NORFOLK, Va. – The Lady Hawks of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) were predicted to finish atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) northern division, while North Carolina A&T State was chosen as the preseason favorite to win the southern division in the conference’s preseason poll. North Carolina A&T State junior Emily Strombeck was named the Preseason Bowler of the Year, the conference announced on Wednesday.

The preseason poll and all-conference team are voted by the MEAC’s head bowling coaches and sports information directors.

Three-time bowling national champion Maryland Eastern Shore received 17 first-place votes. UMES won the MEAC Tournament Championship with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Florida A&M and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, falling in the double-elimination tournament to Sam Houston State. The Lady Hawks completed the 2013-14 season with a 28-2 mark in conference play and a 95-23 overall record.

North Carolina A&T State garnered 11 first-place votes in this preseason poll. The Lady Aggies recorded a 17-7 MEAC mark and 73-30 overall record last season.

Strombeck rolled a team-high 254 pins at the Aggie Master’s Challenge last season and was a four-time MEAC Player of the Week selection. She was named the MEAC Bowler of the Year and earned All-MEAC Tournament, Virginia Union Tournament, Aggie Master’s Challenge and Wildcat Invitational honors.

Delaware State was predicted to finish second in the northern division with 93 points. Morgan State (67) was chosen to finish third in the north followed by Howard (57), Coppin State (48) and Hampton (38).

In the southern division, the Norfolk State Spartans were picked to finish second with a total of 94 points. Bethune-Cookman was predicted to finish third with 83 points. Florida A&M (70) and North Carolina Central (45) completed the southern division predictions with fourth and fifth place finishes, respectively.

Joining Strombeck on the Preseason All-MEAC team are UMES teammates Mariana Alvarado, Sara Pelayo, Victoria Jones and BCU’s Felicia Baker.

The MEAC Bowling Championship tournament is scheduled for March 27-29, 2015 at AMF Bowling Lanes in Chesapeake, Va.

2014-2015 MEAC Bowling Predicted Order of Finish

As voted on by the conference Head Bowling Coaches and Sports Information Directors

(First place votes in parenthesis)

2014-15 Bowling Preseason All-MEAC Team

Preseason Bowler of the Year: Emily Strombeck, North Carolina A&T State