Women's Bowling Takes Part In Grapevine Classic This Weekend

Wildcats Looking To Build On Stong Showing At Mercyhurst Invitational

10/21/2022 3:17:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Tom McDermott, Director of Athletics Communications | tmcdermo@daemen.edu

Tournament #2
GRAPEVINE CLASSIC
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23
LOCATION: Erie, Pa. | Eastland Bowl
LIVE STREAM: via Daemen Bowling Facebook Page

BACK IN ACTION
The Daemen women's bowling returns to action this weekend (Oct. 22-23) when they head to Erie, Pa. to take part in the Grapevine Classic hosted by Penn State Behrend.

DAEMEN AT THE GRAPEVINE CLASSIC
Daemen is making its third all-time appearance at the Grapevine Classic. The Wildcats made their first appearance during the 2019-20 season and placed fourth out of eight teams. The tournament was not held in 2020-21 due to COVID-19. Last year the Wildcats placed third out of seven teams. Caitlyn Nowak and Mollie Gizicki were both was named the all-tournament team.

LAST TIME OUT
Daemen kicked off the 2022-23 season two weeks ago at the Mercyhurst Invitational. The Wildcats ended up winning seven of 10 matches over the two days and finished in third place. Tournament host Mercyhurst finished first, while Duquesne placed second. Daemen went 3-2 during the opening day and entered day two in third place with 4,515 total pins. Duquesne, the defending tournament champion, topped the team standings after day one with 4,838 total pins. Mercyhurst (4,568), Daemen, Medaille (4,439) and D'Youville (4,121) rounded out the top five after one day of action. Daemen won four of its five matches during day two action. Three of the four wins came against crosstown rival Medaille, which is ranked 10th nationally in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) DII/DIII Preseason Poll.

BACK AT THE HELM
Carrie Racsumberger returns for her fifth season as head coach at Daemen. She took the reins of the program just prior to the 2018-19 season and entered the 2022-23 season with a 129-112 career record, including a program record 55 wins during the 2021-22 campaign. Danielle Milo, an Orchard Park native, enters her first season as an assistant coach.

RETURNING VETERANS
Daemen returns six bowlers from a solid 2021-22 campaign in which they posted a program-record 55 wins and were included in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Division II/III national poll for the first time in program history. The Wildcats also claimed tournament titles at the Brother Patrick Lacey Memorial Tournament hosted by St. Vincent College and the Wildcat Division II Invitational hosted by Wilmington University. Seniors Caitlyn Nowak (West Seneca, N.Y.) and Paige Bartosz (West Seneca, N.Y.), who both earned All-East Coast Conference honors last year, top the list of returning bowlers. Graduate student Christina Aldridge (Webster, N.Y.), senior Nicole Bergeron (Lima, N.Y.) and juniors Mollie Gizicki (Brighton, Mich.) and Emma Smith (Williamsville, N.Y.) also return.

FRESH FACES
The team welcomes junior Kayla Lark (Philadelphia, Pa.) and freshmen Bailey Glass (North Tonawanda, N.Y.), Mackenzie Hutchins (Wheatfield, N.Y.), Olivia Dauer (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Kayla Richardson (Webster, N.Y.) to the lineup.

POLL POSITION
Daemen has been picked third in the 2022-23 East Coast Conference Women's Bowling Preseason Coaches' Poll. The No. 3 ranking is the highest for Daemen in the eight-year history of the program. Daemen's previous high ranking in the ECC preseason poll came prior to the 2018-19 season when the Wildcats were voted to finish fourth. Adelphi edged out Mercyhurst for the top spot, as the Panthers collected five first-place votes and totaled 87 points. Mercyhurst received three first place votes and totaled 84 points. Daemen earned 73 points, while Roberts Wesleyan (59) and Kutztown (58) rounded out the top five. D'Youville and Molloy tied for sixth with 57 points, while the remainder of the poll includes conference newcomers Bryant (38) and Saint Anselm (19) and St. Thomas Aquinas (18).

ON THE HORIZON
Daemen returns to action next weekend (Oct. 29-30) when the Wildcats host the Daemen Fall Classic at Lancaster Lanes.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen women's bowling program on Twitter and Facebook at @DaemenBowling

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