FERRIS STATE BASKETBALL TEAMS UNITE AGAIN FOR WORTHY CAUSE

Bulldog Programs Gear Up For Special Olympics Charity Game This Wednesday

Teaming Up For Charity

The Ferris State basketball programs will team up with local Special Olympics Area 5 athletes in a charity game this Wednesday at Jim Wink Arena. This photo was taken at last year's event.

The Bulldog basketball teams will take part in the second annual charity Head-to-Head and Hand-in-Hand Special Olympics Benefit Game Wednesday, March 21, beginning at 7 p.m. (EDT) inside FSU's Jim Wink Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. The event is being organized and co-sponsored by the Ferris Professional Recreation Association and the Gamma Epsilon Tau printing, advertising and visual design fraternity on campus.

The two competing teams will be made up of both FSU men's and women's players along with local Special Olympics Area 5 athletes.

Ferris students will be admitted to the game for only $1 with their student identification card while community members are encouraged to attend for only a small $2 admission fee. All proceeds from the event will go to the local Area 5 Special Olympics and will be used to help fund participation in statewide events along with uniform and equipment needs.

This year's event will also include a silent auction starting at 6 p.m. (EDT). Potential items up for bid include a one-night stay at the Holiday Inn, an 18-hole golf package for two, a DVD player, quilt and gift certificates from numerous local merchants. Special halftime events along with various raffles and prizes will also be part of the evening activities.

"The Area 5 special olympics athletes look forward to this game all year and enjoy being able to play alongside the Bulldog players," said Angela Knoertzer of the FSU Professional Recreation Association. "The project was such a success last year and it's a great way to raise money for the Special Olympics program."

For more information on the event, please contact Angela Knoertzer at (989) 944-1026 or via email at knoerta@fsuimail.ferris.edu.

The Ferris men's basketball team registered its fourth-straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament appearance this season under fifth-year head coach Bill Sall and concluded the year with a 10-18 overall record. The Bulldogs placed tied for third in the GLIAC North Divsion regular-season standings with a 8-10 league slate this campaign after advancing to the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament the last two seasons.

The Ferris State women's basketball squad posted a school-record 23 wins (23-9) this campaign while advancing to the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Championship Game for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA-II Sweet Sixteen for the first time and recorded back-to-back wins in their first two national tournament games. FSU compiled a second-place tying 13-5 GLIAC regular-season finish in head coach Tracey Bloodworth-Fisk's ninth season at the helm.