NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina A&T State’s Emily Strombeck was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Bowler of the Year, the conference announced today. Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) was predicted to win the Northern Division, while N.C. A&T State was chosen to claim the top spot in the Southern Division.
The preseason poll and all-conference team are selected by the MEAC’s head bowling coaches and sports information directors.
Maryland Eastern Shore completed a 29-1 conference mark and a 97-43 overall record last season and received 13 first-place votes to top the poll in the north. UMES won the MEAC Tournament Championship with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Norfolk State last season.
North Carolina A&T State tallied 16 first-place votes to garner the top spot in the south. The Aggies won the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championship, for the first time in school history, last season after a win over Robert Morris. North Carolina A&T State concluded the 2014-15 season with a 20-4 MEAC mark and a 70-37 overall record last season.
Strombeck rolled a team-high 269 twice last year, both coming in MEAC Southern Divisional play, and was a named the MEAC Bowler of the Year. Also,she was also selected to the Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC) All-Tournament Team and to the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) All-American Third Team last season.
Delaware State received three first-place votes and is predicted second with 93 points. Howard (67) was chosen to finish third in the north, followed by Morgan State (57) and Coppin State (48).
In the southern division, Bethune-Cookman was picked to finish second with a 71 points and received two first-place votes. Norfolk State is predicted third with 59 points, while Florida A&M (48) and Hampton (26) complete the southern division predictions at fourth and fifth place.
Joining Strombeck on the Preseason All-MEAC team are MacKenzie Robinson (North Carolina A&T State), Rebecca Goodwin (Bethune-Cookman), Chelsey Merklinger (Delaware State) and Thashaina Seraus (Maryland Eastern Shore).
The MEAC Bowling Championship tournament is scheduled for March 24-26, 2015 at AMF Bowling Lanes in Chesapeake, Va.
2015-16 MEAC Bowling Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the conference Head Bowling Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First place votes in parenthesis)
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Northern Division
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Points
|
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1. Maryland Eastern Shore (13)
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117
|
|
2. Delaware State (3)
|
93
|
|
3. Howard (2)
|
67
|
|
4. Morgan State (1)
|
57
|
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5. Coppin State (1)
|
48
|
|
|
|
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Southern Division
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Points
|
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1. North Carolina A&T State (16)
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99
|
|
2. Bethune-Cookman (2)
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71
|
|
3. Norfolk State (2)
|
59
|
|
4. Florida A&M
|
48
|
|
5. Hampton
|
26
|
| |
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2015-16 Bowling Preseason All-MEAC Team
Preseason Bowler of the Year: Emily Strombeck, North Carolina A&T State
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Name
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School
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Cl.
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Hometown
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Rebecca Goodwin
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Bethune-Cookman
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Sr.
|
Port Orange, Fla.
|
|
Chelsey Merkinger
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Delaware State
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So.
|
Kinzers, Pa.
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Thashaina Seraus
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Maryland Eastern Shore
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Sr.
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Oranjestad, Aruba
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|
MacKenzie Robinson
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Jr.
|
Detroit, Mich.
|
|
Emily Strombeck
|
North Carolina A&T State
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Sr.
|
Durham, N.C.
|