NASHVILLE—The National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) released their preseason poll recently and the defending 2013 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) National Champion Hawks are ranked fifth with 594 total points.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) trails fourth ranked Arkansas State University by just three points. The University of Central Missouri is third, last season’s runner-up Vanderbilt is second and the University of Nebraska, the 2013 NCAA National Champion, is first with 19 first place votes and 744 points.
Rounding out the Top 10 was Sam Houston State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Stephen F. Austin and Saint Francis University.
Fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) schools were also recognized. Norfolk State is ranked 15th while Bethune-Cookman is 20th. Delaware State and North Carolina A&T also received votes.
UMES returns five letter winners from last year’s squad and adds a trio of highly decorated and seasoned newcomers. The eight-woman squad begins play under new head coach Kayla Bandy on November 1st at FDU’s New Jersey Jamboree.