National Champs No. 3 In 2015 Preseason Poll
10/1/2014 3:28:00 PM | Women's Bowling
Defending NCAA women's bowling national champion Sam Houston has been ranked No. 3 in the National Ten Pin Coaches Association (NTCA) preseason national rankings.
The Bearkats return four of the six players who defeated Nebraska 4-2 in the national championship finals on ESPN last April.
Nebraska, national champions in 2013, has been picked No. 1 in the preseason poll. Arkansas State is the No. 2 pick. The Cornhuskers received 11 first place votes. Sam Houston earned seven first place votes, Arkansas State four and No. 4 ranked Vanderbilt one vote.
The No. 2 NTCA preseason ranking is Sam Houston's highest in the four-year history of the program. Sam Houston was No. 6 in the 2012-13 preseason poll.
Since cracking the top 10 in December of the Bearkats' inaugural season in 2010-11, Sam Houston has never been ranked outside the top 10. Sam Houston was the No. 1 team in the 2013-14 final poll.
Returning from the squad that won the NCAA title in Cleveland last April are Erin Brown, Anna Groce, Jana Kuwahara and Becca Pittzer.
Newcomers on the squad include freshmen Emily Notebart, Heather Penatzer and Stephanie Zavala and transfer Carrie Hopkinson.
The Bearkats open the season at the Tulane Invitational in New Orleans on October 17.
2014-15 NTCA PRESEASON WOMEN'S BOWLING RANKINGS
| Rank | Team | Won | Lost | Points |
| 1 | Nebraska | 73 | 34 | 664 |
| 2 | Arkansas State | 98 | 32 | 613 |
| 3 | Sam Houston | 96 | 47 | 572 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt | 84 | 45 | 542 |
| 5 | Maryland Eastern Shore | 95 | 23 | 524 |
| 6 | Central Missouri | 79 | 33 | 456 |
| 7 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 88 | 33 | 444 |
| 8 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 76 | 44 | 360 |
| 9 | Stephen F. Austin | 76 | 43 | 315 |
| 10 | Saint Francis (Pa.) | 65 | 28 | 272 |
| 11 | Sacred Heart | 53 | 45 | 182 |
| 12 | Kutztown | 77 | 47 | 176 |
| 13 | North Carolina A&T | 77 | 33 | 161 |
| 14 | LIU Brooklyn | 65 | 58 | 134 |
| 15 | Valparaiso | 59 | 64 | 121 |
| 16 | McKendree | 39 | 40 | 110 |
| 17 | Saint Francis (NY) | 56 | 41 | 65 |
| 18 | Alabama State | 63 | 44 | 46 |
| 19 | Delaware State | 55 | 40 | 17 |
| 20 | Monmouth | 58 | 44 | 29 |
