BIG RAPIDS – Emily Killion has had a front-row seat to the rise of Ferris State’s softball program over the past four seasons.
The senior catcher from Dundee began her college career in 2023, appearing in two games for a program that finished 23-33. Killion has been in it for the long haul — watching the program grow from 23 wins to 25 in 2024 and 28 in 2025, including a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Ferris State’s climb didn’t happen overnight, making the progress even more gratifying.
The Bulldogs wrapped up the 2026 regular season as one of the hottest teams with 11 consecutive victories. They reached the finals of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2012, falling to top-seeded Saginaw Valley 2-1 in 9 innings on Sunday, May 10.
Ferris failed to receive a bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament despite a 37-20 record.
The great closing run by the Bulldogs validated the excitement and optimism Killion was feeling coming into the season.
“I was most excited about coming off a postseason run for the first time in so long,” said Killion, who played in 40 games in 2025 and had 28 hits, including seven doubles, with 17 RBIs. “To have made it as far as we did last year, with the players we’ve added to the program, we feel good about what we’re going to have the opportunity to do this year.”
When head coach Jake Schumann took the reins before the 2023 season, it sparked a new era of growth for the program. Ferris State’s 25 wins in 2024 were the program’s most in eight seasons.
Killion, who batted .224 with 15 hits and 14 RBI in 31 games this season, has watched the Bulldogs steadily add high-quality talent committed to what Ferris State is building in softball.
Momentum picked up with the addition of infielder Jadyn Joseph, who started fast and became the first Bulldog since Amy Blumenstein in 1992 to win GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2023. Ferris State repeated the feat in 2024 when Alexis Kozlowski claimed the conference’s top freshman honor.
Killion’s play grew as a sophomore. As a second-year Bulldog, she played 47 games and had 41 hits with 24 RBI and 17 runs scored on a .293 batting average. The numbers added up to an All-GLIAC Second Team spot.
Ferris State’s recruiting classes continued to bring in players who made an immediate impact.
The transformation has been dramatic.
“In some ways, I feel like we started from rock bottom as far as building the program up to where it is now,” Killion said. “We’ve started recruiting players not just for their athletic ability, but also for who they are and how they fit with the team. Our team meshes really well.”
She sees the program as being built on a rock-solid foundation.
“I feel like (Schumann’s) coaching style has helped us a lot,” Killion said. “We have so much structure and organization, especially in practice. He’s honest and straightforward with us.”
Schumann’s structure has helped integrate more talented newcomers committed to building on a high Ferris State softball standard.
“We have a lot of freshmen this year, and I feel like they’ve blended pretty well with us,” Killion said. “We’re all really close, and we have so much fun at practice, and we like to hang out outside of softball and talk about stuff outside of softball, and I feel like that’s always really important.”
Killion has found a home in Big Rapids as a Bulldog.
“I had a travel coach who kind of pushed playing in college. He kept telling me that he thought I could play in college,” said Killion. “A lot of people said I should play Division I, but I’m so happy I chose Division II. I love Ferris State.”
A marketing major, Killion is keeping her options open as she considers career opportunities beyond softball following her May 2026 graduation.
“There might be something in the sports industry that I could go after,” Killion said. “It could be inside sports or outside sports. I would like to start my own marketing company someday after I gain industry experience.”
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Dundee’s Emily Killion sparks resurgence at Ferris State softball
Reporting by By Sandy Gholston/Ferris State University, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
