Ferris State Volleyball Team Eyes National Championship Amid Unique Graduation Ceremony
The Ferris State University women’s volleyball team is set to showcase their skills at the NCAA Division-II national championships in South Dakota this weekend. Entering the competition with an impressive 34-0 record, the Bulldogs are the top-ranked team in their division.
In a heartfelt twist, four senior players will miss the university’s official graduation ceremony on Friday due to their commitment to the championship. To honor their academic achievements, the university organized a private graduation ceremony where the seniors were awarded their degrees.
The ceremony was led by University President Bill Pink and attended by Head Coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm and Provost Bobby Fleishman, as mentioned in a statement from the university.
President Pink expressed his excitement and pride, stating, “We are thrilled to send our undefeated volleyball champions to Sioux Falls this weekend to bring a national championship back to Ferris, but we also wanted to acknowledge the reason they are attending Ferris State University in the first place: to complete their degrees.” His remarks came as the team prepared for their early Tuesday departure to South Dakota.
The graduating seniors include Chelsie Freeman from Texas, who completed her degree magna cum laude in psychology. Olivia Henneman-Dallape from Ohio earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, while Michigan natives Hannah Tecumseh and Kaylaa Matt graduated with degrees in biology, pre-optometry, and elementary education, respectively.
Rob Bentley, Ferris State’s associate athletic director, emphasized the dual focus of academics and athletics, saying, “You come to college to hopefully get your degree and have a chance to compete as a student athlete, and you like to see them be honored and be able to go through a ceremony,” during a phone interview with WCMU.
In addition to the volleyball team’s accomplishments, the Ferris State Bulldogs football team will also be competing in the semi-final for the Division-II national championship on Saturday. Bentley noted the significance of both teams’ continued success, adding, “A lot of teams are done by this time of the year from the fall season. To have these teams still competing here, as we get into the latter part of December, is really exciting to see.”
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