FSU Third In GLIAC President's Trophy Race

Official GLIAC Release
Final President's Trophy Standings
Year-By-Year All-Time Standings

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University Athletics Department wrapped up a highly-successful year by finishing third in the 2011-12 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) President's Trophy Standings, which were announced late Tuesday (May 22) evening by the conference office.

FSU found itself once again in familiar territory as the Bulldogs secured a top-five finish for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.  The third-place effort was the school's best since also taking third place in the 2007-08 campaign.

The Bulldogs recorded a 124.5 points total to capture third place in the final standings and edged out Wayne State for the third spot as the Warriors calculated 124 points.  Grand Valley State claimed the GLIAC's top honor for the 14th straight season and a league all-time best 19th time by accumulating 195 points while Ashland captured second place for the seventh year in a row with 169.5 points.  

The GLIAC President's Cup, which is commonly referred to as the All-Sports Trophy, is awarded annually at the conclusion of competition to the conference member who has demonstrated general excellence in all or most sports.  The award is designed to promote well-rounded athletic programs within each member institution.  

The Bulldogs' 124.5 total points this year were the school's most since producing 212.2 points en route to winning the President's Trophy back in the 1988-89 campaign.  

Ferris State registered a conference third-highest 78.5 points in nine women's sports scored while the Bulldogs produced 46 points on the men's side in seven sports.  This season, the Bulldogs claimed a GLIAC co-championship in volleyball with second place overall points finishes in men's tennis, women's cross country and women's basketball.  

FSU captured divisional crowns this past year in volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball while the men's tennis team won the GLIAC Tournament.  A total of five Bulldog teams experienced championship success with the program's Division I men's ice hockey team claiming the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Regular-Season Championship en route to the national title game at the Frozen Four. 

The GLIAC President's Trophy standings are based on final regular season standings with the exception of cross country, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and swimming and diving which are based upon the conference tournament finish.

Ferris State has won 14 GLIAC President's Trophies since the award's inception with the 1972-73 season, which ranks second overall.  The Bulldogs claimed the conference trophy in 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, and 1993-94. 

The Bulldogs, who improved from a fifth-place finish the year before in 2010-11, have placed fifth or higher 35 times since the trophy's inception in the 1972-73 campaign.  

The GLIAC is comprised of 14 member institutions - Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Wayne State University, Ashland University, University of Findlay, Hillsdale College, Lake Erie College, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, Northwood University, Ohio Dominican University, Saginaw Valley State University, and Tiffin University.   The University of Indianapolis was an associate member which competed in football and men's & women's swimming and diving only this past year.  Lewis University was also an associate member and participated in men's & women's swimming and diving only for the GLIAC.