Pittsburgh, Pa. – In a vote of Northeast Conference (NEC) head coaches, the Duquesne University bowling team swept the 2024 awards Thursday. Graduate student
Kiearra Saldi was named the 2024 NEC Bowler of the Year, freshman
Maribeth Baker was tabbed 2024 NEC Rookie of the Year and
Jody Fetterhoff was selected NEC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
In addition to the major awards for the Dukes, Saldi and Baker were joined on the 2023-24 All-NEC First Team by senior
Shannon Small, while Baker was also named to the 2023-24 All-NEC Rookie Team.
Saldi, a native of Taylor, Pa., is the second member of the Dukes to claim NEC Bowler of the Year, joining Olivia Farwell, who claimed the honor in 2019 and 2022. In helping Duquesne claim its first outright NEC regular-season crown this season with a 17-4 (.810) conference mark, Saldi recorded a 19.37 frame average over three NEC competitions to finish second. She also recorded a league-best 19.94 average in baker play to top the NEC while also leading the circuit in fill percentage (.866). Overall during the 2023-24 season, Saldi notched a 19.86 average frame in baker play as well as a 20.19 in traditional play.
In being selected to the 2024 All-NEC First Team, Saldi collects her fourth all-conference accolade. She was also named to the first team in 2023 and the second team in 2021 as well as earning a spot on the 2019 All-NEC Rookie Team.
A five-time NEC Rookie of the Week, Baker becomes the program's third NEC Rookie of the Year in program history, joining Olivia Farwell (2018) and Small (2021). In her first season on the Bluff, Baker, a native of York, Pa., led the NEC during a 21-match league slate with an overall frame average of 19.47. She also produced a strike percentage of 46.3 percent in 188 frames, which also topped the conference. Overall during the 2023-24 season, Baker registered frame averages of 19.56 and 20.05 in baker and traditional play, respectively.
Fetterhoff was named NEC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year as the Dukes own the No. 1 seed in the 2024 NEC Championships this weekend in New Jersey thanks to their first outright regular-season championship. During the last five years, Duquesne has recorded a mark of 76-26 (.745) against league foes.
Small, meanwhile, has been bestowed her fourth consecutive All-NEC plaudit. In addition to her second straight All-NEC First Team honor, Small was named to the 2022 All-NEC Second Team and the 2021 All-NEC Rookie Team. In three NEC competitions, Small finished with a .829 fill percentage, 19.07 scoring average and a strike percentage of 42.9 percent.
Duquesne owns an overall record of 68-30 (.694) this season entering the 2024 NEC Championships, which take place at Hamilton Lanes in Hamilton, N.J., beginning Friday, March 22.
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