Wildcats Host Daemen Storm Fall Classic This Weekend

Two Day Event To Take Place at Lancaster Lanes

10/28/2022 2:00:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Tom McDermott, Director of Athletics Communications | tmcdermo@daemen.edu

Tournament #3
DAEMEN STORM FALL CLASSIC
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30
LOCATION: Lancaster, N.Y. | Lancaster Lanes
LIVE STREAM: via Daemen Bowling Facebook Page

BACK IN ACTION
The Daemen women's bowling returns to action this weekend (Oct. 29-30) when they play host for the 2022 Daemen Storm Fall Classic. The two day event will take place at Lancaster Lanes and feature Daemen, Pitt-Bradford, Penn State Behrend, Hilbert, Saint Vincent, Medaille, D'Youville and Walsh.

LAST TIME OUT
Daemen posted a perfect 5-0 record and claimed the 2022 Grapevine Classic championship last Saturday in Erie, Pa. Daemen totaled 4,213 pins over the five matches and cruised to the team title, as the Wildcats posted 259 pins more than second place Penn State Behrend (3,954). The University of Pittsburg at Greensburg placed third (3,785) and LaRoche University came in fourth place (3,632). Daemen opened the day with an 891-847 win over Pitt-Greensburg. Senior Caitlyn Nowak (West Seneca, N.Y.) rolled a team-high 210 to lead the way, while senior Nicole Bergeron (Lima, N.Y.) followed with a 187 and junior Emma Smith (Williamsville, N.Y.) added a 185. The Wildcats then took down tournament host Penn State Behrend, 835-778. Nowak and Bergeron both rolled a 179 to lead the way, while senior Paige Bartosz (West Seneca, N.Y.) contributed a 175. Daemen closed out the first round with an 880-702 win over LaRoche. Nowak continued her solid play with a 209, while Smith added a 187. Freshman Olivia Dauer (Orchard Park, N,Y.) saw her first action of the day and rolled a 175. Daemen met LaRoche again in the positional round and advanced to the championship match following an 842-762 win. Bergeron posted her high score of the day with a 200, while Smith posted a 174. Freshman Kayla Richardson (Webster, N.Y.) contributed to the win with a 162. The Wildcats closed out the day and secured the title with a 765-737 win over Penn State Behrend. Nowak capped her day with a team-high 187, while Bartosz added a161. Nowak competed in all five matches and finished with the second highest average (188.6) among all 27 bowlers. Kayla Gaughan of Pitt-Greensburg took home the individual championship with a 189.6 average. Bergeron (174.0) and Smith (168.4) also ranked among the top-10 bowlers today. Nowak, Bergeron and Smith were all named to the all-tournament team. The win marked the first team title for the Wildcats since claiming the Wildcat Division II Invitational hosted by Wilmington University last spring.

BACK AT THE HELM
Carrie Racsumberger returns for her fifth season as head coach at Daemen. She took the reins of the program just prior to the 2018-19 season and entered the 2022-23 season with a 129-112 career record, including a program record 55 wins during the 2021-22 campaign. Danielle Milo, an Orchard Park native, enters her first season as an assistant coach.

RETURNING VETERANS
Daemen returns six bowlers from a solid 2021-22 campaign in which they posted a program-record 55 wins and were included in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Division II/III national poll for the first time in program history. The Wildcats also claimed tournament titles at the Brother Patrick Lacey Memorial Tournament hosted by St. Vincent College and the Wildcat Division II Invitational hosted by Wilmington University. Seniors Caitlyn Nowak (West Seneca, N.Y.) and Paige Bartosz (West Seneca, N.Y.), who both earned All-East Coast Conference honors last year, top the list of returning bowlers. Graduate student Christina Aldridge (Webster, N.Y.), senior Nicole Bergeron (Lima, N.Y.) and juniors Mollie Gizicki (Brighton, Mich.) and Emma Smith (Williamsville, N.Y.) also return.

FRESH FACES
The team welcomes junior Kayla Lark (Philadelphia, Pa.) and freshmen Bailey Glass (North Tonawanda, N.Y.), Mackenzie Hutchins (Wheatfield, N.Y.), Olivia Dauer (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Kayla Richardson (Webster, N.Y.) to the lineup.

POLL POSITION
Daemen has been picked third in the 2022-23 East Coast Conference Women's Bowling Preseason Coaches' Poll. The No. 3 ranking is the highest for Daemen in the eight-year history of the program. Daemen's previous high ranking in the ECC preseason poll came prior to the 2018-19 season when the Wildcats were voted to finish fourth. Adelphi edged out Mercyhurst for the top spot, as the Panthers collected five first-place votes and totaled 87 points. Mercyhurst received three first place votes and totaled 84 points. Daemen earned 73 points, while Roberts Wesleyan (59) and Kutztown (58) rounded out the top five. D'Youville and Molloy tied for sixth with 57 points, while the remainder of the poll includes conference newcomers Bryant (38) and Saint Anselm (19) and St. Thomas Aquinas (18).

ON THE HORIZON
Daemen returns to action next weekend (Nov. 5-6) when the Wildcats take part in the Medaille Brunswick Invitational.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen women's bowling program on Twitter and Facebook at @DaemenBowling

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