Kat Bowlers No. 1 In Final National Rankings
4/30/2014 8:39:00 AM | Women's Bowling
The Sam Houston women's bowling team has been voted No. 1 in the final National Ten Pin Coaches Associations national poll.
The Bearkats rolled unbeaten through four contests in double elimination baker match play portion of the NCAA Elite Eight at the Game of Wickliffe center to earn the university's first NCAA Division I national championship April 12.
Seniors Kimi Davidson and Neishka Cardona, junior Becca Pittser, sophomores Erin Brown and Anna Groce and freshman Janine Kuwahara teamed to defeat defending national champion Nebraska four games to two in the finals on ESPN national television.
Completing the season with 96 victories and only 47 losses, Sam Houston amassed 562 poll points and 17 first place votes to finish atop to NTCA poll.
“No. 1 in the final poll. Our ladies are so deserving,” SHSU head coach Brad Hage. “The national championship has been the dream since our program's beginning four years ago.”
Sam Houston's bowling team has been ranked in every poll since the first regular season rankings in October, 2010, the squad's first season of play. The Bearkat bowlers' previous high national ranking was No. 4 on December 15, 2012. The Kats were No. 7 in the final regular season poll heading into the national championships.
Arkansas State, No. 1 much of the year, finished third in the final poll, followed by Maryland-Eastern Shore, and Vanderbilt.
The final rankings:
|
Rank |
Institution |
|
1st Place Votes |
Points |
|
1. |
Sam Houston |
96-47 |
17 |
562 |
|
2. |
Nebraska |
73-34 |
1 |
518 |
|
3. |
Arkansas State |
98-32 |
2 |
473 |
|
4. |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
95-23 |
466 |
|
|
5. |
Vanderbilt |
84-45 |
376 |
|
|
6. |
Wisconsin, Whitewater |
76-44 |
374 |
|
|
7. |
Central Missouri |
79-33 |
354 |
|
|
8. |
Fairleigh Dickinson |
88-33 |
346 |
|
|
9. |
Stephen F. Austin |
76-43 |
254 |
|
|
10. |
St. Francis (PA) |
65-28 |
246 |
|
|
11. |
Kutztown |
77-47 |
198 |
|
|
12. |
Sacred Heart |
53-45 |
151 |
|
|
13. |
North Carolina A&T |
77-33 |
142 |
|
|
14. |
LIU Brooklyn |
65-58 |
95 |
|
|
15. |
Valparaiso |
59-64 |
92 |
|
|
16. |
Saint Francis (NY) |
87 |
||
|
17. |
Delaware State |
55-40 |
77 |
|
|
18. |
McKendree |
39-40 |
73 |
|
|
19. |
Norfolk State |
58-44 |
47 |
|
|
20. |
Alabama State |
63-44 |
20 |
|
