Sam Houston State, the first NCAA Division I women’s bowling program to be ranked among the top 10 in the final national rankings each of its first two seasons, begins the 2012-13 schedule ranked No. 7 this fall.
The Bearkats rolled up a 79-35 overall record and finished the year ranked No. 9 in the 2011-12 final rankings in the program’s second year. Sam Houston stands as the first program to earn an NCAA Elite Eight tournament berth in its inaugural year.
Neishka Cardona, Kimi Davidson and Michelle Secours return as letter winners from the 2011-12 squad. Newcomers include freshmen Erin Brown, Anna Groce and Hannah Harrison and transfers Rebecca Pittser and Kelsey Smith.
Two-time defending NCAA champion University of Maryland Eastern Shore retains the top spot in this year’s National Ten Pin Coaches Association preseason poll with 14 first place votes.
Arkansas State University is ranked second followed by Fairleight Dickinson, Vanderbilt and Nebraska.
Central Missouri stands sixth in the preseason poll followed by Sacred Heart, Sam Houston, Valparaiso and Stephen F. Austin to round out the top 10.
“We’re happy with our preseason rankings,” Sam Houston head coach Brad Hagen said. “At this time, a lot of the NCAA world doesn’t know who are team is this season with only three players returning from last year’s squad. But our girls have full intentions of changing that quickly.”
Rank
Institution, City, State
1st Place Votes
Adjusted Point Standing
1.
Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD
14
634
2.
Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR
5
589
3.
Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ
1
553
4.
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
1
495
5.
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
1
477
6.
University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO
1
471
7.
Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
435
8.
Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
323
9.
Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
309
10.
Stephen F. Austin, Nacogdoches, TX
285
11.
Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA
240
12.
Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA
182
13.
New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ
158
14.
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, WI
116
15.
Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
104
16.
Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL
75
17.
Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX
71
18.
Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL
69
19.
St. Francis University, Loretto, PA
59
20.
Delaware State University, Dover, DE
58
