The Ferris State Bulldogs (FSU Bulldogs) are the athletic teams that represent Ferris State University, located in Big Rapids, Michigan, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sporting competitions. The Bulldogs compete as members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for 14 of 15 varsity sports, while the men's hockey team (the only team that competes at the Division I level) plays in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The Bulldogs have been members of the GLIAC since 1972.
| Ferris State Bulldogs | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Ferris State University |
| Conference | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Central Collegiate Hockey Association |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Steve Brockelbank |
| Location | Big Rapids, Michigan |
| Varsity teams | 15 |
| Football stadium | Top Taggart Field |
| Basketball arena | Jim Wink Arena |
| Ice hockey arena | Ewigleben Arena |
| Softball stadium | FSU Softball Field |
| Soccer stadium | FSU Soccer Field |
| Other venues | Ewigleben Sports Arena |
| Mascot | Brutus |
| Nickname | Bulldogs |
| Colors | Crimson and gold[1] |
| Website | www |
Year in and year out, nearly 400 student-athletes have the opportunity to compete for the Bulldogs on a regional and national level for conference titles and NCAA Championships. Ferris' men's club ice hockey won the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 2 national title in 1994, the men's basketball team won the NCAA Division II national title in 2018, and the football program won the Division II national title in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Varsity teams
edit| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Ice hockey | Softball |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Track and field† | Track and field† |
| Volleyball | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
Facilities
editThe Ferris Ice Arena and Sports Complex features basketball courts, volleyball courts, hockey rink and a general ice-skating rink located in the Ewigleben Arena, named after former college president Robert Ewigleben. This sports complex hosts university and high school competitions as well as community sports programs.
Championships
editNational Championships:
- 2018: Men's Basketball—NCAA Division II
- 2021: Football–NCAA Division II
- 2022: Football–NCAA Division II
- 2024: Football–NCAA Division II
National Runners-up:
- 1989: Wrestling—NCAA Division II
- 2004: Women's Golf—NCAA Division II
- 2006: Women's Golf—NCAA Division II
- 2012: Men's Ice Hockey—NCAA Division I
- 2018: Football—NCAA Division II[2]
Club Sports National Championships:
- 1994: Men's Ice Hockey—ACHA Division 2
Individual sports
editBasketball
editLed by power forward/center Zach Hankins in 2015-16, who had 130 blocks on the season, which led Division II and set the school single-season school record,[3] the team won a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) regular-season and tournament title and had a then-school record for wins with a 28–5 record. Ferris State reached the second round of the 2017 NCAA Division II Tournament before falling to GLIAC rival Findlay 68–63.[4] In his junior season, Hankins averaged 15.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game and had a field goal percentage of 63 percent. His 128 blocks led the nation.[3] Hankins repeated as GLIAC Player of the Year.[5] He was named the National Player of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. On the season, Ferris State compiled a 38–1 record and claimed the school’s first national championship in the 2018 NCAA Division II Tournament, defeating Northern State in the final by a score of 71–69.[3][6]
Ice hockey
edit
The 2011–12 season marked the first time in school history that the Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division I Ice Hockey national championship finals. In the national championship match at the Frozen Four the Bulldogs lost 4–1 to Boston College in the title contest, leading to the cheer "Save Ferris" . The season came to a close with a 26–12–5 overall record and included a trip to the Frozen Four and a national runner-up finish. Ferris State's 26 wins were the second-most in school history, and the season highlights also included the school's second-ever Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Regular-Season Championship and a Midwest Regional crown.[7]
Prior to the 2011–12 season, the program's best season performance in the NCAA Division I was the 2002/03 campaign with a school-best 31–10–1 overall record. The Bulldogs also claimed their first-ever CCHA Regular-Season Championship title with a first-place 22–5–1 league mark and advanced to the NCAA Championship Tournament's West Regional title game in their initial NCAA Tourney appearance. Ferris State also earned the distinction of being the nation's first team to reach the 30-win plateau in 2002/03 and also competed in the CCHA Super Six Championship Tourney for the first time since 1993.[8]
Football
editResults
editThe Bulldogs had good success after Tony Annese was hired, winning multiple GLIAC championships with quarterback Jason Vanderlann. Their first playoff win was vs 7 seed Texas A&M Commerce at home in 2015, while they got beat by ODU in 2014 and GVSU in 2015, both GVSU and ODU were in-conference teams who were lower seeds, and both losses came in Big Rapids at home. In 2016, Ferris State defeated rival Grand Valley in the playoffs in Allendale. The win sent the Bulldogs to the National Semifinals. In 2017 the Bulldogs returned to the playoffs and defeated Ouachita Baptist and Fort Hays St before losing to Harding in a 16–14 Regional Championship. The Bulldogs are currently 7–2 vs arch-rival GVSU under Coach Annese.
Annese guided the team to its first national championship appearance in 2018 before losing to Valdosta State 49–47. In 2021, the Bulldogs returned again to the playoffs and would win their first national championship in school history by defeating Valdosta State 58–17. In 2022, they made it back to the national championship claiming their second in school history going back-to-back by defeating the Colorado School of Mines. In 2024, the team returned to the national championship game, defeating Valdosta State 49–14 to claim a third title.
References
edit- ^ "Colors – Ferris State University". Retrieved October 4, 2018.
- ^ "2018 Division II Football". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c Paul, Tony (March 27, 2018). "Big Break: Fate Made Zach Hankins 'Best-Ever' at Ferris". The Detroit News. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "Ferris State's Zach Hankins Becomes First Bulldog Sophomore to Earn All-America Honors". MLive.com. March 20, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ Wickliffe, Greg (March 23, 2018). "Hankins Transforms into One of Nation's Top Basketball Players at Ferris State". Petoskey News-Review. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ Horos, Emily (March 24, 2018). "Ferris State Basketball Wins Division II National Championship, 71–69". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "FSU Hockey Ends Yearas National Runner-Up" (Press release). Ferris State University. April 7, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ^ "Bulldog Hockey Head Coach". Ferris State University. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
