BALTIMORE, Md., May 1, 2023 -- Morgan State head bowling coach Tom Falbo has announced his retirement from coaching.
Falbo, who came to Morgan State after a stellar coaching career at Saint Francis University (Pa.), took over the helm prior to the start of the 2019-20 bowling campaign and spent the past four seasons bringing the Morgan State program back to national prominence.
In his final season at the helm, Falbo guided the Lady Bears to a 53-38 overall mark, including a fifth-place regular season finish in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) at 8-8. Freshman Johnna Hill, who was a four-time MEAC Rookie of the Week selection, received MEAC Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the first Morgan State bowler to earn that distinction. Junior Cheyenne Washington was named to the All-MEAC Second Team.
"I cannot speak highly enough about the character of the players and people I've had the honor to work with at Morgan State," Falbo said. "So much was accomplished over these four years because of our tremendous players and support given along the way."
Coach Falbo's first two seasons at the helm had its share of challenges, but none bigger than having to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2019-20 season would see the Lady Bears finish ninth in the MEAC standings, one win shy of reaching the league's championship tournament. Morgan State however, closed out the season with a ninth-place finish out of 16 teams at the second annual HBCU Invitational.
The following year, Morgan State would deal with Covid-19 within the program and eventually cut the season short after two events due to Covid-19 protocols. The team would be recognized by NTCA for the highest GPA at 3.840.
Year three, the Lady Bears bounced back in a huge way, as Falbo orchestrated one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in school history, if not ever. Falbo guided Morgan State to a remarkable 65-32 record after earning just one win the previous season which was cut short. The team finished 9-7 in the MEAC and placed fifth at the MEAC championship. Natalia Miranda Vega and Cheyenne Washington were both named to the All-MEAC Second Team.
Morgan State began the 2021-22 season upsetting then third-ranked Arkansas State in the season opener and went on to claim four tournament titles. The Lady Bears earned the program's first national ranking since April 12, 2010, when the team was ranked as high as 16th in the 2021 National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) December Poll.
Falbo was named Co-Coach of the Year in Division I by the NTCA. It marked the first time in the history of the NTCA that a coach without a top-10 ranked team was honored.
"What means the most, is the friendships forged will endure and continue for the rest of my life," Falbo said. "I will always be a Bear and wish only success and blessings to our Lady Bear bowling team and every sports program at Morgan State."