LocalSportsJournal.com

National championship programs from Division I, II and III were invited to attend the celebration hosted by President Joe Biden. President Biden was scheduled to honor the athletes, but had to miss the event to undergo a root canal, according to the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced Biden at the event.

Ferris State is believed to be the first Division II football champion to be honored at the White House since North Alabama’s celebration with President Bill Clinton after winning its third straight championship in 1995.

The Bulldogs, who received an invitation from the 46th President of the United States along with First Lady Jill Biden, sent a group of nearly 25 Bulldog student-athletes, Coach Tony Annese and selected staff, who departed on Monday morning for Washington, D.C., with the ceremony slated to take place on the South Lawn, as part of a “College Athlete Day.”

Photo/Ferris State Athletic Office

The NCAA Division II National Champion Ferris State Bulldogs, which claimed a second consecutive national title this past fall, were previously honored back in March by the state of Michigan during a special visit to the State Capital in Lansing.

This past fall, the Bulldogs captured a second consecutive NCAA Division II national championship by finishing with a 14-1 overall record. Over the past two seasons, the Bulldogs own a 28-1 overall record. FSU has reached the NCAA Division II playoffs eight consecutive years. Ferris State also has also reached the NCAA Division II national semifinals five times in the past six seasons and ranks as the country’s winningest program over the past eight seasons in D2 Football. FSU is 55-3 over the last three seasons.

The Bulldogs also are the preseason No. 1 team heading into the 2023 season, according to Lindy’s Sports.