20-Win Season - Despite falling in the opening round of the conference tournament, the Bulldogs had yet another successful season in the storied history of Bulldog volleyball. The 2000 Ferris State squad recorded the 14th 20-win season in the 28-year history of the program. Coach Tia Brandel and her squad also began the 2000 season better than any previous Bulldog squad as FSU started the campaign 10-0 and was 15-1 through 16 matches. Ferris State finished fourth in the North Division of the conference with an 11-7 mark in GLIAC play and was ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Associaction (AVCA) Division II Top 25 earlier this season.
All-Conference Honors - Two Ferris State players were honored at the GLIAC Tournament and received first-team All-GLIAC accolades. Senior Sarah VanderMolen made the all-conference team for the second year in a row. Junior Erin Minnis made the team for the first time.
Northwood University's Romana Moravkova was named the 2000 Player-of-the-Year in voting conducted by the league's coaches. Northern Michigan University rookie Kristen Koralewski was tabbed as the GLIAC Freshman-of-the-Year while Northwood coach Jeff Williams was voted the GLIAC Coach-of-the-Year. Twelve players were first-team All-GLIAC selections. Northwood and Grand Valley State each had three picks to lead the conference. Ferris State and Northern Michigan each had two selections. Gannon and Findlay had the other two first-team players as 10 of the 12 selections came from the North Division.
The 2000 season marked the 10th time in 21 years that Ferris State had at least two first-team all-conference picks. Under head coach Tia Brandel, the Bulldogs have now recorded two first-team selections in two different seasons. A year ago, VanderMolen and setter Lisa Chard were both honored. Both Minnis and VanderMolen are also strong candidates for All-Great Lakes Region honors this season. The All-Region picks are eligible for All-American recognition.
Game Recap - In a rematch from last year's opening round, the Bulldogs fell to Hillsdale on Thursday (Nov. 9) at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. Despite winning the first game and taking a 2-1 lead after three games, Ferris State couldn't get past the Chargers. The Bulldogs were led by senior Sarah VanderMolen. The All-American candidate led FSU with 16 kills and 19 digs. She also had five blocks. Sophomore Stephanie Speed had 32 digs for Ferris State. She was one of five Bulldog players to reach double-figures in digs as FSU had 122 total digs. Junior Erin Minnis had 16 kills and 18 digs for FSU. Sophomore Alaina Olds had 15 kills and senior Morgan Buckner had 14 kills for the Bulldogs. Freshman setter Jamie Wirth had 59 set assists and 14 digs. Senior Libby Martz had 20 digs for the Bulldogs.
Season Recap - The Bulldogs opened the season with a 10-0 mark to post the best start in school history. Through 16 matches, Ferris State had a 15-1 mark and appeared in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Ratings at No. 25. The month of October was much more difficult, however, as the Bulldogs finished the month with a 5-4 mark. Six of the nine matches during the month were against regionally-ranked teams.
The strong start posted by the Bulldogs did allow the 2000 Ferris State team to post the 14th 20-win season in the 28-year history of Ferris State volleyball. Entering the conference tournament, Ferris State still had playoff hopes alive and a strong showing in the GLIAC Tournament could have produced a second-straight Great Lakes Regional appearance. The Bulldogs, however, fell in the opening round to Hillsdale and narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional for the second year in a row. Four GLIAC schools qualified for the regional tournament.
Career Kill Leaders - Seniors Morgan Buckner and Sarah VanderMolen both finished their careers ranked high on the all-time career kill chart at Ferris State. Buckner, a 5-9 outside hitter, entered the 2000 campaign ranked ninth on the all-time chart. She finished her Bulldog career ranked fifth. VanderMolen, a 5-11 hitter, became the 10th player in Ferris State history to record 1,000 kills and moved up to seventh place on the all-time charts with 16 kills against Hillsdale at the conference tournament.
Career Dig Leaders - VanderMolen and senior Libby Martz both finished their Bulldog careers ranked among the all-time leaders in digs. Besides becoming the 10th player in school history to record 1,000 career kills, VanderMolen also became the eighth player to record 1,000 career digs and the fifth player to record both 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Martz, a 5-8 defensive specialist, finished her Ferris State career 13 digs away from becoming the ninth player to reach the 1,000 career digs mark.
Great Dig Efforts - Sophomore Stephanie Speed had 32 digs against Hillsdale to post the third-best single-match dig performance in Bulldog history. As a team, the Bulldogs recorded 122 digs against the Chargers. That mark is the second-best single-match team performance in the history of the program behind a 144-dig effort in 1992 against Northwood. Ferris State had five players reach double-figures in digs against Hillsdale.
Season Game Record - As a team, Ferris State posted a 14-0 mark in three-game matches this season to set a new school mark. The 1984 Bulldogs went 12-0 in three-game matches. That squad also went 23-0 in two-game matches.
Bulldog Bites - Earlier this year, the Bulldogs became the first team in school history to start the season 10-0. . .Junior Erin Minnis reached double-figures in kills in all but four matches this season. . .Coach Tia Brandel finished the 2000 campaign two wins away from moving into a tie for second place on the career victory list at Ferris State. She has a 105-55 mark in five seasons with the Bulldogs and recorded her 100th victory at Ferris State this season. . .With 21 wins this season, the Bulldogs are the 14th team in the 28-year history of Ferris State volleyball to record a 20-win season. . .Freshman setter Jamie Wirth ranked second in the conference in assists at 11.82 per game. . .Senior Libby Martz reached double-figures in digs in six of her final seven contests. . .Minnis led the 2000 Bulldogs in kills with 393. She became the third player on the team to lead FSU in kills over an entire season. Morgan Buckner led the way in 1998 and VanderMolen topped the list in 1999.