Feb. 4, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt received 15 of the 18 first place votes and retained first place in the latest national poll conducted by the National Tenpin Coaches Association.
The Commodores (57-13, .814) had moved into the No. 1 spot with the December poll after winning all three of their fall tournaments. Vanderbilt finished third at the Mid-Winter Invitational in Arkansas and third in the Greater Ozark Invitational in Missouri during January, while continuing to show its deep and talented roster.
January was a good month for the program as the Commodores’ Brittni Hamilton won both individual championships, as she continues her stellar freshman season.
Junior Josie Earnest was named the state of Tennessee’s Female Amateur Co-Athlete of the Year by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame with Tennessee basketball star Candace Parker and will be honored at a banquet Feb. 20.
January also saw senior Tara Kane named a finalist for the Southeastern Conference’s Brad Davis Community Spirit Award. She has won a post-graduate scholarship with this honor.
Three first place votes went to Fairleigh Dickinson University which moved the Knights from third to second place. FDU had an impressive 30-match winning streak during January.
Nebraska slipped one place to third in the poll. The Huskers placed second at the Mid-Winter Invitational and finished fifth at the Greater Ozark Invitational. Moving into fourth place was the University of Maryland Eastern Shore while Delaware State slid down a notch to fifth place.
The Commodores will be in action again Feb. 14-15 at the Morgan State Invitational.
1. Vanderbilt University (57-13-0) 567
2. Fairleigh Dickinson University (52-7-0) 511
3. Nebraska (48-16-0) 454
4. Maryland Eastern Shore (67-20-0) 452
5. Delaware State University (65-22-0) 444
6. New Jersey City University (45-16-0) 356
7. Arkansas State University (48-19-0) 324
8. Kutztown University (45-17-0) 302
9. Central Missouri (47-22-0) 298
10. Minnesota State (36-18-0) 225
11. Alabama A&M University (46-19-0) 206
12. Sacred Heart (31-17-0) 172
13. Southern University (55-27-0) 149
14. Morgan State (52-35-0) 101
15. Wisconsin Whitewater (20-18-0) 72
16. Elmhurst College (27-23-0) 68
17. Adelphi University (36-32-0) 58
18. Fayetteville State (25-10-0) 46
19. St. Francis College (39-34-0) 45
20. Jackson State University (36-30-0) 41
Also receiving votes:
Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA; Texas Southern University, Houston, TX; Bowie State University, Bowie, MD; North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, NC; Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL; St. Peter’s College, Jersey City, NJ; Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC; Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ; Hampton University, Hampton, VA.
Point system:
NTCA voters rank the top 20 teams on their ballot. Each position has a designated point value, ranging from 32 points for first place and one point for twentieth place. Teams are ranked using total points standings, after the highest and lowest votes for every team are dropped. 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.