March 23, 2016 NORFOLK, Virginia - A trio of Hawks were named to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) All-Conference Bowling Team, as announced by the conference Wednesday. Senior Thashaina Seraus (Oranjestad, Aruba) was named Bowler of the Year while sophomore Melanie Copey (Ontario, New York) earned a place on the All-MEAC Second Team. Head coach Kayla Bandy took home the Coach of the Year award.
Seraus has excelled as the anchor bowler for the Hawks all season long, averaging a 210 during individual play. She led her team in strike percentage, knocking all ten pins down in her first frame just over half the time. When she didn't hit a strike, her fill percentage-converting of spares-was at 78 percent with a 90% rate on single pins, the only member of the Hawks with that amount of success. In Baker matches she helped with a 209 average.
Copey became just the second Hawk in history to bowl a 300 individual game at the New Jersey Jamboree back in November. But that was just the first in a long line of achievements for the sophomore. With an average of 198 in team matches and 183 in Baker play, Copey converted a 40% strike rate and was third on the team among MEAC qualifiers in spare percentage.
Both players were recognized throughout the season with various awards. Seraus was a four time MEAC Bowler of the Week and also brought home a couple of ECAC Bowler of the Week awards as well. Copey was named the ECAC Bowler of the Week on March 1st following a 772 series in the third MEAC Divisional meet.
Bandy had to practically bring in an entire new team this season with just two returners to go along with a transferring sophomore and six freshmen. Her new team steadily improved over the course of the season, eventually coming from behind in the standings to claim another MEAC Northern Division title with a win in the third divisional meet. The Hawks also achieved a pair of runner up performances in the other two MEAC meets, and a 3rd place finish in the Hawk Classic and the USBC Sectionals, enabling the team to punch their ticket to Wichita for the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships.
The Hawks will seek their fourth straight MEAC Championship in Chesapeake, Virginia this weekend.
