Kats earn preseason No. 7 national ranking
10/27/2011 8:42:00 AM | Women's Bowling
Last October, when theNational Ten Pins Coaches Association (NTCA) has released its 2011-12 preseason NCAA Division I national rankings, Sam Houston was nowhere to found in the top 20.
But that quickly changed as the Bearkats turned heads as the bowling team rolled up a match record of 70 victories and only 42 losses. More than half of their wins came over squads ranked among the nation's top 20 and all but four of the losses were to ranked foes.
The season ended with Sam Houston becoming the first inaugural program to earn an NCAA Division I national tournament berth in the eight-year history of the event.
The Bearkats were one of eight squads invited to the NCAA tournament in Detroit where they won two matches before being eliminated.
Now, in the 2011-12 NTCA preseason rankings, Sam Houston stands No. 7.
With five players returning including one All-American and two top recruits, the Sam Houston bowling team is ready for a run at the national title.
"We're happy with the No. 7 preseason ranking," SHSU women's bowling coach Brad Hagen said. "In the long scheme of things it actually helps us out even more then most are aware of especially at the end of the season.
"The ladies will use this as initiative even more to prove to ourselves and others were worthy of a higher ranking. We have some important goals this year we plan on accomplishing and I think this preseason poll is exactly that extra fire we need to get to where we want to go. Long term the heart and passion of this team will speak precedence over opinions."
Seniors Dana Galganski, Lisa MacAllister and Aida Sanchez will lead this year's team. Galganski earned All-America honors as the team's leading in total pins in 2010-10. She twice was named all-tournament and was voted as the Bearkats "Most Valuable Player."
Sophomores Neishka Cardona and Kimi Davidson also return from last year's squad that participated in eight major national tournaments, each with fields made up of top nationally-ranked opponents.
Further strengthening the squad are two top recruits. Freshman Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Florida, has earned numerous gold medals playing for the USA National Junior Team and last summer participated in international events for Team USA. Michelle Secours, a junior transfer from Bellarmine University brings a resume that includes 13 top 25 performances in 21 intercollegiate events as a freshman and sophomore.
Sam Houston won one tournament, placed in the top three in four others and finished no lower than eighth in any of their appearances. The Bearkats ended the year seventh in the final national women's bowling rankings and were ranked as high as No. 5 during the year.
The Bearkats open their 2011-12 tournament schedule this weekend as they head to Springfield, Mo., for the Greater Ozark Invitational.
|
Rank |
Points |
School |
1st Place Votes |
|
1 |
514 |
Md.-East. Shore |
11 |
|
2 |
504 |
Vanderbilt |
5 |
|
3 |
464 |
Fairleigh Dickinson |
|
|
4 |
456 |
Central Mo. |
1 |
|
5 |
448 |
Nebraska |
3 |
|
6 |
360 |
Arkansas St. |
|
|
7 |
358 |
Sam Houston St. |
|
|
8 |
356 |
Kutztown |
|
|
9 |
272 |
Sacred Heart |
|
|
10 |
228 |
New Jersey City |
|
|
11 |
183 |
Adelphi |
|
|
12 |
155 |
Delaware St. |
|
|
13 |
148 |
Stephen F. Austin |
|
|
14 |
105 |
Alabama A&M |
|
|
15 |
85 |
Norfolk St. |
|
|
16 |
76 |
St. Francis (NY) |
|
|
17 |
73 |
Wis.-Whitewater |
|
|
18 |
67 |
Valparaiso |
|
|
19 |
21 |
St. Francis (PA) |
|
|
20 |
15 |
Prairie View |
|
Others receiving votes: Bethune-Cookman, Bowie State, Fayetteville State, Hampton, Long Island, Monmouth, Morgan State.
