Maryland Eastern Shore's Maria Rodriguez was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's (MEAC) Preseason Bowler of the Year, the conference announced on Friday. The Lady Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore were picked to finish atop the northern division, while Norfolk State was selected to as the preseason favorite to win the southern division.
Rodriguez, the 2008-09 MEAC Bowler of the Year, averaged a 199.73 during 74 games last season. The junior tallied 14,780 total pinfall and bowled a game high 279 at the Bowe State Lady Bulldog Classic.
She was named to the All-MEAC First Team and was a First Team National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) All-American. Last August, Rodriguez bowled a perfect game at the 2009 World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) Women's Championships.
Maryland Eastern Shore, who is ranked fourth in the nation in the preseason NTCA poll, completed the 2008-09 season with a 25-5 mark in conference play and 115-41 overall record. The Lady Hawks received 17 first-place votes for a total of 240 points to earn this year's top northern selection. In addition to Rodriguez, UMES returns three starters and will add four newcomers to this year's team.
Delaware State, the defending MEAC champion, was predicted to finish second in the northern division with 198 points. The Lady Hornets tied Maryland Eastern Shore with a 25-5 mark in the MEAC and were 117-36 overall a year ago. They head into this season ranked sixth in the nation according to the preseason NTCA poll.
Morgan State (165) was slated to finish third followed by Hampton (148), Howard (132) and Coppin State (106).
In the southern division, Norfolk State received 10 first-place votes after recording a 14-10 MEAC mark and 52-50 overall record last year. The Spartans are returning six letterwinners and welcome three newcomers to a team that captured the southern division title last year.
Florida A&M, last year's MEAC Championship tournament runners-up, were picked to finish second in the southern division with 199 total points. Bethune-Cookman was predicted to finish third with 171 points. North Carolina A&T (167) and South Carolina State (136) complete the preseason predictions with a fourth and fifth place ranking, respectively.
Joining Rodriguez on the Preseason All-MEAC Team are Kimberly Roe (Bethune-Cookman), Adriana Jaime (Maryland Eastern Shore), Angela Reynolds (Delaware State), and Kristina Frahm (Maryland Eastern Shore).
The preseason poll and all-conference team selections are voted on by the MEAC's head bowling coaches and sports information directors.
The 2009-10 bowling season tips off this weekend with five MEAC teams competing at the Deep South Open in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Conference play begins on November 7 with the northern division facing off in Hampton, Virginia and the southern division competing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The 2010 MEAC Bowling Championship tournament is scheduled for March 19-21, 2010 at the Gate City Lanes in Greensboro, North Carolina.
For more information on MEAC bowling and other sponsored sports, log on to www.MEACsports.com.
The 2009-10 MEAC Bowling Preseason Honors are listed below.
2009-10 Bowling Preseason All-MEAC Team
As voted on by the Conference's Head Bowling
Coaches and Sports Information Directors
Preseason Bowler of the Year: Maria Rodriguez, Maryland Eastern Shore
Name School Cl. Hometown
Maria Rodriguez Maryland Eastern Shore Jr. Ibague Tolima, Columbia
Adriana Jaime Delaware State So. Canoga Park, Calif.
Angela Reynolds Delaware State Jr. Schickshinny, Pa.
Kimberly Roe Bethune-Cookman Sr. New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Kristina Frahm Maryland Eastern Shore Jr. Oswego, Ill.
2009-10 MEAC Bowling Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the Conference's Head Bowling Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First place votes in parenthesis)
MEAC Southern Division
1. Norfolk State (10)....................... 209 pts.
2. Florida A&M (6).......................... 199 pts.
3. Bethune-Cookman (3).................. 171 pts.
4. North Carolina A&T (2)................ 167 pts.
5. South Carolina State................... 136 pts.
MEAC Northern Division
1. Maryland Eastern Shore (17)...... 240 pts.
2. Delaware State (4)...................... 198 pts.
3. Morgan State ............................ 165 pts.
4. Hampton.................................... 148 pts.
5. Howard...................................... 132 pts.
6. Coppin State.............................. 106 pts.