In this episode of Ferris Sports Update, Rob Bentley talks with Ferris Football Head Coach Tony Annese about the team’s third national title and upcoming spring season. Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Josh Fleming recaps a big win over Roosevelt and previews the final stretch. Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kurt Westendorp discusses managing a packed schedule and the push for a postseason spot. Read about or watch the full episode below.
Football
This week’s episode of Ferris Sports Update kicks off with host Rob Bentley sitting down with Ferris State Head Football Coach and Walter Camp DII Coach of the Year recipient, Tony Annese. Since his last appearance, Coach Annese has led the Ferris State football team to its third National Championship in four years.
As the team gears up for an exciting 2025 season, they started the year with National Signing Day on Wednesday, February 5th, welcoming 33 new high school standouts to the program. Of these recruits, 20 hail from Michigan, 11 from Florida, and 2 from Illinois.
Annese emphasized the importance of recruiting locally, particularly in the highly competitive West Michigan region, where Ferris State competes with Grand Valley and Davenport for top talent. “It’s our number one initiative to recruit West Michigan players, and with Grand Valley and Davenport being in the area as well, it’s very competitive. We’re very proud to have secured these players,” said Annese.
He also highlighted the significant role high school coaches play in shaping the program. While players ultimately make their own decisions, Annese noted that strong relationships with high school coaches, especially in West Michigan and Florida, play a crucial role in recruiting success. Beyond relationships, he emphasized that the culture of the program is a key factor in attracting new talent.
Current players also play an important role in recruitment, as Annese believes that the team’s culture is something that incoming recruits can feel firsthand. “It’s in the relationships players have with the coaches, with each other, and in how freshmen interact with senior players,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the team is currently focused on conditioning and preparing for spring ball, which begins after spring break. Their goals for the upcoming season include having fun during spring ball, staying healthy, and developing younger players by giving them valuable on-field experience.
Men’s Basketball
The second guest on this week’s show is men’s assistant basketball coach Josh Fleming. The Bulldogs had a packed schedule last week, playing three games and finishing with a 2-1 record.
The week began with a dominant 96-72 home victory over Roosevelt on Monday night. The game was close at halftime, with Ferris State holding a seven-point lead, but a strong second-half performance secured the win. Senior guard Ethan Erickson and junior guard Tyler Hamilton led the team with 21 points each, while junior center Nathan Claerbaut recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was a well-rounded performance that saw contributions from multiple players.
The Bulldogs continued their momentum on Thursday with a 67-56 road win against Davenport. It was a tight contest early on, but Ferris State went into halftime with a nine-point lead. Once again, Ethan Erickson led the charge with 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists. The bench also played a key role in securing the win. Coach Fleming highlighted the team’s improved rebounding in the second half, which helped limit Davenport to just one shot per possession and ultimately sealed the victory.
However, the Bulldogs faced a tough challenge on Saturday night when they traveled to Allendale for a highly anticipated rematch against rival Grand Valley State. Struggling to find their offensive rhythm early, Ferris State quickly fell behind and entered halftime trailing 45-28. Despite a strong effort, they were unable to mount a comeback, suffering a 94-62 loss to end the week.
With only six games remaining in the regular season, Coach Fleming emphasized the importance of bouncing back quickly. The Bulldogs now face a tough road trip to the Upper Peninsula, where they will take on Michigan Tech on Thursday night and Northern Michigan on Saturday night.
Women’s Basketball
The third and final guest of this week’s show is women’s head basketball coach Kurt Westendorp. Like the men’s team, the women’s team also had a packed week as they played three games in five days. In that three-game stretch, the Bulldogs went 1-2. The first of the three games was a home game against Roosevelt on Monday night. The Bulldogs fell behind early on and were not quite able to recover as they trailed 42-28 at halftime, they eventually fell 83-73. Despite the loss, Junior forward/center Mya Hiram lit up the box score as she posted 28 points and 8 rebounds. Kenzie Bowers, Elle Irwin, and Mia Riley also contributed with double-digit points in the loss.
Following the tough loss on Monday night, the team traveled to Davenport for a game on Thursday night where they bounced back with a huge 87-50 victory. The Bulldogs came out strong, as they led by 15 at the end of the first quarter before extending their lead and taking a 43-19 lead into the half. Ferris never let up and cruised to a big win. Ferris had strong contributors across the board, with four different players reaching double digits in points. Junior guard Emma Schierbeek led the way with 24 points in the victory. Fellow junior guard Mia Riley had an incredible triple-double performance, scoring 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Riley’s triple-double is only the second in Ferris State women’s basketball history where she joined her assistant coach Mallory McCartney as the only player to accomplish this feat. With this win, Ferris State completed the regular season sweep over Davenport.
The third and final game of the busy week was a road trip down to Allendale to play #1 ranked rival Grand Valley State. GVSU jumped out to an early lead and was able to maintain it throughout the game, pulling away after a strong defensive first half in which they led 44-13. The Ferris offense was able to pick it up a bit more in the second half, but it just wasn’t quite enough as the Bulldogs suffered a tough 78-57 loss to end their week. Despite the loss, three players reached double digits in points with Mia Riley leading the way with 19. Coach Westendorp looks to get the team ready for a bounce-back trip to the Upper Peninsula as they have a couple of crucial matchups against Michigan Tech on Thursday and Northern Michigan on Saturday.
Conclusion
That wraps up this edition of Ferris Sports Update! With crucial games ahead for both basketball teams and a weekend full of home hockey games, there continues to be plenty to look forward to all around Bulldog athletics. Stay tuned for next week’s episode!