# Ferris State Bulldogs men's ice hockey

The Ferris State Bulldogs men's ice hockey team is an NCAA Division I college ice hockey program that represents Ferris State University. The Bulldogs are a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). They play at Ewigleben Arena in Big Rapids, Michigan.

## History

Ferris State's ice hockey program began in 1975 as a member of the NAIA and joined the CCHA as an affiliate member. In the program's four seasons in the NAIA the team compiled an overall record of 58-40-1-.591, including three seasons above .700 winning percentage and a program best winning percentage of .795 in the 1976–77 season. The program moved up to NCAA Division I status and became a full member of the CCHA in 1979. They joined the WCHA in 2013 before returning to the CCHA prior to the 2021–22 season.
Ferris State turned in its best season performance ever in the program's NCAA Division I history for the 2002-03 campaign with a school-best 31-10-1 overall record. The Ferris Bulldogs also claimed their first-ever CCHA Regular-Season Championship title with a first-place 22-5-1 league mark. Ferris State received an at-large bid to the 2003 NCAA Tournament and beat North Dakota 5-2 and advanced to the West Regional title game in their initial NCAA Tourney appearance, before losing a high scoring game to Minnesota 4–7. FSU also earned the distinction of being the nation's first team to reach the 30-win plateau in 2002-03 and also competed in the CCHA Super Six Championship Tourney for the first time since 1993.
The 2011–12 season was historic for the Ferris State ice hockey program. The Bulldogs began the season on a six-game win streak, their best start to a season since 1979-80 when The Bulldogs recorded an eight-game streak. The team ended the regular season with their first CCHA Regular Season Championship since the program's first in 2002–03. The season was highlighted by a 14-game unbeaten streak from January 6, 2012, to February 25 in which the team recorded 11 wins and 4 ties. The Bulldogs were also ranked first in the NCAA men's ice hockey poll for a two-week period in the season for the first time in school history. After the team finished with the top record in the CCHA, the Bulldogs received a first round bye for the 2012 CCHA Tournament. Ferris State played Bowling Green in the second round, after the Falcons upset Northern Michigan. In the best-of-three series, the Falcons picked up a win in overtime in the opening game followed by goal outburst in the second game that saw Ferris State even the series with a 7–4 win. In the final game of the series, Ferris State was unable to hold on to a three-goal lead as BGSU rallied back to force overtime. The Falcons scored in the extra period to win the CCHA quarterfinal series. Despite the loss in the CCHA playoffs, the Bulldogs received an at-large bid to the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Ferris State defeated Denver and Cornell in the first two rounds of the tournament with a pair of 2-1 games. In the program's first appearance in the Frozen Four, the Bulldogs defeated Union 3-1 and advanced to the championship game against Boston College. Ferris State was unable to stop the Eagles' offense en route to BC's third title in five seasons. The team finished with a record of 26-12-5.

## Season-by-season results

Source:

## Coaches

The team has been coached by Bob Daniels since 1992. Daniels is a two-time recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award, awarded by the American Hockey Coaches Association to the NCAA men's ice hockey coach of the year, having won the award in 2003 and 2012. In 2012, he was also named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association coach of the year after he led the Bulldogs to their first appearance in the Frozen Four and NCAA championship game. Daniels is the longest tenured coach of the Bulldogs and is the only coach in program history to record over 300 wins.
As of completion of 2022–23 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
| 1975–1982 | Rick Duffett | 7 | 119–83–7 | .586 |
| 1982–1986 | Dick Bertrand | 4 | 56–74–9 | .435 |
| 1986 | Peter Esdale† | 1† | 6–9–1 | .406 |
| 1986–1990 | John Perpich | 4 | 54–92–17 | .383 |
| 1990–1991 | Bob Mancini | 2 | 36–32–12 | .525 |
| 1992–present | Bob Daniels | 32 | 497–605–114 | .456 |
| Totals | 6 coaches | 49 seasons | 768–895–160 | .465 |
† Esdale replaced Bertrand in January 1986.

## Awards and honors
### NCAA

AHCA First Team All-Americans
* 1993-94: John Gruden, D
* 2002-03: Mike Brown, G; Chris Kunitz, F
* 2010-11: Pat Nagle, G
* 2011-12: Taylor Nelson, G
AHCA Second Team All-Americans
* 1995-96: Andy Roach, D
* 1996-97: Andy Roach, D
* 2001-02: Rob Collins, F
* 2010-11: Zach Redmond, D
* 2011-12: Chad Billins, D

### WCHA
#### All-WCHA

First Team All-WCHA
* 2013–14: C. J. Motte, G
* 2016–17: Gerald Mayhew, F
* 2018–19: Cooper Zech, D
Second team all-wcha
* 2013–14: Scott Czarnowczan, D; Garrett Thompson, F
* 2015–16: Gerald Mayhew, F
Third Team All-WCHA
* 2013–14: Jason Binkley, D
* 2014–15: C. J. Motte, G
* 2015–16: Brandon Anselmini, D
* 2016–17: Justin Kapelmaster, G
* 2017–18: Ryker Killins, D
WCHA All-Rookie Team
* 2013–14: Kyle Schempp, F
* 2015–16: Corey Mackin, F
* 2018–19: Cooper Zech, D
* 2019–20: Jake Willets, D

### CCHA
#### All-CCHA

First Team All-CCHA
* 1979–80: Jim Baker, F
* 1979–80: Jim File, D; George Harrison, D
* 1981–82: Jim File, D
* 1993–94: John Gruden, D
* 1995–96: Andy Roach, D
* 1996–97: Andy Roach, D
* 1998–99: Paul Comrie, F
* 2001–02: Chris Kunitz, F; Rob Collins, F
* 2002–03: Mike Brown, G; Chris Kunitz, F
* 2010–11: Pat Nagle, G; Zach Redmond, D
* 2011–12: Taylor Nelson, G; Chad Billins, D
Second team all-ccha
* 1979–80: Paul Pickard, D
* 1983–84: Jim File, D; Randy Merrifield, F
* 1990–91: Rod Taylor, F
* 1994–95: Andy Roach, D
* 1997–98: Brett Colborne, D
* 1999–00: Brian McCullough, F
* 2000–01: Phil Osaer, G
* 2002–03: Simon Mangos, D; Troy Milam, D; Jeff Legue, F
* 2009–10: Zach Redmond, D
* 2011–12: Jordie Johnston, F
* 2012–13: Juho Olkinuora, G; Joey LaLeggia, D
* 2024–25: Travis Shoudy, D
CCHA All-Rookie Team
* 1990–91: Pat Mazzoli, G
* 1993–94: Andy Roach, D
* 1994–95: Jason Blake, F
* 1997–98: Kevin Swider, F
* 2001–02: Mike Brown, G; Matt York, D
* 2005–06: Dan Riedel, F
* 2021–22: Bradley Marek, F
* 2023–24: Luigi Benincasa, F

## Olympians

Source:
This is a list of Ferris State alumni who played on an Olympic team.
| Name | Position | Ferris State Tenure | Team | Year | Finish |
| Bob Nardella | Defense | 1988–1991 | Italy | 1998, 2006 | 12th, 11th |
| Norm Krumpschmid | Center | 1988–1992 | Austria | 1998 | 14th |
| Jason Blake | Center | 1994–1995 | USA | 2006 | 8th |
| Chris Kunitz | Left wing | 1999–2003 | Canada | 2014 | Gold |
| Chad Billins | Defenseman | 2008–2012 | USA | 2018 | 7th |
| Pat Nagle | Goaltender | 2007–2011 | USA | 2022 | 5th |

## Statistical leaders
### Career points leaders

Source:
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts |
| Paul Lowden | 1983–1987 | 158 | 101 | 107 | 208 |
| Jim Baker | 1978–1982 | 137 | 82 | 123 | 205 |
| John DePourcq | 1987–1991 | 145 | 73 | 130 | 203 |
| Peter Lowden | 1983–1987 | 158 | 74 | 125 | 199 |
| Rod Schluter | 1984–1989 | 164 | 93 | 96 | 189 |
| Paul Cook | 1979–1983 | 139 | 76 | 99 | 175 |
| Chris Kunitz | 1999–2003 | 152 | 99 | 76 | 175 |
| Perry Zoldak | 1976–1981 | 124 | 60 | 112 | 172 |
| Jeff Legue | 2001–2005 | 152 | 67 | 90 | 157 |
| Randy Strong | 1978–1982 | 136 | 69 | 83 | 152 |

### Career goaltending leaders

Source:
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 30 games
| Player | Years | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
| C. J. Motte | 2011–2015 | 127 | 7679 | 66 | 49 | 12 | 272 | 15 | .926 | 2.13 |
| Phil Osaer | 1998–2001 | 59 | 3198 | 24 | 22 | 6 | 116 | 2 | .916 | 2.18 |
| Pat Nagle | 2007–2011 | 101 | 5801 | 45 | 42 | 11 | 224 | 5 | .916 | 2.32 |
| Taylor Nelson | 2008–2012 | 70 | 4031 | 35 | 20 | 10 | 157 | 4 | .917 | 2.34 |
| Mitch O'Keefe | 2005–2008 | 86 | 5074 | 31 | 39 | 15 | 227 | 6 | .903 | 2.68 |
Statistics current through the end of the 2023–24 season.

## Ferris State Athletic Hall of Fame

The following is a list of people associated with the Ferris State men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Ferris State Athletic Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses).
* Jim Baker (2002)
* John DePourcq (2002)
* Paul Lowden (2003)
* Jim File (2004)
* Peter Lowden (2004)
* Randy Merrifield (2005)
* John Gruden (2007)
* Andy Roach (2009)

## Current roster

As of September 21, 2024.

## Bulldogs in the NHL

As of July 1, 2024.
| = NHL All-Star team | = NHL All-Star | = NHL All-Star and NHL All-Star team |
| Player | Position | Team(s) | Years | Games | Stanley Cups |
| Chad Billins | Defenseman | CGY | 2013–2014 | 10 | 0 |
| Jason Blake | Right wing | LAK, NYI, TOR, ANA | 1998–2012 | 871 | 0 |
| Dean Clark | Left wing | EDM | 1983–1984 | 1 | 0 |
| Rob Collins | Right wing | NYI | 2005–2006 | 8 | 0 |
| Mike Colman | Defenseman | SJS | 1991–1992 | 15 | 0 |
| John Gruden | Defenseman | BOS, OTT, WAS | 1993–2004 | 92 | 0 |
| Dave Karpa | Defenseman | QUE, ANA, CAR, NYR | 1991–2003 | 557 | 0 |
| Chris Kunitz | Left wing | ANA, ATL, PIT, TBL, CHI | 2003–2019 | 1,022 | 4 |
| Gerald Mayhew | Right wing | MIN, PHI, ANA | 2019–2022 | 57 | 0 |
| Greg Rallo | Center | FLA | 2011–2013 | 11 | 0 |
| Zach Redmond | Defenseman | WPG, COL, MTL, BUF | 2012–2018 | 133 | 0 |
| Andy Roach | Defenseman | STL | 2005–2006 | 5 | 0 |
* Chris Kunitz
* Greg Rallo
* Zach Redmond
Source: