Oct. 22, 2009

HACKENSACK, N.J. - The pre-season rankings for the 2009-10 women's bowling season are out and the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) has picked the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) fourth.

UMES, who finished seventh last season, one year removed from the 2008 NCAA Championship, are tied in fourth place with Central Missouri in the pre-season poll. Nebraska the defending champion and holders of three of the six National Championships are picked first, and received 18 of the 19 first place votes. Vanderbilt, the 2007 National Champs are picked second, while Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), the 2006 title holders, are predicted third.

The Lady Hawks received 397 points, 147 points out of first, 56 from third.

UMES is in a position to make a run at another National Championship, they return Kristina Frahm and Maria Rodriguez, both two-time All-Americans and Martha Perez, the 2009 MEAC Most Outstanding Performer. Rodriguez and Frahm were also All-Conference selections with Rodriguez being named the MEAC Player of the Year last season.

To bolster and already strong line-up the Hawks have added a wealth of talent, including St. Peter's transfer Stacy Parsons, their anchor last season, freshmen Anggie Ramirez, who finished ninth at the World Championships over the summer and regional standouts Katie Shumaker and T'Nia Falbo. They join returners Katherine Brown, Paula Vilas and red-shirt Kaitlyn Young.

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival Delaware State is predicted sixth while Arkansas State, whom the hawks beat for the 2008 title, is listed seventh. New Jersey City, the host of the 2009 National Championship is predicted eighth while Sacred Heart and Kutztown are predicted ninth and tenth.

UMES is set to open their season on Halloween weekend, October 30-November 1 at the Fright Knight Invitational hosted by FDU.