Courtesy of North Carolina A&T State Athletic Communications


GREENSBORO, N.C. – The National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) named North Carolina A&T State freshman bowler Melanie Katen to its 20-team inaugural All-Freshman team.                                               

Katen made an immediate impact this season. She started her career with a 191 against Norfolk State in her first collegiate bowling match. She totaled 1,008 pins in her first collegiate weekend for a five-game average of 201.6 at the Coppin State Invitational.  

She finished third in the tournament to earn All-Tournament honors.            

In her third bowling weekend, Katen won the Morgan State James Brown Invitational totaling 1,073 pins for a five-game average of 214.6 to win by 43 pins. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) named her Bowler of the Week the following Tuesday.                                       

Katen finished in seventh place at the 300 Columbia Music City Classic that featured 10 of the top-13 teams in the country by knocking down 1,052 total pins over five games (210.4), earning MEAC rookie of the week honors.               

The regular season ended with Katen totaling 1,109 pins over five games (221.8) at the Vernell Stallings Invitational in Greensboro to win by 58 pins. Her efforts earned her another conference rookie of the week honor. 

She recorded 17 matches of 200-plus, including a career-high 288 in a bye at the Vernell Stallings Invitational.

Katen bowled in 31 matches and totaled 6,366 pins for an average of 205.4 to earn first-team All-MEAC honors. She led the Aggies to the 2021 MEAC tournament championship title as she earned first-team all-tournament and most outstanding performer by bowling two 200-plus games in the tournament.        

She finished eighth at the Intercollegiate Singles Championship Qualifier with 1,193 total pins for a six-game average of 198.8 with three matches of 200-plus. She missed qualifying for the nationals by 16 pins as the top-six advanced.