Women's Bowling Returns To Action This Weekend

2/9/2023 11:59:00 AM

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

DUAL MATCH
Daemen Wildcats (29-22) vs. Saint Vincent College (31-2)
DATE: Friday, Feb. 10
TIME: 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Latrobe, Pa. | Lincoln Lanes

TOURNAMENT #6
BROTHER PATRICK LACEY MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 11
TIME: 10 a.m.
LOCATION: Latrobe, Pa. | Lincoln Lanes

BACK IN ACTION
The Daemen women's bowling returns to action for the first since since taking part in the Stormin' Blue & White Vegas Classic back in early January. The Wildcats will take on Saint Vincent College in a dual match on Friday night (Feb. 10) and then take part in the Brother Patrick Lacey Memorial Tournament on Saturday (Feb. 11). Saint Vincent is the tournament host.

WILDCATS RECEIVING VOTES IN NTCA TOP-25
Daemen is one of 10 teams that is receiving votes in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association Top-25 poll that was released Dec. 15.

DEFENDING CHAMPS
Daemen has participated in the Brother Patrick Lacey Memorial Tournament each of the last four years (tournament was not held in 2021 due to COVID-19) and has claimed the tournament title three times (2018, 2019 and 2022).

LAST TIME OUT
Daemen closed out play at the Stormin' Blue & White Vegas Classic on Jan. 10. The 14-team tournament was hosted by Mount St. Mary's University at the South Point Hotel and Casino and featured 10 programs that are currently ranked in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Top-25. The Wildcats entered the final day of action in 11^th place after totaling 8,945 total pins over the first two days of the tournament. Daemen knocked off Prairie View A&M, 4-3, in its first match today, before falling to No. 17 Tulane, 4-1. The loss to Tulane put the Wildcats in the 11^th/12^th place match with Texas Southern University. Daemen finished in 12^th place after dropping a 4-2 decision to TSU. McKendree, which entered the tournament ranked No. 1 in the country, was atop the standings after the first two days with 11,023 total pins, and the Bearcats completed an undefeated weekend by beating No. 3 Vanderbilt in the championship match today. Junior Mollie Gizicki (Brighton, Mich.) turned in an outstanding effort during Monday's traditionally scored matches. She rolled a 246 during a loss to No. 3 Vanderbilt and closed out the day ranked 20^th among all bowlers with a 207.20 average over five games. Senior Paige Bartosz (West Seneca, N.Y.) ranked 38^th(188.80), while classmate Caitlyn Nowak (West Seneca, N.Y.) and graduate student Christina Aldridge(Lima, N.Y.) also placed in the top-50. Nowak ranked 42^nd (185.20) and Aldridge ranked 47^th(173.00).

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 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 (Feb. 17-19) when the Wildcats take part in the Wildcat Division II Invitational hosted by Wilmington University in New Castle, Del. The Wildcats are the defending tournament champions.

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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