#1 GLIAC NORTH
FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS (27-5 ALL, 16-0 GLIAC)
VOLLEYBALL:
Expectations are high again for the Ferris State University women's volleyball squad, which is the five-time defending GLIAC Champion heading into the 2019 season.
Ferris State made its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid last fall and has advanced to at least the regional semifinals each of the last eight years. FSU's regional appearance a year ago represented the program's 23rd all-time NCAA bid.
In 2018, FSU closed the year with a 27-5 overall mark and also captured the program's fifth-straight GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships. FSU became the first school to ever win five consecutive league tourney crowns this past fall.
Last year also marked the 17th time in 23 seasons under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm in which FSU had claimed at least 20 victories in a campaign. The Bulldogs also made their 21st consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance.
Ferris State will return 11 letterwinners for the 2019 campaign, including three-time All-America outside hitter Allyson Cappel along with several returning regulars such as setter Maeve Grimes in addition to Courtney Brewer, Mekayla Carey, Katie O'Connell and Samantha Hermann among others. O'Connell joined Cappel as a D2 All-American a year ago.
This fall's schedule is highlighted by the return of the season-opening Ferris State Invitational on Sept. 5-7 at the Ewigleben Sports Complex. FSU opens the season by hosting Ohio Dominican on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 5 p.m. (ET). The Bulldogs then host McKendree (Ill.) on Friday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. (ET) before closing out the three-day event on Saturday, Sept. 7, against Gannon (Pa.) and Bemidji State (Minn.) starting at 10 a.m. (ET) and 6 p.m. (ET), respectively.