (Fenton/Linden) and Kaitlyn Hogan (Big Rapids).

Junior Elena Robles (Torrance, Calif./Redondo Union) is presently ranked 200th of 250 individual golfers in the Golfstat Cup Standings which encompasses the nation's top collegiate women's golfers in all three NCAA Divisions and in the NAIA.

A 2003-04 All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Second-Team selection and a 2002-03 all-conference first teamer, Robles paced the Bulldogs this fall season with a team-leading 76.92 stroke average (1,000 total strokes) in 13 rounds. She finished among the top five in four tournaments and earned top individual medalist honors at the Northwood Invitational (Oct. 1-2) in Midland, Mich., with a two-round 152 score (79-73--152). The 2003-04 FSU Most Valuable Golfer placed second in both the Ferris State Bulldog Invitational (Sept. 4-5) at Big Rapids, Mich., and the Findlay William "Bing" Beall Classic (Oct. 3-4) in Arlington, Ohio. Robles also established an individual school record for the lowest 18-hole score with a 69 in final-round play at the Ball State Cardinal Classic (Sept. 12) in Yorktown, Ind.

To qualify for the Golfstat Cup, the golfer must be eligible for inclusion in the NCAA or NAIA Rating System, have played in a minimum of 20 stroke play rounds by the end of the season, and been disqualified or withdrawn from no more than one stroke play Tournament during the College Golf Season.

Last spring (May 12-15), Ferris State recorded the highest-placing ever for a Bulldog women's athletics team by tying for second place at the 2004 NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships in Longwood, Fla.

The Bulldogs return to the links in the spring 2005 beginning with the Southern Illinois Saluki Invitational (March 27-28) at Carbondale, Ill.