Oct. 23, 2008
A powerful Vanderbilt bowling team with more depth than it has ever had will start the season rated No. 2 in the country after a vote by members of the National Ten Pin Coaches Association.
The Commodores trail defending national champion Maryland-Eastern Shore while Nebraska, Central Missouri and Arkansas State round out the poll’s top five.
“Nobody should take these early polls too seriously,” says Vanderbilt Head Coach John Williamson. “They are created to get people talking but nobody knows right now who has the best teams. Last year we began No. 1 after winning the previous season but we were inconsistent and soon lost the spot. In 2006-07 I don’t think we were first but once except when it counted.”
One thing for certain is that the Commodores have plenty of experience and potential this year. For the first time since the program has had recruited personnel, there are seniors on the roster – four of them.
Michelle Peloquin, Tara Kane, Karen Grygiel and Kaitlin Reynolds have all made their marks as the foundation class. Peloquin, Kane and Grygiel have all earned All-America honors multiple times while Reynolds has played a strong supporting role and owns the school record single game score.
There are two juniors. National Player of the Year Josie Earnest and Ashley Belden are back for their third years. Earnest is aiming at another dominating campaign while Belden is a veteran capable of making major contributions.
Sophomores include Amanda Halter, a seldom played freshman who has enjoyed a strong fall and is expected to make the six-woman travel squad when the Commodores open at the Fairleigh Dickinson Invitational in just less than two weeks. Other sophomores are Brittany Garcia, who made the NCAA all-tournament team last spring, Ellen Morrison, another talented contender for bowling time and Katie Lammers, who stars in the classroom.
There is but one member of the freshman class and Williamson would not trade his class for any other in the country. Brittni Hamilton, a gifted bowler who won numerous titles and awards as a New York prep star, will give the team immediate new firepower.
“Practices have been very competitive,” Williamson admits. “We need it to stay that way. We’d like an atmosphere where we have friendly competition for the chance to travel. We all have areas of needed improvement and we will need to maintain a confident consistency as we move through the schedule.
Rank — (1st Place Votes) — Total Points
1. Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore — (10) — 590
2. Vanderbilt University — (5) — 581
3. University of Nebraska — (4) — 532
4. University of Central Missouri — (1) — 481
5. Arkansas State University — 424
6. Sacred Heart University — 401
7. Fairleigh Dickinson University — 376
8. New Jersey City University — 340
9. Delaware State University — 322
10. Minnesota State University — 299
Point system:
NTCA voters rank the top 20 teams on their ballot. Each position has an assigned point value, ranging from 32 points for first place and one point for twentieth place. The sums for every team receiving votes are then sorted into descending order. The specific point values follow:
1st place = 32 points, 2nd = 29, 3rd = 27, 4th = 25, 5th = 23, 6th = 21, 7th = 19, 8th = 17, 9th = 15, 10th = 13, 11th = 11, 12th = 9, 13th = 8, 14th = 7, 15th = 6, 16th = 5, 17th = 4, 18th = 3, 19th = 2, 20th = 1.