Ferris State Basketball Squads Both Earn NCAA Tourney Berths In Same Year For First Time In School History

Big Rapids, Mich. - For the first time in school history, both the Ferris State University men's and women's basketball squads have advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in the same campaign as both squads earned berths in the D2 Midwest Regional Tournament as announced late Sunday night during the NCAA Selection Show.

The Bulldog men's squad will be the number seven seed in the Midwest Regional and face second-seeded Truman State (Mo.) on Saturday (March 14) starting at 2:30 p.m. (ET) in first-round action in Indianapolis, Ind. The University of Indianapolis earned the top seed and will host the eight-team Midwest Regional field set for March 14-17.

Meanwhile, the Bulldog women's team was picked as the number five seed in the Midwest Region and will square off against fourth-seeded Grand Valley State on Friday (March 13) at 9:30 p.m. (ET) in Springfield, Mo. The women's regional tournament will be played March 13-16 and hosted by top-seeded Drury University.

On the men's side, the Bulldogs were one of two GLIAC member schools to earn berths in the regional field along with Michigan Tech. Host Indianapolis is the top seed and will face eighth-seeded Walsh with fourth-seeded Michigan Tech taking on fifth-seeded Bellarmine (Ky.). Finally, third-seeded Missouri-St. Louis will square off against sixth-seeded Southern Indiana in the first round.

The winners will take part in the regional semifinal games on Sunday (March 15) with the championship game on Tuesday (March 17). The single-elimination national tournament field includes eight regions of eight teams apiece. The Midwest Regional champion will advance to the NCAA Division Elite Eight with quarterfinal-round play on March 26 and the semifinals on March 28 in Evansville, Ind. This year, the national championship game will be contested at the Division I men's Final Four on Sunday, April 5, in Atlanta, Ga.

On the women's side, the Bulldogs were also among three teams picked from the GLIAC in addition to second-seeded Ashland and fourth-seeded Grand Valley State. Host Drury is the top seed and will face eighth-seeded Lindenwood (Mo.) with second-seeded Ashland taking on seventh-seeded Southern Indiana. Finally, third-seeded Walsh will square off against sixth-seeded Lewis (Ill.) in the first round.

The women's quarterfinal-round winners will take part in the regional semifinal games on Saturday (March 14) with the championship game on Monday (March 16). The Midwest Regional champion will advance to the NCAA Division Elite Eight set for March 24-27 in Birmingham, Ala.

Ferris State will be making its fifth NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament appearance in the program's history. The Bulldog women's squad last made the field in 2011-12 when FSU reached the Midwest Regional semifinals. The Bulldogs also made berths in 1999-00, 2003-04 and 2006-07 when FSU made its deepest run by reaching the regional final and the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen.

Meanwhile, in men's basketball, Ferris State has made 13 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, and this year will mark FSU's fifth trip to the big dance in the past six years. The Bulldogs reached the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship Game and the Sweet Sixteen of the national tournament four years ago before making another regional semifinal appearance in 2017. Two years ago, the Bulldogs claimed their first national championship while finishing with an all-time NCAA best 38-1 overall record after winning the Midwest Regional on their home floor at Jim Wink Arena. FSU narrowly missed returning to the tournament for the fifth consecutive year last season.

Both Ferris State teams claimed GLIAC North Division Championships during the regular-season with the men's team also winning the outright league title.

The Bulldog men's squad, which is currently 27-6 overall and ranked 10th in the country, won its 16th all-time conference title and third in the past four years this season. Meanwhile, the FSU women's team, which is presently 21-8 overall, claimed its third-ever league crown and first since 2012.