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March 18, 2009
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Some may call it a down year for the Lady Hawks, others a rebuilding year, but if you look to the accolades and the performances it is just becoming routine for the women's bowling team at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES). The defending National Champions head into the 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championships this weekend tied for first place in the league and now sport the conference's first ever Player of the Year in Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia), the league announced Wednesday. Rodriguez, who won the award, as voted on the coaches and sports information directors, was solid. She led the nation's fifth-ranked team in average with a 200.45, tallied 14,032 pins on the year and was a four-time MEAC Player of the Week. She bowled a career high of a 279 at the Bowie State Invitational earlier this season, an event UMES won. She averaged 200 or better in six of the 13 events the team bowled in and helped UMES to the second most wins currently in the country with a 109-36 record and 25-5 in conference. "What an honor," said Coach Sharon Brummell. "For our bowler to win the first award the conference has handed out, and for it to be so well deserved too, it is just great. She was our heart this season." Rodriguez, named a second-team All-American last season, only bowled half the year and now, just a sophomore has only bowled a year and a half collegiately. Her international experience was key however; she is a member of the Colombian National Team. Also receiving honors were teammates Kristina Frahm (Oswego, Ill.) and Martha Perez (Bogota, Colombia). Both were named to the conference's second team. Despite tying for first place in league, only three Lady Hawks were honored with just Rodriguez being named to the First Team.
Frahm was also solid for UMES this season, a four-time MEAC Player of the Week, she averaged just under a 190 and recently won the ECAC singles title. She bowled a high game of a 258 this season and tallied an impressive 11,932 pins. Last season she was named a First Team All-American by the NTCA and was the National Rookie of the Year. Perez, another member of the Colombian National Team had a stellar sophomore year. She posted a 13,301 pin fall and averaged an 187.3. She rolled a high game of a 253 just last month and had a high tournament average of just under a 205 at a MEAC Northern Division meet earlier this month. "I am proud of all three ladies," said Brummell. "They are all sophomores so we are looking at them developing over the next couple of years." Kimberly Terrell-Kearney, from the nation's no. 4 team, Delaware State University, was named the Coach of the Year for the remarkable turnaround the Lady Hornets turned in. DSU also had the Rookie of the Year in Adriana Jamie. Jamie, along with Angela Reynolds and Jazmyne Hefflefinger were also named to the first team while Kalyn Washburn was a second team member. The two teams, who tied for the top spot in the league, will vie for the top seed at the 2009 MEAC Championship this weekend, March 20-22, as all eight teams will bowl for seeding on day one. From there a double elimination bracket play format kicks in with DSU and UMES likely to square off at some point, possibly in the finals which will be tape-delayed by ESPNU. The event is a best-of-seven Baker series format. The championships are held in Greensboro, N.C. at the Gate City Lanes. Sunday the semi-finals begin at 9:50 a.m. and conclude with the championship match at 11:45 a.m. |
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