Pittsburgh, Pa. – Freshman
Maribeth Baker of the Duquesne University bowling team added a pair of weekly honors to her 2023-24 ledger Tuesday, as she was named both the Northeast Conference (NEC) Bowler of the Week as well as the NEC Rookie of the Week.
It marks the first NEC Bowler of the Week award for Baker, but she is now 4-for-4 in NEC Rookie of the Week accolades during the 2023-24 season. Baker is just the third student-athlete in school history to be named NEC Rookie of the Week at least four times, joining former Dukes Olivia Farwell (2017-22) and Crystal Elliott (2019-20). Farwell claimed seven rookie weekly plaudits during the 2017-18 season, while Elliott earned the honor four times in 2019-20.
At the 2023 Hawk Classic last weekend in Woodbridge, Va., Baker took home a share of the individual crown by knocking down 1,398 total pins for a 233.00 average. She bolstered her efforts by rolling a 278 for Duquesne in the final traditional match of the tournament in a 1,080-1,001 win over Lincoln Memorial to finish in a tie for first with Cassidy Anschutz of Merrimack. Anschutz was also named NEC Bowler of the Week as the pair share the honor.
Baker was also part of Duquesne history at the Hawk Classic, as the Dukes rolled their first perfect game in Baker play since the program's launch in 2016. In an 1,100-1,055 win over No. 19 Central Missouri, Baker was joined by
Ranelle Ulanday,
Morgan Brookover,
Shannon Small and
Kiearra Saldi in posting a 300.
Through four competitions of the 2023-24 season, Baker, a native of York, Pa., has completed 475 frames and owns 255 strikes in 478 attempts, a strike percentage of 53.3 percent. She also has posted an overall fill percentage of 85.4 percent, is averaging 20.37 per frame as well as 9.08 on her first ball.
Baker was also named an NEC Prime Performer this week, joining Saldi and Brookover. In a field of that featured 156 bowlers, the trio of Baker, Saldi and Brookover each finished in the top 10. Saldi finished third, while Brookover earned seventh. Saldi tallied 1,376 total pins, while Brookover knocked over 1,359.
Led by head coach
Jody Fetterhoff, the Dukes have compiled an overall record of 29-17 (.630) so far during the 2023-24 season. The final competition of the 2023 calendar year is set for Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3, when Duquesne travels to Mechanicsburg, Pa., for NEC #2 at Trindle Bowl.
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