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April 5, 2005 INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is headed back to the NCAA Championships. The Lady Hawks Bowling squad received word via telephone last week, and it was announced by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) on March 30, 2005 that UMES was headed back to the NCAA Tournament. "I am so excited," said Head Coach Sharon Brummell. "It is quite an honor to be asked back. The whole team is ready to go and make an impact." The Central Florida Sports Commission and the Sunshine State Conference will co-host the championship, which will be held April 14-16 at BRC Wekiva Lanes in Orlando, Florida. The field includes: Bethune Cookman College, Central Missouri State University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Fayetteville State University, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, New Jersey City University and Sacred Heart University. All eight teams were selected at-large. UMES is currently ranked seventh in the National Tenpin Coaches Association's final regular-season poll released Tuesday, March 29, 2005. They are ranked right behind fellow Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) School, Bethune-Cookman College, the winners of the 2004-2005 MEAC Championship. While it is BCC's first trip to the Elite Eight of College Bowling, it is the Hawk's second in only two year's of the event. Earlier this season UMES qualified for the International Bowling Championships (IBC) for the third straight year. UMES is the only NCAA school to make that field of 16. That event will take place about one week after the NCAA Tournament in Rockford, Ill. They even have one individual competing for the National Single's Title. Ariel Givens earned a spot in the IBC championship that will take place on May 22-24 in Milwaukee, WI. "There are 46 NCAA schools. It is awesome to be considered among the best," added Brummell. Because there are only 46 schools the NCAA ranks all Divisions, one, two and three, into one field. There are only two DIII schools, one of which is New Jersey City University, a Final Four participant last year. Most are DI, 30 in all. The MEAC, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) are the only conferences the completely sponsor the sport. UMES enters the tournament with an 87-25 record. The tournament has a unique format. The qualifying round, which determines a team's seed based on total pin fall, will have each team bowling four five-person regular team games and Baker matches completed in four, best of 5 game Baker sets. The fourth Baker set will serve as the position round. The pin fall from the position round will serve as the tie breaker. The Baker format allows five team members to follow each other in order, each bowling a complete frame until a complete (10 frame) game is bowled. Based on the qualifying round teams are placed in a double-elimination bracket. Teams compete against each other in a best-of-seven Baker-style bowling competition. Ties, within a Baker game will be decided by a ninth and tenth frame roll off. Tickets for the National Championship can be purchased at BRC Wekiva Lanes during the event or by calling 407/648-4900. Nebraska won the inaugural title in 2004, defeating Central Missouri State in the championship match in Houston, Texas.
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