BALTIMORE, Md., April 14, 2022 -- Morgan State head bowling coach Thomas Falbo was recognized as the co-recipient of the Bill Straub Coach of the Year in Division I by the National Ten Pin Coaches Association (NTCA) on Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio on the eve of the NCAA Bowling National Championship.
 
This year's NTCA's Division I Coach of the Year honor had a unique three-way tie in voting by their fellow head coaches. Flabo, along with John Williamson of Vanderbilt and Amber Lemke of Stephen F. Austin were all recognized as co-recipients during the NCAA Bowling Recognition Dinner.
 
Falbo's recognition marks the first time in the history of the NTCA that a coach who does not have a top 10 ranked team, has been honored. Morgan State was ranked 19th in the last NTCA poll, which came out March 10.
 
"This incredibly humbling honor is only possible because of the Morgan ladies and the support of a great institution," Falbo said. "The ladies are driven to succeed and never rest on working to improve. It's a pleasure to know them and an honor to be their coach. They share a big part of this honor."
 
In his third year at the helm of the Lady Bears and second full season of competition at Morgan State, Falbo orchestrated not only one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in school history, but possibly ever. He guided the Lady Bears to a remarkable 65-35 record after earning just one win a year ago in a season which was cut short after two events due to Covid-19 protocols within the program.  
 
Aside from their 64-win improvement from the 2020-21 season, the Lady Bears began the season upsetting then third-ranked Arkansas State in the season opener at the MOTIV Penguin Classic. Morgan State claimed four tournament titles this season capturing the Virginia Union Invitational, Coppin State Invitational, Red Flash Invitational and the TNBA/HBCU Invitational.
 
Morgan State would be ranked as high as 16^th this season in the NTCA December Poll. It was the program's first national ranking since April 12, 2010, when the 2009-10 team concluded the season ranked 19^th in the final NTCA poll.