NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State bowling team will begin its season in a few weeks ranked 15th in the preseason National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) coaches poll that was released this week.
NSU, which finished 14th in the final 2012-13 NTCA top-20 poll, received 147 points in voting done by NTCA voters. The Spartans were the second-highest ranked MEAC team in the poll behind No. 5 UMES.
The Spartans finished behind No. 14 Valparaiso, which had 161 points, but ahead of No. 16 LIU Brooklyn (111 points).
Bethune-Cookman also found a spot in the poll at No. 20. Other MEAC schools Delaware State and North Carolina A&T also received votes.
Nebraska garnered 19 of 26 first-place votes to finish No. 1 in this year’s preseason poll. Vanderbilt ranked second, with Central Missouri and Arkansas State also picking up first-place votes and finishing third and fourth in the voting.
NSU finished 63-34 in 2012-13 and won the MEAC Southern Division title for the fourth time in five years. The Spartan program returns seven of its nine bowlers from last year’s team.