2001 Award Winners Announced
Dec. 11, 2001
The Ferris State University women's volleyball team held its 2001 awards banquet Sunday, Dec. 9, at the Wheeler Pavilion in Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris State concluded the 2001 campaign with a 21-11 overall mark under head coach Tia Brandel, which represented the program's fourth-consecutive 20-win campaign and included a second-place 12-6 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division mark.
Senior middle hitter Erin Minnis, a 2001 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II All-Great Lakes Region selection, earned FSU's 2001 Most Valuable Player Award after leading the Bulldogs in service aces (63) and solo blocks (38). A first-team 2001 All-GLIAC pick, Minnis placed second among the team's leaders in kills (372), digs (273) and total blocks (138) while garnering first-team 2001 Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region recognition and 2001 GLIAC All-Tournament Team honors. A first-team 2000 All-GLIAC and 2000 AVCA All-Great Lakes Region honoree, Minnis became the 11th player in school history to eclipse the 1,000 career kills mark (Oct. 19 vs. Michigan Tech) and finished her career with 1,084 kills, 777 digs and 414 total blocks.
Junior middle hitter Alaina Olds and senior setter Emily Williams both received the Bulldog Award, which was voted on by both the players and the coaching staff. Olds led Ferris State in kills (405) and total blocks (148) this past season while attaining 2001 AVCA All-Great Lakes Region accolades and first-team 2001 All-GLIAC kudos. A second-team 2001 Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region selection, Olds earned GLIAC North Division Player of the Week laurels twice (Oct. 6 and Oct. 22) and was named to the 2001 GLIAC All-Tournament Team. She registered two triple-double (kills, digs and blocks) performances this season. Williams compiled a personal career-high 308 assists and 108 digs during the 2001 campaign and finished her two-year FSU career with 313 assists, 108 digs and 24 kills.
The Coaches Award was given to freshman setter Ashley Green, who led the Bulldogs in assists (965) while starting 22 matches. She tallied 48 kills, 197 digs and 25 total blocks during the 2001 campaign and recorded seven double-double (assists and digs) performances. The 5-7 Green registered a personal career-best 64 assists in a five-game (3-2) win over Lewis (Ill.) at the GLIAC/Great Lakes Valley Conference Challenge (Sept. 8) in Highland Heights, Ky.
Dean's Academic Awards (3.25 grade point average or above) were presented to junior middle hitter Angie Desmarais, redshirt freshman outside hitter Annie Foster, Minnis, Olds and junior outside hitter Stephanie Speed. Desmarais set personal career-bests in digs (188), kills (21) and service aces (22) this season while Foster's personal career-high 90 digs was ninth best on the squad. Speed garnered 2001 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention laurels after leading the squad with 360 digs. Olds and Desmarais were co-recipients of the President's Academic Award (highest overall GPA).
Minnis and Williams were also both presented Captain's Awards and Senior Awards for their leadership and contributions to the Bulldog volleyball program. Ferris State was the 2001 GLIAC Tournament runner-up and reached the conference championship match for the third time in the past four seasons.
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