Title is right up UMES Hawks' alley

University of Maryland Eastern Shore Coach Sharon Brummell holds the NCAA National Championship trophy earned by the 2008 Lady Hawk Bowling Team. The Lady Hawks are seeking another championship; however, they must get past 2010 MEAC Champion, Delaware State University Lady Hornets that are also in the NCAA Bowling Championship Tournament.

PRINCESS ANNE -- The top-ranked University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's bowling team is prepared to make another run at a national title this week. Starting today, in North Brunswick, N.J., the Hawks will make their seventh consecutive appearance at the seventh annual NCAA championship. The Hawks, who finished second to Vanderbilt in 2007 before winning a national title in 2008, are looking to recapture their winning ways after placing seventh in last year's championship.

"We've worked so hard at just doing well this year," UMES coach Sharon Brummell said. "We've had a good year, so were back in the tournament -- now the pressure is on us to do well here. Our main concern is making sure that we are still bowling on Saturday."

The tournament features eight teams (Arkansas State, Central Missouri, Delaware State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Nebraska, New Jersey City, Vanderbilt and UMES) squaring off in five-person regular team games to determine seeding. The teams then will be seeded for play Friday based on their win-loss record during qualifying. A double-elimination format then will determine which two teams are still alive Saturday to play for a national title, which will air live on ESPNU at 8:30 p.m.

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Delaware State wins 2nd MEAC Bowling Championship

Greensboro, N.C. - The Delaware State bowling team has captured its second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship after defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore four-games-to-three in a dramatic best-of-seven Baker scoring series on March 21. The Hornets are the third team to win back-to-back MEAC bowling titles in the 11-year history of the tournament, joining Maryland-Eastern Shore (2005-08) and North Carolina A&T (2001-04). Delaware State ended Maryland-Eastern Shore's three-year championship run in 2009.

It also marks the first time that a Delaware State team in any sport has captured consecutive MEAC championships since women's indoor track & field earned five straight titles from 1984 to '88. "This is a tremendous achievement for our team and the university," said Delaware State first-year head coach Ricki Williams-Ellison. "Our girls worked so hard all season long to achieve this goal. I'm so grateful to Delaware State University for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this great bowling program."

Williams-Ellison was named Most Outstanding Coach of the MEAC Tournament, while Delaware State junior Angela Reynolds was selected as the Most Outstanding Performer. Reynolds tallied 764 pinfall in team games and anchored her team in the victory. "We knew we were facing a tough UMES team and they had to beat us twice, explained Reynolds." "I rallied the team and let them know that we had been in this position before and we approached the game like it was any other match-not just a championship match."

Joining Reynolds on the All-Tournament Team are teammates Brooke Peterson and Adriana Jaime. Florida A&M's Samantha Mighty and South Carolina State's Stephanie Sinclair completed the team. Delaware State earned its spot in the championship round after posting victories over Bethune-Cookman, Norfolk State and Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday. Maryland-Eastern Shore defeated South Carolina State earlier Sunday to advance to the championship round. The Hawks then outlasted the Hornets four-games-to-three to force the decisive series.

"We expected a tough match from UMES because it is a championship-caliber team," said Williams-Ellison. "Our teams compete against each other so much during the season that it was no surprise the championship went down to the wire."

Maryland-Eastern Shore is ranked No. 1 in the latest National Tenpins Coaches Association Top 20 poll, while Delaware State is No. 5. The Hornets were 3-1 against UMES during this weekend's MEAC Tournament. The NTCA poll helps determine the eight-team field for the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Although there are no automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, the Hornets (102-38 overall this season) are hoping they have made a case for selection to the field for the second straight year.

Delaware State earned the first NCAA Tournament bid in team history in 2009. The Hornets became the first DSU sports team to post a NCAA Tournament victory, defeating New Jersey City and Central Missouri en route to the Final Four in the '09 tourney. The Hornets were defeated by eventual champ Nebraska in the national semifinals last year.

The NCAA will announce its tournament selections this Wednesday (Mar. 24). The 2010 NCAA Women's Bowling Tournament is set for April 8-10 in East Brunswick, N.J. ESPNU will air the Delaware State/Maryland-Eastern Shore MEAC Tournament championship match on March 29 at 6:00 p.m.


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Bowling increases diversity at historically black colleges and universities

University of Maryland-Eastern Shore 2008 NCAA National Championship bowlers Kristina Frahm and Jessica Worsley.

(Washington Post) -- Earlier this year, the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore's athletic department posted this poll on its Web site: "Which winter team is most likely to win the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in their respective sport?" Sandwiched between women's basketball and men's track was women's bowling, which led all other choices with just less than 44 percent of the vote.

Conference rival Delaware State's Web site had a similar question. Of the 11 sports on the ballot, bowling had a commanding lead of close to 40 percent.

These two schools are the pace-setters among the women's bowling teams in the nationally dominant MEAC, which comprises 11 historically black colleges and universities. UMES, the 2008 national champion, is the MEAC's flagship bowling program, sitting second in the National Tenpins Coaches Association top 20 alongside national powers Vanderbilt and Nebraska. Delaware State, the conference's defending champion, is ranked third and made the NCAA semifinals last spring. In total, five conference teams, including Florida A&M, Norfolk State and Morgan State, are in the top 20 out of a pool of more than 50 in the NCAA.

But women's bowling is not just the new standard-bearer for MEAC athletics; these days, the sport is also helping to change what a historically black college looks like. As the conference's best teams have cemented themselves in the national rankings, they've attracted many non-black bowlers, which has furthered diversity on campus. UMES currently has no black bowlers and Delaware State has two on its 10-person roster.

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DSU Hornets' title dream spoiled by Nebraska

CANTON, Mich. -- Delaware State's bid for its first NCAA title in any sport ended when the bowling team lost 4-2 to top-seeded Nebraska in the national semifinals Saturday. The No. 7-seeded Hornets were ahead 2-1 before the Cornhuskers won the last three games. "I am so proud of our team, and how hard the ladies worked all season long," said coach Kim Terrell-Kearney. "Certainly we are disappointed in coming up short of the championship, but we met our match [Saturday]. The loss [Saturday] takes nothing away from the great season we had."

No. 7 seed DSU falls in tourney semifinals

The Hornets were two wins away from the championship match after taking two of the first three games in the best-of-seven series. Nebraska won the first game 201-193 before Delaware State evened the match with a 215-149 win in game two. Freshman Brooke Peterson had strikes on each of her two throws. The Hornets took the lead in the match with a 204-156 victory in game three. Sophomore Angela Reynolds led the way with two strikes. Nebraska opened game four with four strikes en route to a 244-173 victory.

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Delaware State Bowling Team Takes MEAC Title

Dover, DE-- The Delaware State bowling team is the new Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion. The Hornets defeated surprising Florida A&M four-games-to-none to capture the first MEAC title in team history this afternoon at Gate City Lanes in Greensboro, N.C., outscoring the Rattlers 792-to-706 in the four games.

DSU was undefeated in four Baker matches the last two days to claim the title. Florida A&M upset Maryland-Eastern Shore (UMES) this morning to advance to the championship round. UMES, the defending NCAA champion, had won the previous three conference titles. "This is a great achievement for our team and the university," said Delaware State second-year head coach Kim Terrell-Kearney. "Our girls have worked so hard all season, and its great to be rewarded with a conference championship. The MEAC is well respected in women's bowling, so winning the championship means so much to our program. Winning the conference and earning a NCAA Tournament bid were among our top goals this season."

Although there are no automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, the Hornets are among the favorites to reach the eight-team tourney for the first time is team history. The NCAA will announce its tournament selections on Wednesday (Mar. 25) at 5:00 pm. The 2009 NCAA Women's Bowling Tournament is set for April 8-11 in Detroit, Michigan.

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Victory says it all for DSU

Hornets women rally to knock off MEAC leader North Carolina A&T

DOVER, DE -- When the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament starts next month, Delaware State should be the top seed. That's the opinion of junior Selena Galloway, who helped the Hornets deliver that message Monday afternoon at Memorial Hall. Delaware State, down by 14 early in the second half, embarked on a furious rally over the final seven minutes to upend MEAC leader North Carolina A&T 68-66 in a showdown between the conference's top two teams.

Galloway's driving layup with 1:52 to play forced a 63-63 tie, and her two free throws with 1:35 left put the Hornets ahead after they had trailed from almost the opening tip. Delaware State coach Ed Davis called the victory his team's most significant in two years. Galloway agreed. "It's very, very, very big," said Galloway, a reserve who came off the bench to score 13 points.

DSU Hornets forward Ashley Thompson fights for ball with Lady Aggies Tierra Thomas.

"We're actually underrated in the MEAC conference. Nobody looks at us as the No. 1 seed, but I think we proved it [Monday]." The conference tournament starts March 9. Delaware State (14-11, 10-2) has four conference games remaining -- all on the road -- before the Hornets can worry about tournament seeding. Still, the statement was made. The Hornets ended North Carolina A&T's 12-game win streak and handed the Lady Aggies (18-6, 11-1) their first conference loss. More importantly, the Hornets pulled within one game of first place.

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DSU Lady Hornets beat Florida A&M 55-41

DOVER , DE — With its No. 1 goal of winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season title out of reach, the Delaware State women’s basketball team set a new standard. The Hornets want to avoid becoming one of six play-in teams in the MEAC Tournament.

DSU got a step closer to reaching that goal with a 55-41 victory over Florida A&M tonight at Memorial Hall. North Carolina A&T has clinched the regular-season title and No. 1 seed in the tournament, March 11-15 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. The top five finishers avoid the play-in round.

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Delaware State set to open softball season in North Carolina

DOVER -- The Delaware State softball team opens the season with doubleheaders at Winston-Salem State on Saturday and North Carolina Central on Sunday.

The Hornets finished 24-29 and reached the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament last season. Top returnees include junior Megan Lambertz, who hit .318 with 26 RBIs and went 5-5 as a pitcher. Senior infielder Nicole Demers hit .296 with five home runs. The top returning pitcher is sophomore Brittney Ruark, of Seaford, who had 11 wins and 78 strikeouts last season.

DSU Hornets seniors savor revenge over Hampton

DSU wipes out streak of four losses to Pirates

Burbage, Collier and Palmer combined for 22 points and Selena Galloway had a team-high 13 points to give DSU (11-12 overall, 6-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) the win. The threesome bonded in the way seniors do, with an unofficial pact to defeat the Pirates, a task they deftly handled in a 58-36 victory at Memorial Hall.

"It feels good," said Burbage, a Seaford High product. "I knew we were up for the challenge."

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UMES Lady Hawks sting DSU Hornets 61-55

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- Maryland-Eastern Shore scored the last six points to earn a 61-55 victory over Delaware State University in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's basketball Wednesday. The score was tied 55-55 with 34 seconds remaining when UMES freshman Casey Morton started the 6-0 run by hitting a short jumper and a free throw to give the Hawks their first lead of the second half. Morton added two more free throws with 13 seconds left and Queenique Tyler hit one with one second remaining.

The Hawks won their school-record sixth straight to improve to 13-8, 6-2 in the MEAC.

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