NORFOLK, Va. — North Carolina A&T State’s MacKenzie Robinson was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Bowler of the Year, the conference announced today. Maryland Eastern Shore (MDES) was predicted to win the Northern Division, while North Carolina A&T State (NCAT) 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 notched an 18-6 conference mark and an 80-42 overall record last season. The Hawks received nine first-place votes to top the poll in the north. MDES finished third at last year’s MEAC Bowling Championships and made it to the final four of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championship.
North Carolina A&T State tallied 11 first-place votes to earn the top spot in the south. The Aggies finished third nationally in the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship last season. NCAT concluded the 2015-16 season with a 19-5 MEAC mark and a 78-39 overall record last season.
Robinson notched averages of 200 or more at seven different tournaments, twice in postseason play, last season. She led the team in total pinfall (12,805) with a 200.08 average. She also received 2016 MEAC First Team honors and earned honorable mention to the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) All-American team.
Delaware State received eight first-place votes and is predicted second with 78 points. Howard (45) was chosen to finish third in the north, followed by Morgan State (37) and Coppin State (30).
In the Southern Division, Norfolk State was picked to finish second with 44 points and one first-place vote. Bethune-Cookman is predicted third with 29 points, while Florida A&M (23) completes the Southern Division predictions at fourth place.
Joining Robinson on the Preseason All-MEAC team are Thashaina Seraus (Maryland Eastern Shore), Chelsey Merkingler (Delaware State), Alexa Rodriguez (Norfolk State), Ivory Miles (Bethune-Cookman) and Elizabeth Burkholder (Delaware State).
The MEAC Bowling Championship tournament is scheduled for March 23-25, 2017 at AMF Bowling Lanes in Chesapeake, Va.
2016-17 MEAC Bowling Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the conference Head Bowling Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First place votes in parenthesis)
|
Northern Division
|
Points
|
|
1. Maryland Eastern Shore (9)
|
80
|
|
2. Delaware State (8)
|
78
|
|
3. Howard (1)
|
45
|
|
4. Morgan State
|
37
|
|
5. Coppin State
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
Southern Division
|
Points
|
|
1. North Carolina A&T State (11)
|
54
|
|
2. Norfolk State (1)
|
44
|
|
3. Bethune-Cookman (2)
|
29
|
|
4. Florida A&M (1)
|
23
|
2016-17 Bowling Preseason All-MEAC Team
Preseason Bowler of the Year: MacKenzie Robinson, North Carolina A&T State
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Name
|
School
|
Cl.
|
Hometown
|
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Ivory Miles*
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Sr.
|
Bolingbrook, Ill.
|
|
Elizabeth Burkholder*
|
Delaware State
|
So.
|
Lancaster, Pa.
|
|
Chelsey Merkinger
|
Delaware State
|
Jr.
|
Kinzers, Pa.
|
|
Thashaina Seraus
|
Maryland Eastern Shore
|
Gr.
|
Oranjestad, Aruba
|
|
MacKenzie Robinson
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Sr.
|
Detroit, Mich.
|
|
Alexa Rodriguez
|
Norfolk State
|
r-So.
|
Carolina, Puerto Rico
|
| |
|
|
|
*-Denotes Tie