National Finalist Ferris State Unveils Talented Recruiting Class On National Signing Day

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Big Rapids, Mich. - Reigning NCAA Division II National Finalist Ferris State Football reloaded its program with the addition of 33 heralded recruits as part of this year's National Signing Day class unveiled by head coach Tony Annese on Wednesday (Feb. 6).

Annese, who led the Bulldogs to the most historic season in the program's 111-year history this past fall, announced FSU's 2019 recruiting class with a live afternoon press conference inside the Ewigleben Sports Complex. The outstanding class refelcts the Bulldogs' recent success and name on a national level in addition to continuing the program's strong ties from Michigan.

The Bulldogs' 33-member class features a heavy dose players with championship experience and nearly all of this year's signees also received all-state accolades on an individual basis. They will join a FSU program that has posted the GLIAC's best league record over the past seven seasons (75-15) and a squad that owns the top overall seven-year record of all collegiate programs in Michigan or in the GLIAC.

"We got a late start on recruiting with the success we had last fall and the fact we were still playing in December, but our staff worked incredibly hard and secured another outstanding class," Annese said. "With the success we've had, we have so much to sell at Ferris State and we've been able to find outstanding student-athletes not only locally, but also now on a national level.

"This class has all the tools to be successful both academically and athletically at Ferris State," he added. "They're excited about coming in to compete for championships and we're thrilled they've decided to become Bulldogs."

Ferris State's 2019 class features standouts on both sides of the ball as the Bulldogs inked 14 touted prospects on the defensive side to go with 16 offensively in addition to a kicker and two "athletes" with position yet to be determined. The total number of signees on both sides of the ball includes a nice mix of student-athletes from nearly every position.

Offensively, FSU added four offensive linemen, two wide receivers, three slots, two potential quarterbacks, one tight end and four running backs to fit the Bulldogs' high-powered offense, which has ranked among the nation's leaders in total offense, scoring offense and rushing offense throughout Annese's tenure.

On the defensive side, the Bulldogs brought in six in the secondary, four on the defensive line and four linebackers.

Ferris State again placed a heavy emphasis on its home state and grabbed plenty of the top talent in the state of Michigan with 27 coming from within the state, including several from home in West Michigan. FSU also continued its highly-successful pipeline to Florida, inking five talented performers from the Sunshine State, in addition to a standout signee from California.

Within Michigan, Ferris State again attracted top talent from West Michigan with signees from schools such as Allendale, Rockford, Zeeland, Jenison and Muskegon. FSU also again capitalized in the southeast corner of the state and the Metro Detroit area with incoming recruits from high schools such as Detroit Cass Tech, Detroit Denby, Detroit Community, Ferndale, Harper Woods, Livonia Churchill, Monroe, Taylor, Dearborn Fordson, Farmington Hills Harrison, Warren Mott, Chandler Park and others. In between, the Bulldogs landed student-athletes from various corners of the state with locations such as Williamston, Lansing, Montrose, Yale, St. Johns, Cassopolis and more.

This year's expected stellar class comes on the heels of another historic campaign as the Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2018 and matched an all-time NCAA record with 15 victories. The Bulldogs made their fifth-straight trip to the D2 Playoffs and posted a 15-1 record. This past week, SB Nation labeled FSU as Michigan's best football team of 2018 regardless of division.

Along with reaching the title game, the Bulldogs captured the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship in 2018 and won the Super Region Three title by winning their first four NCAA Playoff games en route to a historic run. The four playoff wins included FSU's first-ever National Semifinal victory at Minnesota State.

Over the last five seasons at Ferris State, the Bulldogs have compiled a 60-8 overall record and claimed three conference championships, posted three unbeaten regular-seasons, captured two regional titles and reached the national quarterfinals three times. Ferris State has also accumulated three Harlon Hill National Player of the Year trophies, twice had a student-athlete tabbed as the nation's National Scholar-Athlete of the Year and won 10 postseason games.

The Bulldogs hold the nation's best record over the past five seasons and are one of only four teams in all of college football at any NCAA level to win 11 games each of the last five years along with Alabama, Ohio State and North Dakota State. FSU is also the only D2 team in the country to reach the national quarterfinals for three consecutive years and the Bulldogs' five-straight playoff appearances is the second-longest longest streak in the nation.

FSU's 15 wins this year were the most in school history and the Bulldogs' 15-straight wins overall also set a new school record. Ferris State's 60 wins in the last five years (2014-18) marks the Bulldogs' best five-year stretch in school history.

In the seven seasons under Annese, the Bulldogs have become a national power on the Division II level. FSU has posted a 75-15 overall mark in the last seven years and the Bulldogs have also posted the best winning percentage of all 21 collegiate programs in the state of Michigan along with the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) since his arrival. Twice he's been tabbed as the Super Region Coach of the Year at Ferris State and this past season was named both the GLIAC Coach of the Year and the Hero Sports National Coach of the Year.

Overall, Annese has won 85% of his games as a head coach on the collegiate and prep levels and owns 300 wins to date, which is the most of any current GLIAC member head coach at all levels.

Ferris State, which returns a big nucleus from its national finalist team for the 2019 campaign, is presently midst the winter conditioning slate with spring practice drills scheduled to begin in March. FSU opens the 2019 schedule in September.

For complete coverage of the 2019 football signing day class, stay tuned to FerrisStateBulldogs.com
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