Women's Bowling Returns To Pennsylvania This Weekend For The Grapevine Classic

Wildcats Are The Defending Tournament Champion

10/13/2023 1:17:00 PM

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

Tournament #2
GRAPEVINE CLASSIC
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 14 and Sunday, Oct. 15
LOCATION: Erie, Pa. | Eastland Bowl
LIVE STREAM: via Daemen Bowling Facebook Page

BACK IN ACTION
The Daemen women's bowling returns to action this weekend (Oct. 14-15) when they head back to Erie, Pa. to take part in the Grapevine Classic hosted by Penn State Behrend.

TOURNAMENT FIELD
The field will consist of 10 teams. In addition to tournament host Penn State Behrend and Daemen, the other participants include D'Youville University, Hilbert College, Laroche University, Pitt.-Greensburg, Roberts Wesleyan, Saint Vincent College, Ursuline College and William Smith College. Daemen is the defending tournament champion.

DAEMEN AT THE GRAPEVINE CLASSIC
Daemen is making its fourth all-time appearance at the Grapevine Classic. The Wildcats made their first appearance during the 2019-20 season and placed fourth out of eight teams. The tournament was not held in 2020-21 due to COVID-19. In 2021-22 the Wildcats placed third out of seven teams. Caitlyn Nowakand Mollie Gizicki were both was named the all-tournament team. Last year it was a one-day event and the Wildcats went unbeaten (5-0) en route to the tournament championship. Caitlyn Nowak, Nicole Bergeron and Emma Smith were all named to the all-tournament team.

LAST TIME OUT
Daemen kicked off the 2023-24 season at the Mercyhurst Invitational last weekend. The Wildcats ended up winning five of nine matches over the two days and finished in fifth place. Niagara defeated Wilmington in the championship match to claim the title. Mercyhurst, the defending champion, placed third, while Roberts Wesleyan placed fourth.

BACK AT THE HELM
Carrie Racsumberger returns for her sixth season as head coach at Daemen. She took the reins of the program just prior to the 2018-19 season and has guided the Wildcats to a 176-144 record over the past five years, including a program record 55 wins during the 2021-22 campaign. Danielle Milo, an Orchard Park native, enters her second season as an assistant coach.

RETURNING VETERANS
Daemen returns six student-athletes from last year's team, including All-ECC selections Caitlyn Nowak (West Seneca, N.Y.) and Mollie Gizicki (Brighton, Mich.). Additional returning bowlers include senior Emma Smith (Williamsville, N.Y.) and sophomores Bailey Glass (North Tonawanda, N.Y.), Mackenzie Hutchins (Wheatfield, N.Y.) and Kayla Richardson (Webster, N.Y.). Daemen closed out the 2022-23 season with a record of 47-32. The Wildcats reached the 40-win plateau for the third time in program history and came just three wins shy of reaching 50 wins for the second-straight season. The Wildcats competed in eight tournaments during the year and posted a top-four finish in six of the eight events--including first-place showings at the Grapevine Classic and the Daemen Storm Fall Classic. The Wildcats also traveled to Las Vegas in January to take part in the Stormin' Blue & White Vegas Classic, which featured several of the top programs in the country. Additional highlights of the season included dual match sweeps of rival Roberts Wesleyan University and nationally-ranked Saint Vincent College. Daemen capped the year by placing fourth out of 10 teams at the East Coast Conference Championships.

FRESH FACES
The team welcomes freshmen Brenna Forsha (Tonawanda, N.Y.), Lydia Murphy (Williamsville, N.Y.), Sabrina Palmer (Waterloo, N.Y.), Cassidy Papero (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) and Chelsea Porga (Welland, Ont.) to the lineup.

GIZICKI NAMED TO ECC WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Mollie Gizicki was named to the weekly East Coast Conference honor roll following her performance at the Mercyhurst Inviational last weekend. She ranked 16th among bowlers who competed in all five traditional matches. She rolled a 202 during a win over Pitt.-Bradford and finished with a 175.20 average.

POLL POSITION
Daemen is tied for third in the 2023-24 East Coast Conference Women's Bowling Preseason Coaches' Poll and is ranked 11th in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Preseason Division II/III poll.

ON THE HORIZON
Daemen is idle until the weekend of Oct. 27-29 when the Wildcats head to Orlando, Fla. to take part in the Destination Florida Tournament hosted by Sacred Heart University.

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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