Pittsburgh, Pa. – In the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Coaches Poll announced Thursday, the Duquesne University bowling team ranks ninth. The Dukes accumulated 934 points as part of the NTCA February poll.
Jacksonville State, which earned all 43 first-place votes in compiling 1,680 points, retains the top spot in the rankings. Youngstown State (1,446 points) moved up to No. 2, with Arkansas State (1,442), North Carolina A&T (1,412) and Vanderbilt (1,324) rounding out the top five.
Ranking sixth is Nebraska (1,244), followed by Louisiana Tech (1,160), Stephen F. Austin (1,014) and Duquesne, which is the highest ranking team from the Northeast Conference (NEC). Sitting 10th is Maryville with 864 points.
Under the tutelage of head coach
Jody Fetterhoff, the Dukes own an overall record of 54-25 (.684), including a mark of 11-3 (.786) in the NEC. Duquesne owns a season-high 11-match winning streak after
claiming the team title at the Red Flash Invitational in January. The Dukes finished 3-1 against No. 15 Mount St. Mary's as part of the event, including a 4-3 win for the championship. The Mount has moved up two spots to No. 13 in the latest NTCA rankings.
The Dukes own two of the top five traditional team scores in NCAA competition this season, both of which came at the 2023 Hawk Classic in November and came in back-to-back matches. Duquesne earned a 1,179-950 win over Bryant before posting a 1,174-1,046 triumph over No. 6 Youngstown State. Those totals rank fourth and fifth, respectively, so far this season.
Graduate student
Kiearra Saldi ranks among the national leaders in a number of categories for the Dukes, including 10th in single pin spare percentage (93%), 15th in spare conversion percentage (72.9%) and 29th in player composite performance index (PCPI) at 84.910 percent.
Saldi leads Duquesne with a 20.14 frame average and 382 strikes while owning an 86 percent fill percentage. Junior
Morgan Brookover paces the Dukes in fill percentage (86.3%) in recording a 19.79 frame average, while senior
Shannon Small, the
reigning NEC Bowler of the Week, has tallied 363 strikes, a 19.78 frame average and an 84 percent fill percentage.
Duquesne returns to action with NEC #3, which takes place in Machester, N.H., Saturday, Feb. 17, and Sunday, Feb. 18, at Yankee Lanes.
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