Ferris State To Be Well-Represented In "Champions Of Character" West Michigan All-Star Game
Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University will be well-represented in the 2015 Champions of Character College All-Star Game as a total of seven student-athletes were chosen to participate in the annual West Michigan collegiate all-star event. The Bulldogs had the most combined selections of any school for the game.
The contest, which takes place on March 25 at Davenport University in the Grand Rapids area, pits the top area seniors from West Michigan institutions against each other.
The selected participants will be divided up in a matchup that pits 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 will serve as a co-head coach for the WHAC team alongside his former collegiate coach Kim Elders, who this past week led Cornerstone University to its third NAIA National Championship. Longtime Calvin head coach Kevin Vande Streek will coach the MIAA squad.
Bronkema will be joined for the men's game by three seniors who completed their eligibility last week in leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament. The group includes a pair of four-year letterwinners in guards Drew Lehman (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) and Dietrich Lever
(Detroit/Canton) along with senior forward and West Michigan native Matt Stoll (Kent City).
The Bulldogs also had four players selected to participate in the women's game, including guard Destiney Robinson (Grand Rapids/Christian) along with forwards Kara Hess (Grandville), Hannah Hoffman (Okemos) and Ashley Rando (Jackson/Northwest). The women's teams will be guided by Davenport's Mike Williams and Calvin's John Ross.
Davenport University will serve as the host of the 2015 Champions of Character College All-Star Games on Wednesday at the DU Student Center. The games will take play at 6 p.m. for the women and 7:30 p.m. for the men. The ninth annual event will be hosted by Davenport
for the second-staright year.
Proceeds raised going to the "Champions of Character Lecturing Initiative." A goal to raise between $5,000 and $7,500 has been set to help the initiative that promotes respect, integrity, responsibility, leadership and sportsmanship to every player, coach, referee, parent and spectator at area schools.
A total of 19 student-athletes are slated to compete in the men's contest. Players in the men's game will represent FSU, Aquinas, Cornerstone, Davenport, Kuyper, Calvin, Grace Bible, Grand Valley State and Hope. All participants either played collegiate or prep basketball in the West Michigan area.
On the women's side, 22 student-athletes have been chosen for participation from FSU, Aquinas, Cornerstone, Davenport, Calvin, GVSU, Hope, Lake Superior State and Northwood.
Overall, only a total of six players from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference will compete on the men's side with eight on the women's side.
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.
Below are the complete team rosters:
MEN
WHAC D&W ALL-STARS
Coaches: Kim Elders (Cornerstone), Andy Bronkema (Ferris State)
Aquinas: Anthony Williams (6-0, East Chicago, Ill), Kevin Grant (6-4, Ottawa Hills)
Cornerstone: Ty Mason (6-2, Comstock Park), Justin Pepper (6-7, Wayland)
Davenport: Thomas Drew (6-6, GR Catholic Central)
Ferris State: Matt Stoll (6-7, Kent City), Drew Lehman (6-0, Central Catholic, Ohio), Dietrich Lever (5-9, Canton)
Kuyper College: Kyle Hoek (6-5, Jenison)
MIAA FAMILY FARE ALL-STARS
Coach: Kevin VandeStreek (Calvin)
Calvin: Jordan Brink (6-3 Illana Christian, Ind.), Tyler Dykstra (6-9, Holland Christian), Dan Stout (6-9, Escondido Calif.)
Grace Bible: Cameron Cramer (6-7, Ida), Brad Rosenzweig (6-6, Forest Hills Eastern), Travis Rader (6-5, Wayland)
Grand Valley State: Ryan Sabin (6-4, Byron Center), Ernijs Ansons (6-3, Latvia), Brandon Barkley (6-6, Detroit)
Hope: Corey McMahon (6-1, Glenbrook South, Ill.)
WOMEN
WHAC D&W ALL-STARS
Coach: Mike Williams (Davenport)
Aquinas: Chelsea Matley (5-6, Kalkaska), Allison Heberlein (5-9, Lansing Catholic)
Cornerstone: Jill Hendrickson (6-2, Forest Hills Central), Ashley Niedermayer (5-10, Adlai Stevenson, Ill.)
Davenport: Kayleigh VanKeulen (5-6, Kalamazoo Christian), Kia Frazier (5-4, GR Christian), Linnea Brandholm (5-9, Sweden), Daina Grazulis (6-3, Marquette)
Ferris State: Destiny Robinson (5-3, GR Christian), Kara Hess (5-11, Grandville), Hannah Hoffman (6-3, Okemos), Ashley Rando (5-9, Jackson Northwest)
MIAA FAMILY FARE ALL-STARS
Coach: John Ross (Calvin)
Calvin: Kayla Engelhard (5-7, Saginaw Valley Lutheran), Hannah Acre (5-8, Dewitt), Kelly Bates (5-8, Alpena)
Grand Valley State: Kat Laprairie (5-11, Rockford)
Hope: Brittany Berry (5-8, GR Catholic), Hannah Doell (6-1, Southern Lehigh, Pa.), Rebekah Lloerns (6-1, Grayslake Central, Ill.)
Lake Superior State: Kandace Crittendon (5-11, Byron Center)
Northwood: Sarah Susan (5-11, Byron Center), Kaitlin Susan (5-11, Byron Center)
Note: Rosters courtesy MLive.com