Geoff M Schneider

Women's Bowling Opens 2023-24 Campaign at Mercyhurst Invitational

10/6/2023 10:05:00 AM

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

Tournament #1
MERCYHURST INVITATIONAL
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8
LOCATION: Erie, Pa. | Rolling Meadow Lanes
LIVE STREAM: via Daemen Bowling Facebook Page

BACK IN ACTION
The Daemen women's bowling team kicks off the 2023-24 season by taking part in the Mercyhurst Invitational this weekend (Oct. 7-8).

TOURNAMENT FIELD
The field will consist of nine teams. In addition to tournament host Mercyhurst and Daemen, the other participants include D'Youville, Mount Aloysius, Niagara, Penn State Behrend, Pitt.-Bradford, Roberts Wesleyan and Wilmington (Del.). Mercyhurst is the defending tournament champion.

DAEMEN AT THE MERCYHURST INVITATIONAL
Daemen is making its third all-time appearance at the Mercyhurst Invitational. The Wildcats made their first appearance in 2021-22 and placed fourth out of eight teams. Caitlyn Nowak (West Seneca, N.Y.) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Last year the Wildcats finished third out of eight teams.

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.

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 returns to Erie, Pa. next weekend (Oct. 14-15) to take part in the Grapevine Classic hosted by Penn State Behrend.

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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