Ferris State Bulldogs men's ice hockey

Ferris State's ice hockey program began in 1975 as a member of the NAIA and joined the CCHA as an affiliate member.^[3] 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.^[4] 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^[4] before returning to the CCHA prior to the 2021–22 season.^[5]

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.^[6][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.^[8]

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.^[9] 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.^[10] 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.^[11] 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.^[12] 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.^[13] 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.^[14] 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.^[15] 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.^[16]

Source:^[17]

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.^[18] 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.^[19] Daniels is the longest tenured coach of the Bulldogs and is the only coach in program history to record over 300 wins.^[20]

As of completion of 2025–26 season^[4][8]

† Esdale replaced Bertrand in January 1986.

Source:^[21]

This is a list of Ferris State alumni who played on an Olympic team.

More information Name, Position ...

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

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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).^[24]

As of August 30, 2025.^[25]

More information No., Nat. ...

No.	Nat.	Player	Class	Pos	Height	Weight	DoB	Hometown	Previous team	NHL rights
1		Mason West	Freshman (RS)	G	6' 1" (1.85 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	2004-10-18	Traverse City, Michigan	Peoria Mustangs (NA3HL)	—
2		Kade Turner	Sophomore	F	6' 0" (1.83 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	2003-02-04	Calgary, Alberta	Okotoks Oilers (BCHL)	—
3		Logan Heroux	Sophomore	D	6' 1" (1.85 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	2003-05-30	Middletown, New Jersey	Shreveport Mudbugs (NAHL)	—
4		Christopher Lie	Sophomore	D	5' 10" (1.78 m)	163 lb (74 kg)	2005-07-27	Hamar, Norway	Malmö Redhawks J20 (J20 Nationell)	—
5		Valtteri Piironen	Senior	D	6' 4" (1.93 m)	201 lb (91 kg)	2001-09-11	Joensuu, Finland	Long Island (NCAA)	—
6		Xavier Jean-Louis	Senior	D	6' 5" (1.96 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	2001-06-25	Montreal, Quebec	Alaska (NCAA)	—
7		Connor McGrath	Senior	F	5' 9" (1.75 m)	184 lb (83 kg)	2003-09-04	Leroy, Saskatchewan	Humboldt Broncos (SJHL)	—
8		Tyler Schleppe	Senior	F	6' 4" (1.93 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	2001-11-11	Vancouver, British Columbia	Langley Rivermen (BCHL)	—
9		Nic Belpedio	Graduate	D	5' 10" (1.78 m)	194 lb (88 kg)	2001-10-09	Skokie, Illinois	Colgate (ECAC)	—
10		Jack Mesic	Junior	D	5' 9" (1.75 m)	176 lb (80 kg)	2002-10-18	Plymouth, Michigan	Western Michigan (NCHC)	—
11		Brian Morse	Freshman (RS)	D	6' 1" (1.85 m)	165 lb (75 kg)	2003-02-06	Fresno, California	Maine (HEA)	—
12		Caden Brown	Senior (RS)	D	5' 11" (1.8 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	2003-06-22	St. Louis, Missouri	Ohio State (Big Ten)	—
13		Josh Zary	Senior	F	6' 0" (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	2001-10-15	Nanaimo, British Columbia	Long Island (NCAA)	—
15		Jack Silich	Sophomore	F	5' 10" (1.78 m)	179 lb (81 kg)	2003-06-20	Long Grove, Illinois	Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL)	—
16		Holden Doell	Junior	F	5' 11" (1.8 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	2003-12-01	Martensville, Saskatchewan	Battlefords North Stars (SJHL)	—
17		Luke Lisko	Sophomore	F	6' 1" (1.85 m)	181 lb (82 kg)	2004-05-24	Marine City, Michigan	Sherwood Park Crusaders (BCHL)	—
18		Max Dukovac	Junior	F	6' 2" (1.88 m)	182 lb (83 kg)	2002-02-19	Aurora, Illinois	Miami (NCHC)	—
19		Max Itagaki	Senior	F	5' 5" (1.65 m)	155 lb (70 kg)	2002-06-18	Glenview, Illinois	Army (AHA)	—
20		Andrew Noel	Junior	D	6' 1" (1.85 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	2001-01-02	Maynard, Massachusetts	Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)	—
21		Tanner Rowe	Junior	F	6' 1" (1.85 m)	179 lb (81 kg)	2002-08-26	Calumet, Michigan	Michigan (Big Ten)	—
22		Emerson Goode	Junior	F	5' 9" (1.75 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	2002-10-16	Anaheim, California	Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL)	—
23		Riley Wallack	Senior	F	6' 5" (1.96 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	2001-04-05	South Surrey, British Columbia	Long Island (NCAA)	—
24		Conner Brown	Sophomore	D	6' 0" (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	2003-12-23	Maplewood, Minnesota	Janesville Jets (NAHL)	—
26		Jacob Badal	Senior	F	6' 0" (1.83 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	2001-10-05	Flushing, Michigan	Johnstown Tomahawks (NAHL)	—
27		Gavin Best	Senior	F	6' 2" (1.88 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	2001-08-24	Richfield, Minnesota	Michigan State (Big Ten)	—
28		Trevor Taulien	Junior	D	6' 4" (1.93 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	2003-04-14	Crystal Lake, Illinois	Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL)	—
30		Hobie Hedquist	Junior	G	6' 2" (1.88 m)	192 lb (87 kg)	2003-02-14	Heron Lake, Minnesota	North Dakota (NCHC)	—
31		Noah Rupprecht	Junior	G	5' 11" (1.8 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	2002-06-15	Thief River Falls, Minnesota	Long Island (NCAA)	—
34		Carter Rapalje	Junior (RS)	F	5' 10" (1.78 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	2001-08-10	Colorado Springs, Colorado	Long Island (NCAA)	—
55		Martin Lundberg	Sophomore	G	6' 1" (1.85 m)	172 lb (78 kg)	2005-02-04	Furuberget, Norway	Mora IK J20 (J20 Nationell)	—

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As of July 1, 2025.^[26]

• 
  Chris Kunitz
• 
  Greg Rallo
• 
  Zach Redmond