NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt will begin its NCAA Tournament run this weekend and will compete with Alabama State, Arkansas State and Youngstown State for a berth to the NCAA Final Four.
Competition takes place at the Royal Scot Bowl on Friday and Saturday at the Lansing Regional in Lansing, Michigan.
First Round Matchups
Vanderbilt, the top-seed at the regional and No. 3 seed overall, plays Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Alabama State while Southland foes Arkansas State and Youngstown face off. Both mega-matches are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. CT Friday.
Livestreaming
Vanderbilt will stream each match on the Vanderbilt Athletics YouTube page.
Vandy’s NCAA History
The Commodores have received an NCAA Tournament bid every year since their second year in existence in 2006, save for 2020 when the NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commodores have now made 16 straight tourney appearances.
Final Four Trips
The NCAA Tournament field was expanded from eight to 16 and the format changed several years ago, but the Commodores have remained among the final four teams eight times in 16 tourney trips. Of those eight, Vandy finished as NCAA runner-up three times (2011, 2013 and 2019) and won the championship twice, in 2007 and 2018.
Season Records
Vanderbilt is 89-39, Alabama State is 83-48, Arkansas State is 70-35 and Youngstown is 75-46.
The Commodores are 12-4 versus the Lansing Regional teams this season, sporting a 5-2 mark against Arkansas State, 6-2 against Youngstown and 1-0 against Alabama State.
Vandy Stat Leaders
Mabel Cummins has been at or near the top of every bowling age group she’s ever been in, yet she somehow seems a bit undervalued nationally when discussions turn to, “who’s the best?”
Cummins is No. 1 nationally in leadoff bowler strike percentage, fourth in overall strike percentage, fifth in makeable spare percentage and seventh in scoring. She’s been strong at both anchor and leadoff all season.
Paige Peters was recently named the Southland Newcomer of the Year. She took over anchor duties midway through the season and established herself as one of the NCAA’s top spare shooters.
Peters is first nationally in Baker game single pin spare percentage, second in overall single pin spares and ranks among the nation’s top 15 in 18 different categories.
Caroline Thesier has quietly found her way onto the NCAA’s top 15 charts in many spare conversion categories, as high as fifth in makeable spare percentage.
Unsung Heroines
The lead dogs are important, but in virtually every major tournament victory or deep run over the years, Vanderbilt has found someone else that catches fire in the moment. The Commodores will likely need such a heroine this weekend.
Dalesandro’s Status
Angelique Dalesandro was medically cleared to bowl the day before the Southland tournament after missing six weeks with surgery on a broken left foot. She has returned to practice and will be ready for duty Friday.
The senior is regarded as one of the nation’s best “sixth men” for her ability to join a match cold and immediately produce quality scores.
Travel Plans
Vanderbilt is scheduled travel to Michigan on Wednesday to get settled in before Thursday’s official practice and various administrative functions.
Regional Champions Advance
The four regional champions this weekend advance to the NCAA Championship on April 15-16 in Columbus, Ohio.
