Singleton Promoted To Head Women's Bowling Coach

By: By Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications

Marion Singleton takes over a women's bowling team that will return all 10 players on the roster after posting 35 wins this past season

Women's Bowling | 5/8/2018 12:00:00 PM

AMHERST, N.Y. - Marion Singleton has been named the third head coach in the history of the Daemen College women's bowling program, interim athletics director Brandi Guerinot announced today. Singleton, who served as an assistant coach during the 2017-18 season, takes the reins of the program as it heads into its fourth season of existence. She takes over for David Zajac who elected to step down for personal reasons after guiding the Wildcats for the last two seasons.

"We are incredibly excited about the future of our women's bowling program with coach Singleton at the helm," said Guerinot. "I really felt it was important to keep some continuity so that the program can continue to build upon all it's accomplished in the short amount of time since its inaugural season. We are certainly very appreciative of everything coach Zajac has done, and we respect his desire to spend more time with his family as he becomes a father for the first time. Coach Singleton played an integral role, along with coach Zajac, in leading our team to new heights this past season. I have the utmost confidence in her to continue the upward trajectory of the program."

A Lockport, N.Y. native, Singleton brings an impressive bowling resumé to the position, both as a competitor and coach. She first rose to stardom as a scholastic athlete at Lockport High School, setting the program record for high average (220) and earning three New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) championships, accomplishments that led to her enshrinement in the Lockport Athletic Hall of Fame. She would go on to compete for the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore's NCAA women's bowling program for one season, earning Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference MVP and third team All-America honors that year.

After transferring to Medaille College, she completed her first of three higher education degrees, earning a Bachelor of Science in Adolescent Education degree in 2011. Singleton would go on to add a Master of Science in Education from Medaille in 2012, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Canisius College in 2018.

Singleton's coaching career began in 2010 when she took over the boys' and girls' bowling programs at her alma mater, Lockport High School, a position she continues to hold even today. In that time, she's led the girls program to a pair of Niagara Frontier League titles. In 2012, she led the Lockport boys to the NYSPHSAA all-section team championship, and the girls followed suit in 2013.

"This is a truly wonderful opportunity to be able to continue coaching at the college level," Singleton said. "Being able to take on the role of head coach is an absolute honor, and I have a lot of goals for the program that I plan to accomplish. Overall, I want to continue to make it as enriching and successful as possible for all of our current and future student-athletes. With such a supportive athletic department, I know we will have everything we need to make that happen. Although I will miss working alongside coach Zajac, my excitement for him and his family is tremendous. Now, we must keep up the Daemen tradition of academic and athletic excellence."

In addition to her part-time position with Daemen, Singleton presently works as a special education teacher at North Park Junior High School in Lockport, and as a home/hospital teacher for Orleans Niagara BOCES.

In two seasons with the program, Zajac led the Wildcats to a 51-42 record. This past season was his finest as the Wildcats established a new team record for wins in a season with 35 while also winning the Brother Patrick Lacey Memorial Tournament and the Molloy College Lion Invitational, both in February. The team went on to place fourth at the East Coast Conference Championship Tournament held on Long Island in late March. All 10 players on the roster are set to return for the 2018-19 season.

For continuing coverage of the Daemen women's bowling team follow @DaemenAthletics and @DaemenBowling on Twitter, or like the team's Facebook page.

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