ARLINGTON, Texas- The National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association recently

released their second poll of the season with UMES ranked 12th with 244 points.  That is

down from 11th where the Hawks sat in the previous poll.  The poll, that came out just

before last weekend's United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team

Championships (ITCs) sectionals, has Wichita State, Pikeville, Lindenwood, Robert

Morris (Ill.) and Webber International in the top five.

The top five teams, while moving around, remained the same from the last poll.

Pikeville and Wichita State won their sectional, while Webber International topped

UMES in the Allentown sectional.  Both defeated Lindenwood who came in third but did

secure a berth in the National Championships.  Wichita State had 742 points and 13 first

place votes, Pikeville had 680 points and seven first place votes.

Wisconsin-Whitewater was ranked 15th as the only other NCAA team to be featured in

the poll but Adelphi, Adrian, Delaware State, Kutztown and Norfolk all received votes.

As one of only two women's bowling programs in the nation to win both an NCAA and

USBC Collegiate Championship and the only to win both in the same year, the

University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks are ranked in several polls

each season. Currently at fifth in the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA)

coaches and media polls, the Hawks are also ranked in the latest Bowling Writers

Association of America (BWAA) poll UMES at 15th.

To be included in the coaches and writer's polls, teams must be members of the USBC

and have competed in sanctioned events throughout the season. Many of the NCAA

teams ranked in the NTCA polls are not members of the USBC, thus excluding them

from the polls.

Both the bowling coaches and writers will release one more poll each this season.

 
 
NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State bowling team moved up one spot from the previous 
 
month and cracked the top 10 for the first time ever as the National Tenpin Coaches 
 
Association (NTCA) released its latest coaches poll this week.
 
The Spartans sit in a tie for 10th along with Stephen F. Austin after garnering 249 points 
 
in the latest voting. NSU moved up from its previous spot of 11th in last month's poll. 
 
That No. 11 ranking had been the highest ever in NSU bowling history.
NSU owns an 86-36 overall record heading into the MEAC Championships this weekend at 
 
Gate City Lanes in Greensboro, N.C. The Spartans have already shattered their previous 
 
school record for wins in a season set last year when NSU went 67-49 overall.
 
NSU and Stephen F. Austin sit slightly ahead of No. 12 New Jersey City which had 230 
 
points in the NTCA poll, but behind No. 9 Sam Houston State which tallied 352 points.
 
Along with NSU, MEAC schools UMES (No. 5), Delaware State (No. 14) and Morgan State 
 
(No. 20) also reside in the top 20. Fairleigh Dickinson kept its place at the top of the poll, 
 
followed by No. 2 Arkansas State, No. 3 Nebraska and No. 4 Vanderbilt. 
 
NSU began the year at No. 15 in the first poll of the season in late October, and then 
 
moved up to 13th in the December poll and 11th in the February one. A No. 16 ranking had 
 
been the program's previous best before the season.
 
After capturing the MEAC Southern Division title for the third time in four years, the Spartans 
 
will take aim at the MEAC Championships beginning Friday.