The National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) named their annual All-America honorees on Wednesday night at the banquet held prior to the 2012 NCAA Championships. At them, two Hawks earned the prestigious designation as All-Americans as Anggie Ramirez and T'nia Falbo both brought home the honor.
For Ramirez it is her second nod. She was named a second-team selection, up one from last season when she earned third-team honors. Ramirez who was the MEAC pre-season player of the year had a solid season that earned her inclusion on the First-Team All-MEAC squad. Prior to the MEAC Championships, Ramirez had the highest average on the team this season, a 206.81, thanks to a sensational first half of the year. She tallied a pinfall of 8,686 over 42 games and rolled a 277 high game this season at the first MEAC North match-up. She was a four-time MEAC Bowler of the Week and her 277 was the third highest game this season and the best recorded in MEAC play.
Falbo capped off a brilliant season with the All-America designation. Earning the 2012 MEAC Player of the Year award earlier this year, Falbo garnered third-team All-America honors for the first-time in her career. Heading into the MEAC Championships Falbo had boasted three MEAC Player of the Week honors and three All-Tournament Team selections. She averaged a 203.8 over 49 games with a pinfall of 9,989, helping UMES clinch its third MEAC Northern Division Title with a 29-1 conference mark. Falbo has the highest game in the league this season, sporting a 280 at the Prairie View Invitational with an average of 235.2 over five games in Texas.
The pair are the only MEAC players on the list of 26 All-America designees. They are UMES' 21st and 22nd NTCA All-Americans.
The following appears compliments of the NTCA Official Release.
Fairleigh Dickinson's Danielle McEwan was named the NCAA Player of the Year for Division I while Kutztown's Kayla Jones earned the same honor for Division II/III after the post-season vote by members of the National Ten Pin Coaches Association.
She was joined on the All-America first-team by Jackie Carbonetto, who led Sacred Heart's resurgence into the NCAA's championship field with a 205.76 average, Rachel Gittings, who's 210 average was a key to Arkansas State's powerful spring that led the Red Wolves to the No. 1 ranking of the regular season, Vanderbilt's Brittni Hamilton, who made the first-team for the third time in her career, and Nebraska's Kayla Johnson, who finished her regular season with the nation's fourth-best average (209.28).
The NTCA spotlights two outstanding freshmen for its annual Rookie of the Year honors. Sarah Lokker of Arkansas State took top honors in Division I while Gabriella Mayfield of Central Missouri won for Division II/III.
Third-year Arkansas State Head Coach Justin Kostick was voted the Coach of the Year in Division I by his peers and Central Missouri's Ron Holmes was the Division II/III Coach of the Year, an honor he also claimed in 2010 and has now won a total of seven times.
2012 NTCA All-America Teams
First Team
Jackie Carbonetto, Sacred Heart, Jr., Blauvelt, NY
Rachel Gittings, Arkansas State, Jr. Glen Allen, Va.
Brittni Hamilton, Vanderbilt, Senior, Webster, NY
Kayla Johnson, Nebraska, Senior, Washington, Ill.
Danielle McEwan, Fairleigh Dickinson, Junior, Stony Point, NY
Second Team
Jessica Earnest, Vanderbilt, Junior, Vandalia, IL
Natalie Jimenez, Central Missouri, Junior, Rowland Heights, CA
Kayla Jones, Kutztown, Senior, Johnstown, Pa.
Amanda Lobossiere, Arkansas State, Sophomore, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
Anggie Ramirez, Maryland Eastern Shore, Junior, Bogota, Colombia
Kayla Richard, Central Missouri, Sophomore, Tecumseh, Mich.
Third Team
Joely Carrillo, Fairleigh Dickinson, Senior,Clifton, NJ
T'nia Falbo, Maryland Eastern Shore, Junior, Greensburg, Pa.
Sarah Lokker, Arkansas State, Freshman, New Baltimore, Mich.
Kristina Mickelson, Nebraska, Junior, Bellevue, Neb.
Nicole Trudell, Sacred Heart, Sophomore, Coventry, RI
Honorable Mention
Valarie Calberry, Nebraska
Natalie Cortese, Valparaiso
Melanie DeCarlo, Alabama A&M
Dayna Galganski, Sam Houston State
Samantha Hesley, Vanderbilt
Christina Leid, St. Francis (Pa)
Gabriella Mayfield, Central Missouri
Danielle Merino, Adelphi
Nicole Parkhurst, Stephen F. Austin
Michelle Secours, Sam Houston State