West Babylon, N.Y. – Adelphi University women's bowling team earned eight of 13 first place votes to top the East Coast Conference women's bowling preseason coaches' poll announced on Friday afternoon. The league also announced the recipients of its Preseason Bowler of the Year award with Adelphi graduate student, Skylar McGarrity (North Babylon, N.Y.), and Mercyhurst senior, Haley Youker (East Syracuse, N.Y.), sharing the honor.

The Wildcats picked up 116 points from the league's 13 head coaches, finishing in fourth place. The team returns four student-athletes to the 2021-22 squad, including 2019-20 NTCA Division II/III Rookie of the Year CC Riojas. Rachel Hirt and Malia Stout return as graduate students with lengthy experience while KC Miller returns as well after an outstanding freshman year in 2019-20. The Wildcats welcome two newcomers to the squad in freshmen Desiree Dent and Sydney Jones.

Adelphi begins the season as the ECC favorite despite not competing last season after opting out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Panthers compiled a 63-34 record and finished ranked No. 18 in National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) when they last competed during the 2019-20 season. In search of their first ECC title since 2017, Adelphi will be led by the ECC Co-Preseason Bowler of the Year, McGarrity.

McGarrity claims the honor after being selected to the ECC All-Conference Team in each of her first three seasons. She earned her first First Team selection in 2019-20 after ranking third in the ECC with a 19.44 overall frame average and fourth in Player Composite Performance Index (PCPI). She ranked first in the league in spare conversion percentage (72.4), as well. McGarrity also made four All-Tournament Teams, earned MVP at the Molly Invitational, and was twice named ECC Bowler of the Week during her outstanding season.

Youker, the other recipient of the ECC Preseason Bowler of the Year honor, followed the 2019-20 season in which she won the ECC Bowler of the Year award and was named an NTCA All-American with another solid campaign in 2021. She ranked among the ECC's best with a 39.4 strike percentage (13th), a 21.8 percent Baker anchor bowler 10th frame double percentage (4th), and a 95.0 traditional format single pin spare percentage (2nd). Youker finished the season on a high note with a selection to the All-Tournament Team at the ECC Championship with a tournament-high frame average of 18.98.

Caldwell, ECC Champions in 2019, were the poll's runner-up behind Adelphi. They were followed by Chestnut Hill, Wilmington, and Roberts Wesleyan, to round out the top-five.

Kutztown and Daemen claimed the No. 6 and No. 7 spots, with a tie between Felician and Mercyhurst at No. 8 next. Molloy, Bloomfield, ECC newcomer D'Youville, and St. Thomas Aquinas round out the remainder of the poll.

Defending ECC Champion, Roberts Wesleyan, had the second-most first place votes with three. Kutztown and Mercyhurst each received one first place vote apiece.

2021-22 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll
School                                     Pts.                 

1. Adelphi (8)                          144
2. Caldwell                              124
3. Chestnut Hill                       119
4. Wilmington                         116
5. Roberts Wesleyan (3)         114
6. Kutztown (1)                       101
7. Daemen                              94
T8. Felician                              93
T8. Mercyhurst (1)                  93
10. Molloy                               75
11. Bloomfield                        49
12. D'Youville                          38
13. St. Thomas Aquinas          23

( ) - first place votes