Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University bowling team opened the spring portion of its 2025-26 schedule this weekend, finishing 14th out of 36 teams at the Northeast Classic in New Castle, Del., at Bowlerama. The Dukes posted a record of 6-7 during the competition and have compiled an overall record of 33-30 (.524) this season.
HOT STOVE
The Northeast Classic opened with Baker play Friday, with Duquesne finishing 3-2 in five matches. Four of the five opponents featured ranked teams, with the Dukes earning a 874-861 victory over No. 4 Nebraska in their first match of the 2026 calendar year. Duquesne followed by falling to No. 1 Jacksonville State by just 12 pins, 985-973, and also dropped a 1,068-983 decision to No. 10 Maryville. The Dukes rallied, posting a 983-559 triumph over St. Thomas Aquinas before closing Baker action with a 1,012-967 win over No. 25 Central Missouri. The lineup for Duquesne during Baker play consisted of freshman
Jazmyn Scott, junior
Ivanna Fraticelli, freshman
Taylor Miller, senior
Emma Siekierski and junior
Maribeth Baker.
TRADITIONAL
The Dukes also posted a record of 3-2 in five matches during traditional play Saturday despite dropping their first two matches to ranked opposition. In the opener, No. 6 Wichita State earned a 1,119-1,044 before No. 5 Louisiana Tech defeated Duquesne, 1,059-942. The Dukes would rally, cruising to a 942-677 triumph over Norfolk State before a pair of wins against ranked foes. Duquesne defeated No. 14 Sam Houston State, 970-974, before knocking off No. 7 Youngstown State, 874-865. The win over the Penguins snapped a seven-game slide in the all-time series, while after play concluded Saturday the Dukes had rolled against five of the top seven teams ranked in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Top 25 poll, finishing 2-3.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Baker continues to lead the Dukes and after closing the fall season strong opened up the spring campaign with another good showing at the Northeast Classic. In five traditional games and in a field that featured 229 participants, Baker averaged 212.80, knocking down 1,064 pins, to finish 18th individually. She opened with a 227 against the Shockers but saved her best game for the win over the Bearkats, firing a 256. Baker also rolled a 222 against Louisiana Tech and finished just 14 pins shy of a top 10 finish. Gianna Brandolino of Jacksonville State claimed the individual crown at the Northeast Classic with 1,226 totals pins in five games, an average of 245.20.
THE LINEUP
Siekierski closed in the top 50 at the Northeast Classic, posting an average of 198.80 over the course of five games, knocking down 994 pins. Her best score of 228 came in the opener against Wichita State and again in the victory over Louisiana Tech. Fraticelli closed with an average of 187.40, including a 226 against the Bulldogs, while Miller closed at 184.60, including a 214 in the opener against the Shockers. Scott also rolled all five games and finished with an average of 170.80.
STRIKES & SPARES
The 1,044 the Dukes compiled against Wichita State was just one pin shy of its season high in a traditional game, which occurred in the final competition of the fall campaign with a 1,045-1,033 win over North Carolina A&T … In the opener against the Cornhuskers, Duquesne trailed by 53 pins after three games but posted a 386-318 advantage over the final two games to earn the 13-pin win … The Dukes were bolstered by a 226-169 victory in game four against Nebraska … Duquesne fired a score of 227 in game three of its win over Central Missouri, just a game after scoring a 46-pin victory in game two, 226-180 … Of the 63 matches for the Dukes this season, 38 (60.3%) have been against a ranked foe.
UP NEXT
On the schedule for the first time in program history, the Dukes will host an in-season competition at AMF Lanes Mt. Lebanon. The Duquesne Invitational begins Friday, Jan. 30, and concludes Sunday, Feb. 1.
FOLLOW THE DUKES
For the latest news and updates on Duquesne bowling, follow the Dukes on X and Instagram.
