Ferris State Women's Basketball Lands One Of West Michigan's Best In NCAA D1 Transfer Kenzie Bowers

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's basketball program has landed one of West Michigan's top talents as the Bulldogs have announced the addition of a NCAA Division I transfer in Kenzie Bowers, who recently wrapped up her collegiate freshman campaign at Illinois State University on the heels of an outstanding prep career at Kent City High School.

The 5-9 Bowers played in 33 games for the Redbirds this past season, averaging more than 15 minutes a game while helping the squad claimed its first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title since 2009 en route to earning the school's sixth NCAA Tournament appearance. She totaled 89 points, 79 rebounds, 23 assists and 20 steals as Illinois State finished 19-14 overall.

Bowers will join the Bulldogs for the upcoming 2022-23 campaign as FSU aims to reach the NCAA Tournament once again under head coach Kurt Westendorp, who directed the Bulldogs to both a national tournament berth and the program's first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament Championship this past season.

"We're thrilled to welcome Kenzie to our program," Westendorp said. "She is one of the most talented players to come out of West Michigan over the past couple years and we're excited to have her back home.

"Kenzie brings a winner's mentality, having been a key part of highly successful programs at Kent City High School and this past season at Illinois State," he added. "Her drive to compete, fit within our philosophy, and the connections she already has with our returning team should make for a seamless transition into a Bulldog uniform."

Bowers concluded her prep career as Kent City's all-time leading scorer in a boys or girls basketball uniform, totaling 1,822 career points while becoming the school's first to sign with a Division I hoops program. She led the Eagles to an 84-12 overall record with four conference titles, four district championships, two regional titles and a state finals appearance. As a senior, her team finished with a 21-1 overall record with the lone loss coming in the Division 3 state finals.

The standout guard averaged 19.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 5.0 steals as a senior on the high school level while shooting 59 percent from the floor and 33 percent from long range. Bowers was named the 2021 MLive Muskegon Region Player of the Year and was an all-state honoree. As a junior, she totaled 20 points, 9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 4.8 steals in 2019-20, earning all-state, all-conference and all-area honors.

Bowers was rated as a top 16 player in the state of Michigan, regardless of class, during her prep career. Additionally, she also competed on the AAU level for the West Michigan Drive under director Larry Copeland.

The Bulldog women's basketball program captured both the GLIAC North Division Regular-Season Championship and also the GLIAC Tournament Championship this past season. The postseason tournament title was the Bulldogs' first in school history. The Bulldogs' 22 wins fell one shy of matching the school single-season mark for victories in a campaign.