BIG RAPIDS - The Ferris State University women’s basketball team earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament following the national field announcement Sunday. The Bulldogs will face the seventh-seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis on Friday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m. in Allendale.
The tournament selection follows Ferris State’s runner-up finish in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 16 nationally, currently stand at 26-6 on the season.
Ferris State fell to top-seeded rival Grand Valley State University 83-62 in the GLIAC Tournament Championship Game on Sunday. While the Bulldogs recorded 10 three-pointers in the contest, the Lakers controlled the interior with 38 points in the paint. The contest marked the second tournament final in two years between the West Michigan rivals.
Prior to the championship game, the third-seeded Bulldogs defeated the University of Wisconsin-Parkside at home in the opening round. They followed that performance with a 104-86 semifinal victory over second-seeded Wayne State University on Saturday in Allendale.
Two Bulldogs earned individual honors following the conference tournament run. Kadyn Blanchard and Mya Hiram were both named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team for their performances across the three postseason games.
The Bulldogs are one of four teams from the GLIAC selected for the Midwest Regional field. Other conference representatives include top-seeded Grand Valley State, fourth-seeded Wayne State, and fifth-seeded Northern Michigan University. The Lakers, ranked second in the nation, enter the tournament with a 30-1 record.
This selection marks the ninth NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament appearance for Ferris State. It is the program’s third consecutive trip and its fourth appearance in the past five seasons.
The NCAA Division II Midwest Regional begins Friday with four quarterfinal games. Following the opening round, the winners will meet in the semifinals on Saturday evening. The regional title game is scheduled for Monday, March 16.
The regional champion will advance to the Elite Eight in Pittsburgh, with quarterfinal play beginning March 24 and the semifinals on March 26. The national championship game will be held on March 28 at the UMPC Cooper Fieldhouse.