Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University women's bowling team has been ranked No. 16 in the 2026-27 National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Preseason Top 25, it was announced Thursday. The Dukes, who closed last season ranked 19th, compiled 529 points in the poll, and the selection marks the 45th consecutive poll Duquesne has been ranked in the NTCA Top 25 dating back to 2018.
Selected as the preseason favorite for the third consecutive year is Jacksonville State, which earned all 38 first-place votes and 1,620 total points. Vanderbilt (1,484), Wichita State (1,420), Arkansas State (1,336) and Nebraska (1,330) round out the preseason top five. Among Northeast Conference programs, Niagara enters the 2026-27 season ranked 14th in the NTCA Top 25 poll, followed by McKendree out of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GVLC) and Duquesne. Also out of the NEC, Monmouth enters the year ranked 24th.
Under the tutelage of
Jody Fetterhoff, the only head coach in program history, the Dukes welcome back five bowlers from a 2025-26 campaign that witnessed Duquesne record an overall record of 63-47 (.573), earn a share of the 2026 NEC regular-season crown with a 17-7 (.708) conference ledger and
win its first NEC Tournament championship in program history. Thanks to a 3-0 mark in the NEC Tournament, the Dukes earned their first automatic bid to the NCAA Championship in program history while making their fourth appearance overall.
Among the returners for Duquesne this season is senior
Maribeth Baker, who ranks second all-time in the career record book for the Dukes with a 204.4 career average. A 2026 All-NEC First Team selection, Baker was also named to the 2026 International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) All-America First Team as well as the 2026 NTCA All-America Second Team and the 2026 National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) All-America Second Team.
A pair of Dukes returning for 2026-27 earned spots on the 2026 All-NEC Rookie Team, with
Taylor Miller and
Jazmyn Scott each bestowed the plaudit. Combined, the pair collected eight NEC Rookie of the Week honors during the 2025-26 season, as each were honored with four. Duquesne also welcomes back senior
Ivanna Fraticelli and junior
Anna Clark in 2026-27 while adding four freshmen into the mix.
The Dukes open their 2026-27 season by traveling to Erie, Pa., to take part in the Mercyhurst Invitational Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, at Rolling Meadows Lanes. Duquesne will take on No. 14 Niagara in its first traditional game of the year Saturday.
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