July 16, 2025
Commitment to full student-athlete fuels Ferris State’s continuing success in classroom and competition
Ferris State Athletics Director Steve Brockelbank knows the commitment necessary for university student-athletes to excel in competition while maintaining a sharp academic focus leading to a degree and setting the stage for a career after sports.
Kenzie Bowers, a women's basketball player at Ferris State and a Master of Business Administration student from Kent City, Michigan, was one of three Bulldog student-athletes to achieve a 4.0 grade point average.
Brockelbank was proud to learn about the recent announcement by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of nearly 200 Ferris State student-athletes, representing 16 of the 17 varsity programs, earning all-academic and all-academic excellence team honors.
Cultivating an environment conducive to classroom success is critical to the student-athlete model, Brockelbank said. In creating that environment, he salutes the work of the Ferris State Athletics varsity programs’ leaders – the coaching staff.
“Our coaches are committed to recruiting student-athletes who not only have the talent to compete at a championship level, but also the character and drive to succeed in the classroom,” he said. “Our staff works tirelessly to create a culture where academic excellence and athletic achievement are intertwined, where every student-athlete receives the support needed to achieve and reach their goals.”
Two hundred of Ferris State’s approximately 400 student-athletes were among those
highlighted by the GLIAC.
The criteria state student-athlete must be an active member on the roster at the end
of the season, not a freshman or a first-year transfer student. All-Academic Teams
consist of student-athletes who meet criteria and carry a cumulative grade point average
of 3.0-3.49. Academic Excellence Teams are comprised of student-athletes who have
a cumulative GPA of 3.50-4.0.
Ferris State wrapped up its 2024-25 athletics season with student-athletes highlighted on fall, winter and spring all-academic teams based on the sport, spanning a diverse range of academic programs.
Ferris State women's volleyball player Logyn Geren, an Accountancy major from Fort Myers, Florida, was one of three Bulldog student-athletes to post a 4.0 grade point average.
Logyn Geren, a junior volleyball outside hitter from Fort Myers, Florida, echoed Brockelbank’s words about the impact coaches have on the success of student-athletes. She said that balancing those two worlds is a point of emphasis for volleyball head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, whose team posted a 34-1 record in 2024 and won the NCAA Division II Midwest Region championship – among other accolades.
An Accountancy major in Ferris State’s College of Business, Geren has a perfect 4.0 GPA. Geren, women’s basketball player Kenzie Bowers, a Master of Business Administration student from Kent City, and women's cross country runner Mara Sweeney, a Criminal Justice major from Rockford, were Bulldogs earning 4.0 GPA marks in the classroom.
“The key to my academic success at Ferris State and the balance of being a student athlete comes from the volleyball team here at Ferris,” Geren said. “Coach Tia really strives to make us come out as better human beings when we are done with our years here. One of our values on the team is ‘Champions in all Arenas of Life,’ which means we win everywhere: in the community, in the classroom and on the court.”
Lauren Kubacki, a senior goalkeeper from Canton, has been a standout student-athlete during her Bulldog soccer career. Majoring in elementary education in the Ferris State College of Arts, Sciences and Education, Kubacki earned a 3.96 grade point average.
She spoke of striking a good balance between the classroom and the field.
“I would honestly say it all comes down to time management and staying disciplined. Being a student-athlete means your schedule is packed between practices, games, travel, and classes,” she said. “So, I learned early on, even in high school, to plan and stay organized.”
Ferris State women's soccer player Lauren Kubacki, a senior from Canton, Michigan majoring in Elementary Education, posted a 3.96 grade point average.
Kubacki has developed strategies that contribute to this success.
“One of the ways I do this is by making sure to get things done early whenever I can, so I’m not overwhelmed when things get busy,” she said. “Staying on top of everything takes a lot of effort, planning and commitment. I’ve always held myself to a high standard in the classroom, as well as on the field.”
Kubacki was among the 16 women’s soccer team members honored for their academic success. That is no accident, according to the team’s head coach, Greg Henson.
“We place a high value on the academic performance of our players and their success in the classroom,” he said. “Since I arrived in 2019, our players have earned a team GPA of 3.5-plus each semester (12 in a row), including a 3.79 this spring. Academics and valuing your academic opportunities are important characteristics that we look for in the recruiting process.”
Sport-specific talent ranks high in recruiting, of course, but Henson’s commitment is also focused on academics to help ensure his student-athletes excel in the classroom, graduate and are well-positioned for a successful career.
“We are intentional about recruiting players who strive for academic excellence. Good players that are also good students tend to be good people as well,” Henson said. “We want good people within Bulldog Soccer.”
Brockelbank credits the countless hours his coaches and the support staff dedicate to the academic and athletic success of the Ferris State student-athletes. While the focus for many people is on the athletics success, which include a 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship for the Bulldog football team, the third in the last four seasons, there’s a great feeling at commencement when graduates cross that stage signifying a monumental accomplishment in their lives.
Those goals are coming into sharper focus for these two of many Ferris State student-athletes.
“My goal is to become an elementary school teacher and possibly take on a leadership role in education someday,” Kubacki said. “I’ve always had a passion for working with kids, and my time at Ferris has confirmed that this is what I’m meant to do. I want to make a positive impact on students’ lives, just as my teachers and coaches have had on mine. There is truly no other profession as rewarding as this one.”
Like Kubacki, Geren is keeping an eye on her future – a stronger future with a Ferris State degree.
“The next step for me or the current goals I have with my degree when I leave Ferris, are to get my CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license and hopefully go to work for a Fortune 500 company,” she said. “Eventually, I want to have my own practice and focus on tax accounting.”