Jan. 12, 2007

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State senior forward Julia Braseth and senior quarterback Cullen Finnerty have been named candidate's for the Detroit Free Press' Michigan's Best Award. Braseth and Finnerty are two of 25 candidates profiled in Friday's edition of the Free Press. Ballots for the award are available on page 10 of the sports section in Friday's edition of the Free Press. Ballots must be clipped from the newspaper--no photocopied ballots will be accepted--and submitted to the Free Press Sports Department.

Braseth was named the Most outstanding player of the NCAA Division II women's basketball national championship tournament. She scored 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to help Grand Valley beat American International, 58-52, to win the school's first national title in women's basketball. Julia tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds in a 76-63 victory over Cal State Chico in the semifinals, while scoring 21 points and pulling down eight rebounds in a 74-59 victory over Charleston in the quarterfinals. Braseth averaged 11.4 points and 6.1 points for the season. GVSU finished the 2005-06 season with a 33-3 record and the Lakers are 85-27 during her career.

Finnerty helped Lakers win a second consecutive Division II national championship and third title in last four years. Finnerty was a Finalist for Harlon Hill Trophy, NCAA Division II's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Cullen Went 51-4 overall and 14-1 in the NCAA playoffs as a starter and he set an NCAA all-division record with 51 career victories as a starting QB. Finnerty became the first quarterback to pass for more than 200 yards and rush for more than 100 in the DII title game and is one of only two players to throw for more than 10,000 yards and rush for over 2,000 yards in career. He concluded his career third all-time in NCAA in total offense (13,288). Cullen completed 195-of-343 passes for 3,220 yards with 41 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and rushed for 580 yards on 132 carries and eight TDs.

Former Laker Quarterback Curt Anes won the Detroit Free Press Michigan's Best Award in 2002. In addition to Braseth and Finnerty, other leading cadidates for the award include Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups, Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland, Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.