GRAPEVINE CLASSIC
Oct. 12-13 | Erie, Pa. | Eastland Bowl
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TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

DAY ONE - OCT 12*	DAY TWO - OCT 13^
#1 - Daemen vs D'Youville	#6 - Daemen vs Pitt-Greensburg
#2 - Daemen vs Hilbert	#7 - Daemen vs Ursuline
#3 - Daemen vs Pitt-Bradford	#8 - Daemen vs Hilbert
#4 - Daemen vs Saint Vincent	#9 - Daemen vs Saint Vincent
#5 - Daemen vs Penn State Behrend	#10 - Position Match

* - Traditional Format | ^ - Baker Format

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BACK IN ACTION
The Daemen University women's bowling team heads back to Erie, Pa., to compete in the Grapevine Classic, hosted by Penn State Behrend, from Oct. 12-13.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats competed at the Mercyhurst Invitational last weekend and earned a fifth place finish. During day one of the tournament, Sophomores Brenna Forsha (Tonawanda, N.Y.), Chelsea Porga (Welland, Ontario) and junior Mackenzie Hutchins (Wheatfield, N.Y.) were the only three bowlers to appear in all five matches. Porga led the way with an average of 193.6, the highest of any Daemen bowler on day one. Forsha and Hutchins posted averages of 187.8 and 183.6, respectively. During day two, the Wildcats compiled a 4-1 record to finish 5-5 overall, with wins against ECC rival D'Youville, Penn State Behrend, Pitt-Bradford and Divison I opponent Wright State over two days. The win over Wright State was the Wildcats first against a Division I opponent since March 3, 2023, when they took down Long Island University, 878-847 at the Dezy Strong Classic. Daemen wrapped up the tournament facing ECC rival Kutztown in a Baker Format best-of-seven match, with the winner claiming fifth place. Tied 3-3 after the teams split the first six games, the Wildcats secured the 4-3 series victory with a 182-159 win in the seventh game.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman Cassandra Westphal (Spencerport, N.Y.) was tabbed the ECC Rookie of the Week, the league office announced Thursday afternoon. Westphal is the first member of the Wildcats to earn a weekly award since Forsha was also tabbed the ECC Rookie of the Week last season on Nov. 20, 2023. Westphal averaged 163.5 pins per game, playing in two traditional matches at the Mercyhurst Invitational. The freshman knocked down 174 pins in her collegiate debut against Division I foe No. 25 Niagara and took down 153 pins to help Daemen defeat crosstown rival D'Youville, 1030-902.
 
NEW AND OLD FACES
The Wildcats welcomed two new faces to the team this offseason with the additions of Faith Oranye (Washington, N.J.) and Westphal. Daemen also returns eight players from last season including Mollie Gizicki (Brighton, Mich.),who was an All-ECC selection for the Blue and White last season, and Cassidy Papero (Cheektowaga, N.Y. ) who completed a team-high 361 frames last season. 

WILDCATS IN THE POLLS
The Daemen University women's bowling team was tabbed fourth in the 2024-25 East Coast Conference Women's Bowling Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Sept. 30. It marks the third straight year that the Wildcats were predicted to finish in the top half of the league. It also marks the first time the Wildcats have been tabbed to finish in fourth since the 2018-19 campaign. Bryant University topped the poll with 76 points and seven of nine possible first-place votes. Kutztown University was tabbed second with 66 points and one first-place vote while Molloy University rounded out the top three with 60 points. Daemen was named fourth with 51 points and a first-place vote while local rival Roberts Wesleyan University rounded out the top five with 48 points. D'Youville University (40 points), Adelphi University (30), St. Anselm College (23) and St. Thomas Aquinas College (11) rounded out the remainder of the poll.

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UP NEXT
The Wildcats will travel south to Orlando, Fla. to compete in Destination Orlando from Friday Oct. 18 through Sunday Oct. 20.

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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