2008 Ferris State Volleyball Quick Facts

GENERAL
City/Zip: Big Rapids, Mich./49307-2741
Founded: 1884
Enrollment: 13,087
Nickname: Bulldogs
School Colors: Crimson and Gold
Arena: Ewigleben Sports Arena
Capacity: 600
Affiliation: NCAA Division II
Conference: Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic (GLIAC)
President: Dr. David L. Eisler
Alma Mater, Yr.: Michigan, 1972
Athletics Director: Tom Kirinovic
Alma Mater, Yr.: Ferris State, 1977
Email: kirinovt@ferris.edu
Associate Athletics Director: Jon Coles
Alma Mater, Yr.: Valparaiso, 1999
Email: colesj@ferris.edu
Senior Women's Administrator: Tia Brandel-Wilhelm (Alma, 1990)
Coordinator of Records & NCAA: Carma Burcham
Faculty Athletics Representative: Terry Nerbonne
Athletics Department Phone: (231) 591-2860
Athletics Department Fax: (231) 591-2869
Ticket Office Phone: (231) 591-2888

HISTORY
First Year of Volleyball: 1972
Overall All-Time Record: 755-426 (.639)
Conference All-Time Record: 322-169 (.656)
NCAA Tournament appearances: 14 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006)
All-Time NCAA Postseason Record: 7-15 (.318)
Last NCAA Tourney Opponent: Hillsdale
Result: Lost 3-0
No. years in GLIAC Tourney/Last: 10/2007
Last GLIAC Tourney Opponent: at Northern Michigan
Result: Lost 3-0

ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
Athletics Communications Director (Volleyball Contact): Joe Gorby
    Office Phone: (231) 591-2336
    Home Phone: (231) 796-2732
    Email Address: gorbyj@ferris.edu
Assistant Athletics Communications Director: Rob Bentley
    Office Phone: (231) 591-3821
    Home Phone: (231) 796-1178
    Email Address: bentleyr@ferris.edu
Athletics Communications Fax: (231) 591-3775
Athletics Hotline: (231) 591-2375
Mailing Address: 210 Sports Drive, Sports Complex 001, Big Rapids, MI 49307-2741
Website: www.ferris.edu/sports

MEDIA INFORMATION
Local Newspaper: Big Rapids Pioneer
Contact Person: Zeke Jennings
Address: 502 North State Street, Big Rapids, MI 49307
Phone: (231) 592-8363
Email: zjennings@pioneergroup.net

COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Tia Brandel-Wilhelm
    Alma Mater/Year: Alma, 1990
    Year Entering At School: 12th
    Record at Ferris State/yrs.: 253-125 (.669)/12
    Career Record/yrs.: 371-145 (.719)/15
    Record vs. the GLIAC (all matches): 161-84 (.657)
Volleyball Office Phone: (231) 591-2871
Best time/day to reach coach: M-F 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (ET)
Assistant Coach:
    Theresa Beeckman (Saginaw Valley State, 2005) - 4th season
Volunteer Assistant Coach:
    Dale Wilhelm (Ferris State, 1988) - 5th season
Head Athletic Trainer: Dave Lucey, ATC
Assistant Athletic Trainer: Tim Glover, ATC
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Volleyball): Joe Fox, ATC
Office Phone: (231) 591-2872
Equipment Manager: Ben Mumah, E.M.,C.

TEAM INFORMATION
2007 Overall Record: 20-10
Conference Record/Finish: 12-6/3rd - North Division
2007 Non-Conference Record: 8-3
2007 Record At Home/Conference: 12-2/8-2
2007 Record Away/Conference: 4-6/4-4
2007 Record on Neutral Courts: 4-2
Final 2007 Ranking (poll): Not Ranked
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/1 + libero
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/5

Starters Returning:
    Candice Marut, S/OH, 5-10, Sr.
    Andrea Rich, S/OH, 5-10, Sr. - 2007 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention
    Kristy Gilchrist, MH, 6-0, Jr. - 2007 All-GLIAC Second Team
    Arielle Goodson, MH, 6-2, So.
    Katie Edwards, OH, 5-11, Jr.
    Sarah Lark, MH, 5-11, Jr.

Other Returning Letterwinners:
    Amanda Kettlewell, OH/MH, 5-10, Jr.
    Dana Ruttle, S, 5-7, So.
    Danielle Hamilton, MH/OH, 6-0, So.
    Whitney Rupp, LIB, 5-8, So.

Starters Lost:
    Lindsay Tye, OH, 5-10

2008 Captains:
    Candice Marut, Andrea Rich

Returning Statistical Leaders:
    Kristy Gilchrist** (MH, 6-0, Jr.): 336 kills, 48 service aces, 83 blocks
    Candice Marut*** (S-OH, 5-10, Sr.): 620 assists, 149 kills, 199 digs, 39 blocks
    Katie Edwards** (OH, 5-11, Jr.): 279 kills, 67 digs, 30 blocks
    Andrea Rich*** (S, 5-10, Sr.): 700 assists, 213 digs, 21 services aces, 20 blocks
    Arielle Goodson* (MH, 6-2, So.): 146 kills, 90 blocks
    Sarah Lark** (MH, 5-11, Jr.): 117 kills, 46 blocks
* - Denotes letters won

Key Losses:
    Lindsay Tye (OH, 5-10) - 2007 AVCA All-America Second Team, 2007 AVCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team, 2007 All-GLIAC First Team: 488 kills, 281 digs, 42 blocks, 40 service aces, 40 assists
    Jamie Palazzolo (LIB/OH, 5-7) - 2007 All-GLIAC Second Team: 534 digs, 34 service aces, 46 assists

Newcomers:
    Lisa Tobiczyk, LIB, 5-8, Fr. - Redshirted 2007 season
    Leslie Swanson, S/DS, 5-6, Fr. - Redshirted 2007 season
    Ashley Huntey, OH, 5-10, Fr.
    Anne Sutton, MH, 6-2, Fr.
    Samantha Fordyce, S, 5-11, Fr.
    Mallory Kopa, MH, 5-11, Fr.
    Aly Brecht, OH, 5-10, Fr.
    Karen Thompson, OH, 5-10, Fr.

2008 SEASON TEAM PREVIEW NOTES:
The 2008 campaign will represent Ferris State’s 36th season of intercollegiate women’s volleyball.

Ferris State concluded the 2007 season with a 20-10 overall record which marked the Bulldogs' ninth 20-win campaign in the last 10 years to date and the 27th consecutive year of posting a double-figure wins total. FSU made an appearance in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament for the 10th consecutive season.

The Bulldogs return 13 of their 18 squad members from last season's squad, which includes 67.5% (1,123-1,663) of the 2007 squad's kills output.

Ferris has compiled a 264-68 (.795) record to date in 27 seasons of action (1981-present) at FSU’s Ewigleben Sports Arena. The Bulldogs are 106-21 (.835) in home matches since 1998. In 2002, Ferris posted an 8-0 home mark, which was the program’s sixth undefeated campaign in the 600-seat facility. FSU registered a 12-2 mark at home last season.

Middle hitter Kristy Gilchrist received All-GLIAC Second Team honors for the 2007 season while setter-outside hitter Andrea Rich earned honorable mention all-conference plaudits.

Head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm enters the 2008 campaign currently ranking 22nd among NCAA Division II women's volleyball active coaches in career winning percentage (.719). She ranks tied for 22nd place among active coaches with 371 career wins in 15 seasons and is listed 15th in winningest coaches all-time as ranked by percentage (371-145, .719). Brandel-Wilhelm presently ranks as the second all-time winningest coach in Ferris State women's volleyball history and is 77 victories away from tying Jill Hirschinger (1984-95) as the program's all-time leader in coaching victories.

Ferris State placed 34th among the final 2007 NCAA Division II statistical leaders in kills per game (15.4), 46th in assists per game (13.79), 56th in service aces per game (2.25), 65th in win-loss percentage (.667), 81st in hitting percentage (.205), 138th in blocks per game (1.95), and 146th in digs per game (16.49). Individually, Andrea Rich was 159th in assists per game (8.54) while Kristy Gilchrist ranked 166th in hitting percentage (.276), 170th in aces per game (0.45), and 251st in kills per game (3.14). Candice Marut finished 201st in assists per game (6.67).