WEST BABYLON, N.Y. - - Entering its fourth year of competition, the Wilmington University women's bowling team continues to climb the ranks with expectations, as they were picked to finish in the top half of the East Coast Conference in the 2019-20 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll.
The Wildcats garnered 114 points to claim seventh place in the preseason poll. With one weekend of competition in the books, the Wildcats will continue to play seven regular season tournaments in preparation for the ECC Championships in March.
Lincoln Memorial tops the poll with seven first place votes and a total of 187 points. Right behind the Railsplitters is Adelphi who picked up four first place votes and a total of 184 points. Defending ECC Champion Caldwell grabbed the remaining three first place votes for 164 total points for third place.
Lincoln Memorial's Christine Hansen was voted as the ECC Preseason Player of the Year after splitting the postseason award a season ago. Hansen was among the national leaders in numerous statistical categories in 2018-19. She finished third in 10th frame Baker average (21.973), second in 10th frame Baker fill percentage (90.3) and 11th with a 20.313 overall Baker average. Hansen also topped the ECC in all three categories, as well as Baker format first ball 9+ percentage (74.8) and anchor bowler 10th frame double percentage (33.9).
Molloy totaled 139 points to finish in fourth, followed by Kutztown with 137 to come in fifth. Chestnut Hill, Wilmington, Roberts Wesleyan, Felician, and Daemen round out the top-10.
League newcomers Tusculum and Mercyhurst are next at No. 11 and No. 12, while Bloomfield and St. Thomas Aquinas wrap up the poll at No. 13 and No. 14.
Lincoln Memorial (13th), Adelphi (22nd), and Caldwell (RV) all start the year on the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Top 25 National Poll.
AGATE
2019-20 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll
1 – Lincoln Memorial (7 first place votes) – 187 points
2 – Adelphi (4) – 184
3 – Caldwell (3) – 164
4 – Molloy – 139
5 – Kutztown – 137
6 – Chestnut Hill – 127
7 – Wilmington – 114
8 – Roberts Wesleyan – 87
9 – Felician – 83
10 – Daemen – 78
11 – Tusculum – 58
12 – Mercyhurst – 46
13 – Bloomfield – 40
14 – St. Thomas Aquinas - 26