All-America Standouts Zach Hankins & Stephanie Sikorski Chosen As 2016-17 Dean Davenport "Bulldogs Of The Year"

Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of Ferris State University standout All-America student-athletes have been named the recipients of the Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" Award as sophomore center Zach Hankins (Charlevoix) of the men's basketball team and senior setter Stephanie Sikorski (Rochester Hills/Rochester) of the women's volleyball program were tabbed as the 2016-17 award winners.

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 2016-17, both Hankins and Sikorski claimed All-America accolades while leading their respective teams to championship success.

"Zach Hankins and Stephanie Sikorski are outstanding choices as the Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year Award recipients this year and both are extremely deserving," said FSU Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger. "They have been outstanding representatives of their respective programs, our department and the university.

"Stephanie had a decorated All-America volleyball career and led our team to three consecutive GLIAC regular-season and tournament championships. Meanwhile, Zach had a tremendous year in leading our men's basketball squad to a historic season and a conference title, becoming the first sophomore in GLIAC history to be chosen as the league's Player of the Year. 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.

Hankins' selection marks the eighth time a Bulldog football player has been honored as a winner of the Dean Davenport "Bulldog of the Year" Award and the first since former standout Justin Keenan was a back-to-back recipient in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Meanwhile, Vander Meer is among 14 volleyball participants to claim the honor and it represents the second consecutive year in which a volleyball student-athlete has been awarded the distinction, following in the footsteps of former teammate Megan Vander Meer a year ago in 2015-16.

The other student-athlete nominee finalists for the 2016-17 Dean Davenport Bulldog of the Year Award were Gerald Mayhew (Hockey), Rachel McInerney (Women's Basketball) and Zach Sieler (Football).

Hankins led Bulldog Basketball to one of the most historic seasons in school history, including an appearance in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Semifinals for the second consecutive year. As a sophomore, he claimed consensus All-America accolades and was a first-team choice by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He was also chosen to the All-Midwest Region squad and tabbed as the regional player of the year. Hankins was the only player from a GLIAC member school selected on any of the All-America squads.

Along with being the first-ever FSU men's basketball sophomore to garner All-America acclaim, Hankins also became only the seventh All-American in Ferris State men's basketball history and third in the last 43 years. He joined past standouts Justin Keenan and Drew Lehman as the only school All-Americans at the NCAA Division II level.

Behind the play of the sophomore standout, Ferris State set a school record this year by winning 28 games, which represented the most wins in nearly 90 seasons of Bulldog Basketball. FSU also won the GLIAC Regular-Season and Tournament Championships in the same year for the first time in school history. The league tourney title was FSU's third in a row as the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year.

This season, Hankins garnered GLIAC Player of the Year recognition, becoming the first-ever sophomore to win the league's top player award in men's basketball. He set a new GLIAC and school record with 130 blocked shots on the year, leading the nation in blocks and ranking sixth in field goal percentage (64.7). The Charlevoix native received All-GLIAC First Team laurels and was also named to the GLIAC All-Defensive Team while receiving league tourney team accolades in helping Ferris State capture the tournament title on its home floor in Big Rapids. He finished the year with 17 double-double performances and scored 10 points or more in 27 games with 20 double-figure rebounding outings.

Finally, Hankins paced FSU in both scoring (15.0) and rebounding (10.5) during the 2016-17 campaign and led the conference in rebounding while ranking among the scoring leaders. Hankins was also named a national finalist as one of the country's top 50 players for the Bevo Francis National Small College Basketball Player of the Year honor.

"Zach had a phenomenal sophomore campaign and we're proud of what he accomplished," FSU men's basketball head coach Andy Bronkema said. "There's no doubt he had a huge impact on the historic success of our team and it's a direct result of the hard work and effort he has put into being a better player. We're excited to have him back for two more years and believe even bigger things are ahead in his career."

Sikorski was chosen as the GLIAC's Player of the Year after leading FSU to a third-straight conference regular-season championship. She also earned GLIAC Setter of the Year laurels and was tabbed to the league's all-tournament team while leading Ferris State to a third-straight league postseason crown. She concluded her career ranked second all-time in career assists at FSU with 5,026 over her four seasons.

As a senior, Sikorski earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II All-America accolades for the second consecutive year after previously garnering honorable mention laurels in her junior campaign. Sikorski joined three-time honoree Patty Theis (1985-87) and two-time honorees Kathy O'Connor (1993), Karla Fairbanks (2003-04) and Vander Meer (2014-15) as the only Bulldog players to achieve All-America status multiple years in their FSU careers. 

With Sikorski as the Bulldogs' setter, Ferris State won 26-straight matches prior to falling in the 2016 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship match. She finished the year with 1,412 assists, 327 digs, 99 kills and 44 blocks. FSU made the NCAA Tournament in all four of her collegiate campaigns and she finished her career as a four-year starter in the Bulldog lineup. The veteran star was an AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team selection and helped lead FSU to the NCAA-II Elite Eight as a freshman in 2013.

The standout setter led the Bulldogs to a 30-6 overall mark in 2016 as FSU earned the right to host the Division II Midwest Regional for the second-straight year and made a second consecutive NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance. It marked the 15th time in 21 seasons under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm in which FSU had claimed at least 20 victories in a campaign. The Bulldogs also made their 19th consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance.

"Stephanie was an outstanding leader for our team and had an exceptional four-year career as a Bulldog," said FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm. "Very few players in past Bulldog history have achieved as much as she did or reached as many milestones, both individually and as a team. We're extremely proud of all she accomplished at Ferris State."

The selections of the Dean Davenport "Bulldogs of the Year" wrap up the postseason awards for FSU. Earlier this week, the Bulldogs announced the selections of former faculty athletics representative Terry Nerbonne as the Pete Peterson Pride Award recipient and Bulldog Hockey senior forward Chad McDonald as the Jimmy Swears Courage Award winner. In addition, football linebacker Anthony Darkangelo and Bulldog Volleyball's Jenna Way garnered co-recognition as the Willie Bouyer Leadership Award recipients.

"We're honored to be able to present these year-end awards and extremely pleased as an athletic department to be able to honor our outstanding student-athletes and people with awards named after individuals who have played such a big part  in the history and tradition of Bulldog Athletics," said Weisenburger.

Bulldog of the Year Recipients:
2016-17 - Zach Hankins (Men's Basketball) and Stephanie Sikorski (Volleyball)
2015-16 - Jason Vander Laan (Football) and Megan Vander Meer (Volleyball)
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)