Press Release Written by Sports Information Graduate Intern Mary Kate Rumbaugh

WEST BABYLON, N.Y. – For the first time in program history, the Wilmington University women's bowling team earned two student-athletes to the 2019-20 East Coast Conference Women's Bowling All-Conference Teams, as announced by the ECC Friday morning.

The women were represented by junior Rachel Hirst, who notched First Team, while freshman CC Riojas earned Second Team All-ECC.

Hirst (Bear, Del./St. Georges) finished fifth overall in the ECC with a 1041 overall scoring average for the year, averaging 19.1 pins a frame. In traditional format, the junior rounded out the top 10 with a frame average of 18.935 throughout 460 frames played. When it came to Baker format, she led the Wildcats ranking fourth overall in the conference with a 19.232 frame average in 581 frames played. She also finished out the year with an overall 44.9 percent strike percentage. Hirst's best strike performance came in Baker format, as she finished fourth in the ECC with a 46.1 percent strike percentage. Hirst also led the conference with a 53.2 percent Baker Double Percentage. She finished fifth overall in the ECC when it came to Player Composite Performance Index (PCPI), finishing with an 88.09 PCPI percentage playing in 100 percent of WilmU's team frames.

Riojas (San Antonio, Texas/Brennan) earned four ECC Rookie of the Week nominations this past season, falling just short of the major award at year's end. As a freshman, Riojas finished sixth overall in the conference with an 18.997 frame average throughout 1036 frames played. In Traditional Format, she finished eighth overall with a 19.061 frame average, while ranking sixth overall in Baker Format with an 18.946 frame average. When it came to individual strike performance, she finished second overall in the league with a 45.8 strike percentage on 1044 attempts throughout the season. Her best strike performance was in Traditional Format, where she had a 46.1 strike percentage, finishing third overall. When it came to the ninth frame, Riojas ranked second overall in strike percentage with a 44.5 strike percentage in Baker Format. Overall, she finished eighth in the ECC with an 80.37 Player Composite Performance Index.

Together, Hirst and Riojas helped the Wildcats to the program's first ever tournament championship, winning the Virginia Union Invitational. They also placed second at the Wildcat DII Invitational and the Baker format of the Molloy Bowl for the Cure. The duo helped the team earn the No. 23 spot in the NTCA National Poll for the first time in program history.

Despite ending the season before the ECC Championships, the Wildcats finished in third in the league with a program-best 58-43 overall record.

Mercyhurst's sophomore Haley Youker was the runaway winner for the ECC Bowler of the Year after finishing the year with seven straight All-Tournament Team selections that also included four MVP Awards. Adelphi's Hannah Manetta edged our CC Riojas for ECC Rookie of the Year. Adelphi's Dennis Kearney earned his fourth straight ECC Coach of the Year honors, beating out Wildcat head coach John York who finished second in votes.

AGATE:

2019-20 ECC Women's Bowling All-Conference:

First Team:
Nicole Aumack, Felician
Rachel Hirst, Wilmington
Skylar McGarrity, Adelphi
Jenna Rapach, Caldwell
Haley Youker, Mercyhurst

Second Team:
Keanna Delp, Kutztown
Marisol Dodson, Lincoln Memorial
Hannah Manetta, Adelphi
CC Riojas, Wilmington
Megan Wehmeier, Adelphi

Bowler of the Year: Haley Youker, Mercyhurst
Rookie of the Year: Hannah Manetta, Adelphi
Coach of the Year: Dennis Kearney, Adelphi