NEWARK, Del. - - Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Wilmington University bowling team found a spot in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Preseason DII/III Coaches Poll, earning 218 total points to start the season ranked No. 9.

The Wildcats went 53-50 overall last year, falling in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament. They finished the 2022-23 season ranked No. 10 in the Final DII/DIII National Poll.

Maryville University is the top DII/DIII team in the Preseason Coaches Poll, followed by Newman University and McKendree University, all out of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

Mercyhurst is the top team from the East Region in the poll, ranked No. 5 out of the East Coast Conference (ECC). Lincoln Memorial, another member of the ECC, is ranked No. 7 to start the season. Other ECC programs that are starting the season ranked are Daemen (No. 11), and Kutztown (No. 15).

The Wildcats competed in the Mercyhurst Invite and was the top DII/DIII program in the tournament, finishing ahead of Mercyhurst and Daemen.

The Wildcats will next compete in the Bud Whitman Memorial on their home lanes this weekend. The tournament, hosted by Chestnut Hill, will take place on Saturday and Sunday at Bowlerama in New Castle.