NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 23, 2021 – North Carolina A&T State sophomore Melanie Katen was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Bowler of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced today. Defending champion North Carolina A&T State was tabbed as the preseason favorite to take the MEAC regular-season crown.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Katen was a First Team All-MEAC honoree in her freshman season in 2020-21, before leading the Aggies to the MEAC tournament title and being named the MEAC Championship Outstanding Performer. She averaged 205.4 pins in traditional play throughout the season and eclipsed the 200-pin mark 17 times (including a MEAC-best 288 at the Vern Stallings Invitational). Her strike percentage was 50.0 for the season and she had a 74.8 percent spare conversion.
Joining Katen on the Preseason All-MEAC team are teammate Ericka Quesada, Maryland Eastern Shore junior Brooke Roberts (the 2019-20 MEAC Rookie of the Year) and Delaware State sophomore Alyssa Breidegam and senior Stefanny Toala.
The Aggies, who were 7-1 in conference play last season and defeated Monmouth in the championship final, racked up 13 first-place votes and 137 points. Delaware State, with 119 points and four first-place votes, was picked to come in second, with Maryland Eastern Shore and Monmouth (one first-place vote) coming in third and fourth, respectively.
UAB was picked to finish fifth. Morgan State was sixth, while Coppin State and Norfolk State were tied to finish seventh and Howard rounded out the predicted order of finish.
The 2022 MEAC Bowling Championship is currently set for March 25-27.
2021-22 MEAC Bowling Preseason Honors
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors
Preseason Bowler of the Year: Melanie Katen, North Carolina A&T State
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC TEAM
| Name |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| Alyssa Breidegam |
So. |
Delaware State |
Reading, Pa. |
| Stefanny Toala |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Tucson, Ariz. |
| Brooke Roberts |
Jr. |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Port Orange, Fla. |
| Melanie Katen |
So. |
North Carolina A&T State |
San Jose, Calif. |
| Ericka Quesada |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Heredia, Costa Rica |
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
| School (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. North Carolina A&T State (13) |
137 |
| 2. Delaware State (4) |
119 |
| 3. Maryland Eastern Shore |
106 |
| 4. Monmouth (1) |
105 |
| 5. UAB |
85 |
| 6. Morgan State |
46 |
| t-7. Coppin State |
42 |
| t-7. Norfolk State |
42 |
| 9. Howard |
38 |