Ferris State's Lehman Earns MVP Honor As Seven Bulldogs Compete In West Michigan All-Star Event

Big Rapids, Mich. - Senior guard Drew Lehman (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) brought home Most Valuable Player honors after hitting the game-winning shot on Wednesday (March 25) night to lift his team to victory in the Champions of Character West Michigan All-Star Game held at Davenport University in Grand Rapids.

Lehman was among seven Bulldog men's and women's basketball seniors who competed in the ninth annual all-star event. His game-winning three in the men's contest came with five seconds to play as his WHAC D&W All-Stars beat the MIAA Family Fare team 100-99 inside the DU Student Center.

The Bulldog senior earned MVP honors with 26 points on the night. Two other FSU players also took part in the men's game and were on the winning team with Dietrich Lever (Detroit/Canton) totaling six points and forward Matt Stoll (Kent City) scoring eight points in the game.

In the women's game, the Bulldogs also had four players participate and they helped their WHAC D&W All-Star squad to a 88-85 victory over the MIAA Family Fare team. FSU senior forward Ashley Rando (Jackson/Northwest) recorded nine points, forward Kara Hess (Grandville) scored five points, guard Destiney Robinson (Grand Rapids/Christian) netted four points and forward Hannah Hoffman (Okemos) scored two points as all four Bulldogs reached the scoring column.

The selected participants were divided up in a matchup that pitted Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) schools against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) members with a mix of seniors from outside the two conferences divided among the two sides.

Along with seven chosen student-athletes, second-year Ferris State men's basketball head coach Andy Bronkema served as a co-coach for the WHAC team alongside his former collegiate coach Kim Elders, who led Cornerstone University to its third NAIA National Championship this year.

Proceeds raised from the event went to the "Champions of Character Lecturing Initiative", which promotes respect, integrity, responsibility, leadership and sportsmanship to every player, coach, referee, parent and spectator at area schools.

A total of nearly 40 student-athletes were chosen for participation in the game and all had ties to West Michigan as either collegiate or prep basketball standouts in the area prior to concluding their college careers this past winter. Individuals came from programs including FSU, Aquinas, Cornerstone, Davenport, Kuyper, Calvin, Grace Bible, Grand Valley State, Hope, Lake Superior State and Northwood.

Overall, the Bulldogs' seven total participants were the most from any school.

Bronkema and his three Bulldog seniors led the FSU men's basketball team to a 23-9 overall record this past season in his second year at the FSU helm. In addition to the NCAA Tourney appearance and winning the GLIAC Tournament Championship this year, the Bulldogs' season was also highlighted by several other accomplishments including a top 20 national ranking, a 15-game regular season win streak, an exhibition victory over NCAA Division I Bowling Green and signature wins such as the team's first-ever win at Findlay's Croy Gymnasium. FSU also led the GLIAC in attendance during the regular season.

The Bulldog women's squad this year won more than 10 games for the 18th time in the last 19 years.

In addition to playing in the Champions of Character game, Lehman will also compete this week on Friday (March 27) in the Reese's Division II Collegiate All-Star Game at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. He was chosen as one of the top 20 players in the nation to compete in the game and will be the only representative from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).