ORLANDO, Florida – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks opened its 2025-26 season at the Destination: FLorida tournament hosted by Sacred Heart and finished 14th out of 24 teams competing in the three-day tournament. 

The Hawks concluded the weekend with a cumulative 6-6 mark while recording a total pinfall of 12,745, averaging 184.7 per game. 

On Day 1, UMES went 2-3 across five five-game Baker matches with a total pinfall of 5,490. Friday's matches began with three losses to Sacred Heart (850-945), Alabama A&M (897-913) and Jacksonville State (938-1,131) before the Hawks closed with wins against Florida A&M (942-702) and UAB (950-895). 

The Hawks finished the second day's five traditional matches 3-2 with a 4,696 pinfall total. UMES earned a 1,062-924 win against Duquesne to begin Saturday before earning wins against Saint Anselm College (1,058-867) and Alabama State (872-825). The Hawks dropped the final games of the day 807-965 to Wichita State and 897-1,000 to North Carolina A&T. 

Senior Mariana Santos Rivero led the Hawks with a total pinfall of 1,056 while recording a career-best, and tournament-high, 290 game against Duquesne. Santos Rivero averaged 211.2 pins per game while finishing with the seventh best individual total and earning second team all-tournament team honors. 

Mariane Almeida averaged 199 pins per game with a total pinfall of 995 and a 17th place individual finish with a 236-pin game against Duquesne. Jayda Gordon averaged 189.6 while earning a 948 total pinfall with a 232-pin game marking her best individual game against Saint Anselm. 

Sofia Tosto Valenzuela averaged 175.4 pins with an 877 pinfall total and a 217-game high against Saint Anselm. Ara Pitts notched an 820 pinfall total, averaging 164 pins, with a game-high of 181 against Duquesne. 

The Hawks entered championship Sunday in 14th and finished in the same place after earning a 4-3 win against Arkansas State. With an opportunity to move up to 13th for the tournament, the Hawks dropped their final matchup with Bryant University 3-4.

UP NEXT

UMES will travel to Houston, Texas, for its next tournament at the Track Kat Klash from October 31 through November 2.