Defending GLIAC Champion Ferris State Tabbed #2 Nationally In Preseason Poll

Big Rapids, Mich. - The first NCAA Division II preseason football poll is out and defending Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Champion Ferris State as been tabbed as the nation's #2 team, according to the Sporting News.

The annual publication highlighted the top 25 teams in the country based on expert opinions and also featured a preseason All-America team. The Bulldogs were one of only two teams in the nation with multiple preseason All-America selections as senior quarterback Jason Vander Laan (Frankfort, Ill./Chicago Christian) and senior defensive lineman Justin Zimmer (Greenville) were chosen to the squad.

Ferris State was picked second behind Minnesota-Duluth and FSU was one of three teams from Super Region Four found in the preseason top five nationally. Defending national champion Colorado State-Pueblo was tabbed third followed by GLIAC counterpart Ohio Dominican in the fourth spot of the preseason listing. FSU and ODU were the only two league schools featured in the top 25 poll.

Vander Laan was the lone quarterback named to the Preseason All-America First Team by the Sporting News. Only one team was chosen from across the country and Zimmer was one of four defensive linemen chosen to the first team. FSU and Ohio Dominican were the only teams nationally with two first-team picks.

The Bulldogs will begin their 107th season of varsity competition this coming fall with their sights set on repeating as GLIAC Champions and making a return trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs following a historic season in 2014 that saw the Bulldogs finish with their first conference title in 15 years and first trip to the postseason in 18 seasons.

Vander Laan, who became the first FSU player ever and only the third in GLIAC history to receive the coveted Harlon Hill Trophy, quarterbacked the Bulldogs to their first 11-0 season in the 106-year history of Ferris State football last fall. 

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. 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 last year (300) entering the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Since the season concluded, the three-year starter has achieved recognition from numerous sources. He was voted the Daktronics, Football Gazette and Beyond Sports Network National Offensive Player of the Year and the GLIAC Player of the Year along with earning regional Offensive Player of the Year recognition from Daktronics, Beyond Sports Network (BSN) and Don Hansen's Football Gazette among other sources. He 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.

Zimmer also earned multiple All-America nods last fall after leading the Bulldogs' defensive unit. He received Daktronics and D2Football.com All-America Second Team recognition along with Football Gazette Honorable Mention laurels. The two-time first team all-conference pick led the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2014 while turning in 76 total tackles, including 31 solo hits, to go with five pass breakups and three forced fumbles. 

A team captain, Zimmer was among the national finalists for both the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award along with the Cliff Harris Small College Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was also picked as an all-region choice by Daktronics and BSN and named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America First Team.

In 2014, FSU head coach Tony Annese led the Bulldogs to an 11-1 overall record, which was the school's best in 19 seasons. A total of 10 FSU standouts earned some form of All-America honors, the Bulldogs had 16 all-conference honorees and Vander Laan was tabbed as the Harlon Hill Trophy Award winner given to the NCAA Division II Player of the Year, the best of more than 10,000 players at the level in the nation.

Annese, who was named the GLIAC and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year, recently inked yet another stellar recruiting class on National Signing Day in February with FSU adding upwards of 30 incoming prep recruits, including a GLIAC-best 26 from the state of Michigan.

More than 50 letterwinners are slated to return this coming fall for the Bulldogs with upwards of 20 players with significant starting experience eligible to be back for the 2015 campaign. Fall camp will begin in early August.