Dec. 4, 2006
Freshman Josie Earnest leads the second-ranked Commodores with a 194 average.
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DOVER, DE — With back-to-back tournament championships, Vanderbilt’s bowling team has jumped to second in the latest national poll conducted by the National Tenpins Coaches Association. Defending national champion Fairleigh Dickinson held on to the top spot while Nebraska, Central Missouri and New Jersey City University round out the top five.
The No. 2 rating marks the high-water mark for Vanderbilt’s fast-rising program, which began as a varsity sport just two years ago.
“I see our poll placing as a nice recognition for all the hard work our student-athletes have invested,” Coach John Williamson says. “This is a team that strives to improve and some of our progress has resulted in realizing we have lots of room to grow. However, beyond the public acknowledgement, the rankings have little effect on competition. When you step on the lanes it doesn’t make any difference is you are rated No. 2 or No. 22.”
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“I see our poll placing as a nice recognition for all the hard work our student-athletes have invested.”Coach John Williamson |
The Commodores are 28-4, having won 22 out of their last 23 games. In the process, they captured their first two team titles at the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawk Classic in a field of 19 and just last weekend at Mississippi Valley State’s Invitational.
A look at Vanderbilt’s individual averages gives insight into the team’s success this fall; five `Dores are averaging between 192 and 194.
“There is no question that our overall balance is a huge asset,” Williamson says. “It is difficult to predict which one on our team will have the hot hand in a given game or tournament. What I liked as much as anything this fall is that we were very consistent from one through five in our lineup. We seldom had someone rolling a 250 to compensate for someone else struggling with a 150. We also have excellent options with our depth and that probably won the tournament last weekend.”
Freshman Josie Earnest has been a major addition to the roster and she leads the team, bowling 25 games with a 194 average. Tara Kane is next, competing in 22 games with a 193 average while Michelle Peloquin, Karen Grygiel and Mandy Keily have identical 192 marks. Kaitlin Reynolds, who has performed well in Baker games, has been in nine team games with a 186 average and freshman Ashley Belden averages 176 after four games.
Thirty-two programs received votes from a national panel of head coaches.
Vanderbilt will not compete again until the start of the new semester when it travels to Ozark Invitational January 19.
NTCA Top 10
Team (Poll Points)
1. Fairleigh Dickinson (449)
2. Vanderbilt (410)
3. Nebraska (380)
4. Central Missouri (302)
5. New Jersey City (295)
6. Maryland-Eastern Shore (264)
7. Alabama A & M (258)
8. Texas Southern (203)
9. Sacred Heart (197)
10 Minnesota State (114)
