title image via UMES Bowling
Courtesy of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — After starting off the 2024 calendar year with some tough competition, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling team remains ranked No. 14 in the latest National Tenpins Coaches Association (NCTA) poll, as announced by the organization this morning.
Jacksonville State remained atop the poll after winning three tournaments in January, including both the Stormin’ Blue and White Vegas Classic and Northeast Classic which the Hawks competed in. Youngstown State moved up one spot to second after finishing with a third and fourth-place finish at the Prairie View Invitational and Northeast Classic, respectively. Arkansas State had one of the bigger moves in the poll going from sixth to third.
Fellow MEAC opponent North Carolina A&T moved up to fourth after finishing runner-up at the Northeast Classic. Vanderbilt rounds out the top five after dropping from second to fifth. The Commodores finished third in Vegas but finished eighth at both Northeast and Prairie View.
The Hawks remained solidly No. 14 after facing most of the top teams in both Vegas and Northeast. UMES finished fourth in Vegas, falling to Vanderbilt in the 3rd Place match, with Brooke Roberts earning a spot on the All-Tournament team. The Hawks had wins over Duquesne, Adelphi, Mount St. Mary’s, Oklahoma Christian, Stephen, F. Faustin, St. Anselm, Southern, Louisiana Tech, and a second win over Duquesne.
At the Northeast Classic, UMES picked up victories over Howard, Tulane, McKendree, Adelphi, Central Missouri, and UAB. Gabriella Ochoa Hubbard (Gabby) was the top bowler, finishing 12th individually.
The Hawks return to the lanes on February 17 & 18 at the MEAC No. 2 in Norfolk, Va.
Below is the complete NTCA Top 25 poll:
| Rank | School, Location, Conference Affiliation | 1st Place Votes | Point Total | Dec. Ranking |
| 1 | Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL (CUSA) | 43 | 1680 | 1 |
| 2 | Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH (CUSA) | 1446 | 3 | |
| 3 | Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR (CUSA) | 1442 | 6 | |
| 4 | North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC (MEAC) | 1412 | 5 | |
| 5 | Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (CUSA) | 1324 | 2 | |
| 6 | University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (INDEPENDENT) | 1244 | 7 | |
| 7 | Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA (CUSA) | 1160 | 4 | |
| 8 | Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX (CUSA) | 1014 | 9 | |
| 9 | Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA (NEC) | 934 | 8 | |
| 10 | Maryville University, St. Louis, MO (GLVC) | 864 | 10 | |
| 11 | Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX (CUSA) | 700 | 11 | |
| 12 | Tulane University, New Orleans, LA (CUSA) | 636 | 12 | |
| 13 | Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, MD (INDEPENDENT) | 633 | 15 | |
| 14 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD (MEAC) | 596 | 14 | |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI (INDEPENDENT) | 531 | 16 | |
| 16 | Newman University, Wichita, KS (GLVC) | 413 | 18 | |
| 17 | Oklahoma Christian University, Edmond, OK (INDEPENDENT) | 310 | 20 | |
| 18 | Merrimack College, North Andover, MA (NEC) | 305 | 13 | |
| 19 | Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT (NEC) | 244 | 17 | |
| 20 | Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN (CUSA) | 242 | 19 | |
| 21 | Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ (NEC) | 204 | 25 | |
| 22 | Delaware State University, Dover, DE (MEAC) | 170 | 24 | |
| 23 | McKendree University, Lebanon, IL (GLVC) | 156 | 21 | |
| 24 | University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO (GLVC) | 105 | 23 | |
| 25 | Niagara University, Niagara University, NY (NEC) | 81 | 26 |
Also Receiving Votes: Mercyhurst University, Saint Vincent College, Saint Francis University (Pa.),and Monmouth University.
