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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DSU Press Release 3/21/10.
