NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Defending national champion Vanderbilt was ranked first in the National Tenpin Coaches Association preseason poll.
Vandy earned 51 of 56 first-place votes from the nation’s NCAA head coaches. 2023 NCAA Championship runner-up Arkansas State was ranked second in the preseason poll. The two teams last met in April during the NCAA Championship match when the Commodores overcame a 3-1 deficit to win the program’s third national title.
Vanderbilt will have an experienced veteran lineup to enter the 2023-24 season that includes four student-athletes named All-Americans in 2023, Caroline Thesier (second team), Alyssa Ballard (third team), Paige Peters (third team) and Victoria Varano (honorable mention). Last season’s NTCA Player of the Year, first-team All-American and Vanderbilt graduate Mabel Cummins will no longer be bowling for the black and gold but will remain with the team this season as an assistant coach.
The Commodores welcomed two new additions to their 2023-24 roster, Natalie Kent and Haley Lindley. Before coming to Vanderbilt, Lindley was named to Junior Team USA in after placing fifth at the 2022 Junior Gold tournament, and Kent earned three top-15 placements at Junior Gold tournaments.
Nebraska, North Carolina A&T and Stephen F. Austin rounded out the top-5 preseason rankings.
The NTCA’s full list preseason rankings is available online.
The Vanderbilt women’s bowling team kicks off its season Oct. 20 at Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Warhawk Classic in Madison, Wisconsin.
