All-Americans Jason Vander Laan & Samantha Johnson Selected As Ferris State Dean Davenport "Bulldogs Of The Year"

Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of Ferris State University All-America student-athletes have been chosen as the prestigious winners of the Dean Davenport "Bulldog Of The Year" Award for the 2014-15 athletics campaign in an announcement made today.

This year's recipients include Harlon Hill Trophy winning quarterback Jason Vander Laan (Frankfort, Ill./Chicago Christian) of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Champion Ferris State football program along with talented senior runner Samantha Johnson (Troy) of the FSU women's track and field/cross country squad. They were selected in voting conducted by the Bulldog head coaches and selected FSU Athletics Department staff members.

Both individuals were recognized as the school's top male and female student-athletes, respectively, for their accomplishments this past season. In 2014-15, both Vander Laan and Johnson claimed All-America accolades and both have also ranked among the premier student-athletes across the country in the classroom.

“Thrilled is the best way to describe the naming of Jason Vander Laan and Samantha Johnson as the Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year Award recipients," FSU Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger said. "Their exceptional performances both on and off the field and the track are gold standards in the truest sense.

"Sam carried on a tradition of decorated runners in our women's track and cross country programs by excelling at the national level and in the classroom as well," he added. "Meanwhile, Jason had a truly historic season leading our football team to championship success and winning the Harlon Hill Trophy in addition to his many school and community accomplishments. Both are outstanding young people and true ambassadors and representatives of Ferris State University and our Athletics programs. We congratulate them on earning the prestigious Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year Awards.”

The Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" Award, which was reinstated in the 2002-03 season following a seven-year absence, is presented annually to the most outstanding Ferris State male and female student-athlete.  Award criteria consists of strong athletic achievements (must be a letterwinner and achieve outstanding athletic accomplishment), strong individual character and academic achievement.

The award was renamed in honor of former Ferris State Athletics Director Dean Davenport, who served in the position from 1979-93. During his tenure at Ferris, Davenport was instrumental in the planning of the FSU Sports Complex, the growth of women's intercollegiate athletics, the emergence of Ferris' NCAA Division I men's ice hockey program and the development of the athletics scholarship program. He also led the athletics department to 14 consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) President's Cup Championships.  Davenport also played a key role in helping found many of the department's key major annual awards.

Vander Laan's selection marks the 12th time a Bulldog football player has been honored as a winner of the Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" Award, but the first since former standout defensive lineman Jake Visser was a two-time winner in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Meanwhile, Johnson is among nine women's track and field/cross country participants to claim the honor and it marks the seventh year in a row in which a member of the program has earned the distinction on the heels of three-time winner Tina Muir (2009-12) and former runner Mikinzie Stuart in 2008-09 prior to Anna Rudd's selection each of the last two years.

The other student-athlete nominees for the 2014-15 Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year Award were Ben Cook (men's golf), Laurent Galarneau (men's tennis), Drew Lehman (men's basketball), CJ Motte (Hockey), Katie Mavis (women's basketball) and Megan Vander Meer (volleyball).

Vander Laan, who was named the 2014-15 GLIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year last week, became the first FSU player ever and only the third in GLIAC history to receive the coveted Harlon Hill Trophy as NCAA Division II's top football player last fall. In 2014, he quarterbacked the Bulldogs to their first 11-0 regular-season in the 106-year history of Ferris State football. 

The 6-2, 241-pounder from Frankfort, Ill., rushed for 1,466 yards with 20 touchdowns while completing 183-of-275 passes for 2,381 yards and 30 more scores as a junior. He ranked as the nation's top rushing quarterback at all levels and was tops in the country in passing efficiency (177.8) along with points responsible for this past year (300) entering the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The three-year starter achieved All-America recognition from numerous sources, including being voted the Daktronics, Football Gazette and Beyond Sports Network National Offensive Player of the Year in addition to the GLIAC Player of the Year. He also earned regional Offensive Player of the Year recognition from multiple sources and was also the only quarterback on the 2014 Associated Press Little All-America First Team, the 2014 American Football Coaches Association All-America First Team and the 2014 Daktronics All-America First Team. 

Behind Vander Laan's play as the signal caller, Ferris State led the nation in the regular-season in total offense and was second in scoring offense along with fourth in rushing. The Bulldogs compiled 700 yards or more in three games and set a school single-season scoring record with 559 total points last season. FSU also established new school marks for total offense and rushing in 2014.

The veteran signal caller, who also became the school's all-time leader in total offense and career rushing yards last fall, is the only active quarterback in college football at any level with both 50+ passing and rushing TD's in his career. He needs less than 800 yards to become the all-time leading rushing quarterback in Division II history and already owns the NCAA-II single-season record along with the GLIAC records for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a game, season and career.

Vander Laan led the Bulldogs to the school's first GLIAC Championship in 15 years, first outright league crown in 18 years and first NCAA Division II Playoff appearance since 1996. FSU's 11-1 overall record under 2014 GLIAC and AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Tony Annese was the school's best in 19 seasons.

In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Vander Laan was also chosen as a GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient for the second time last fall and named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team. He's a two-time nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team and a three-time GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team selection. The two-time team captain is active in FSU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and highly involved in a number of community service projects. He is majoring in applied math/actuarial science at FSU.

Johnson received 2015 NCAA Division II Indoor Track All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the mile run at the national meet on March 14 in Birmingham, Ala. She was also among the national provisional qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in both the 800 meters and the 1500 meters this past year where she finished 11th overall in the final round of the 1,500 meters at the 2015 NCAA-II Outdoor Championships on May 23 in Allendale.

The fifth-year senior and Pharmacy major was a 2015 Capital One Academic All-District First Team selection this past season. Johnson posted four first-place finishes in the distance events during the outdoor track campaign and placed among the top six finishers overall in all five meet appearances prior to nationals, which included five top-two efforts. She competed at both the NCAA Indoor & Outdoor Championships and was the league runner-up in the 1,500 meters at the GLIAC meet.

Johnson, a GLIAC Commissioner's Award winner for Excellence a year ago, was previously chosen as the 2013 United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Region "Runner of the Year" and the 2013 GLIAC Cross Country "Athlete of the Year" for her efforts in cross country. She was an all-conference pick multiple times and a multiple-time GLIAC All-Academic Team selection in her career. 

In her final season of cross country in the fall of 2013, Johnson won three cross country races, including the GLIAC and NCAA Midwest Regional titles while also winning the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational. She qualified individually for the NCAA Division II Championships where she placed fifth in the country and claimed All-America kudos. The veteran four-year letterwinner helped Ferris State to be ranked as one of the region's top 10 squads throughout her collegiate career and ranked nationally multiple times. She concluded her career ranked among the program's all-time top five leaders in several events.

Bulldog of the Year Recipients:
2014-15 - Jason Vander Laan (Football) and Samantha Johnson (Women's Track & Field/CC)
2013-14 – CJ Motte (Men's Ice Hockey) and Anna Rudd (Women's Track & Field/CC)
2012-13 – Kyle Bonis (Men's Ice Hockey) and Anna Rudd (Women's Track & Field/CC)
2011-12 – Taylor Nelson (Men's Ice Hockey) and Tina Muir (Women's Track & Field/CC)
2010-11 – Justin Keenan (Men's Basketball) and Tina Muir (Women's Track & Field/CC)
2009-10 – Justin Keenan (Men's Basketball), Eric Lilleboe (Men's Golf), and Tina Muir (Women's Track & Field/CC)
2008-09 – Jake Visser (Football), Mikinzie Stuart (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
2007-08 – Jake Visser (Football), Rachel Folcik (Women's Basketball), and Becky Hoffman (Women's Golf)
2006-07 – Mike Klobucher (Football), Rachel Folcik (Women's Basketball), and Kristie Smilanich (Women's Soccer)
2005-06 – Dennis Springs (Men's Basketball), Jenny Irwin (Women's Cross Country and Women's Track & Field)
2004-05 – Carlton Epps (Men's Basketball), Karla Fairbanks (Women's Volleyball)
2003-04 – Derek Fudge (Football), Lucy DeMartin (Women's Basketball)
2002-03 – Chris Kunitz (Men's Ice Hockey), Kathryn Bobbie (Women's Golf)
1995-96 – Bill Love (Football), Theresa Luciow (Softball)
1994-95 – Bill Love (Football), Shelli Gaul (Women's Track & Field)
1993-94 – Ed Philion (Football), Kathy O'Connor (Women's Volleyball & Women's Basketball)
1992-93 – Monty Brown (Football), Jodi Raab (Women's Basketball)
1991-92 – Dan Hutcheson (Wrestling), Monica Ferguson (Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
1990-91 – John DePourcq (Men's Ice Hockey), Karen Volkers (Women's Volleyball)
1989-90 – Paul Cochran (Men's Track & Field/Football), Karen Volkers (Women's Volleyball)
1988-89 – Jarvis Walker (Men's Basketball), Penny Bailey (Women's Track & Field/Cross Country)
1987-88 – Dave DenBraber (Football), Patty Theis (Women's Volleyball)
1986-87 – Brad Morris (Wrestling), Patty Theis (Women's Volleyball) and Karen Kramer (Women's Basketball)
1985-86 – Scott Kelly (Baseball), Patty Theis (Women's Volleyball)
1984-85 – Paul Jungck (Wrestling), Sharon Sanders (Women's Volleyball)
1983-84 – Terry Schumacher (Wrestling), Leigh Feenstra (Women's Volleyball)
1982-83 – Bruce Faccio (Football), Monta Ware (Women's Basketball) and Linda Spicer (Women's Volleyball)
1981-82 – Tim Smelser (Wrestling), Vicki Williams (Women's Basketball)
1980-81 – Rick Baillergeon (Men's Basketball), Terri Fraser (Women's Volleyball & Women's Basketball)
1979-80 – David Sall (Football), Roxanne Abramouski (Softball)
1978-79 – Tim Herman (Men's Basketball), Sharon Lipinski (Women's Basketball)