FERRIS PLACES SECOND IN GLIAC SOFTBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL

Senior outfielder Emily McLean, the 2005 GLIAC Player of the Year, and the Bulldogs were chosen to finish second in the GLIAC Softball Coaches Preseason Poll.

The Ferris State University softball team, the defending Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Co-Champions, has been picked to finish second in the 2006 GLIAC Softball Coaches Preseason Poll, which was released Tuesday (Feb. 21) by the conference office.

The Bulldogs received 88 total points and three first-place votes in the annual poll. Northwood, the 2005 conference regular-season champions, was predicted to win the conference title by the league coaches as the Timberwolves garnered 90 total points and four first-place votes. Wayne State, last year's preseason favorite, was selected third with 76 points and two first-place votes. Gannon picked up the remaining two first-place votes as the Golden Knights finished two points behind Wayne State in the balloting.

The conference's 11 head softball coaches ranked each of the GLIAC teams with points being awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches weren't allowed to vote for their own team.

Ferris is coming off its best season since 2000 as the Bulldogs went 31-20-0 overall last spring, which included a 13-7-0 conference mark. The Bulldogs not only won the 2005 GLIAC Tournament title and a share of the overall GLIAC Championship crown, but also made their fourth-ever NCAA Division II Regional Tourney appearance and first since 1999.

Junior first baseman Laura Crower, a second-team all-conference selection last year, combined with McLean for 39 extra-base hits and 70 RBIs a season ago.

This season, Ferris State returns 10 letterwinners from last year led by senior outfielder Emily McLean (Rogers City) and junior first baseman Laura Crower (Midland). McLean received both GLIAC Player of the Year and first-team all-conference kudos a season ago along with being named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA-II Great Lakes Region First Team. Crower earned All-GLIAC Second-Team plaudits in 2005.

The 2006 GLIAC Softball Tournament will be held for the second consecutive year at the Emerson Park Softball Complex in Midland, Mich. The eight-team double elimination tourney will be conducted May 5-6.

Ferris, under ninth-year head coach Keri Becker, opens the 2006 campaign and its 34th season of varsity competition this weekend (Feb. 24-25) at the Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Cougar Classic in Edwardsville, Ill. The Bulldogs' home opener is slated for April 8 against conference archrival Grand Valley State at the FSU Varsity Softball Field in Big Rapids, Mich.

The 2006 GLIAC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll with first-place votes in parenthesis is as follows.

Rank Team (First-Place Votes) Points

1. Northwood (4) 90

2. Ferris State (3) 88

3. Wayne State (2) 76

4. Gannon (2) 74

5. Grand Valley State 67

6. Ashland 58

7. Hillsdale 55

8. Saginaw Valley State 37

9. Mercyhurst 26

10. Findlay 24

11. Lake Superior State 10