University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling has had an eventful week so far.
The Hawks grabbed the MEAC Championship on Sunday in Chesapeake, Virginia, and now got the opportunity to hear their name called for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years.
“You can say that this is the whole year worth of work that we put in,” graduate student Thashaina Seraus said. “This is one of the main goals we wanted to accomplish. Of course, USBCs too, but this is the one that we really fought for over three years and finally we made it.”
Maryland Eastern Shore has not been to the NCAA Championships since 2014, when it finished third in the tournament.
Players on the team feel this year though, things will end up being different.
“I think after winning the MEAC, we are confident,” Seraus said. “The only thing we need to work on is the nerves, which improved at MEACs. I think that comes with practice now that we know we will be gone for 10 days after we have two weeks to work in practice. I think right now we have all the tools we need as a team to win.”
It’s already been a stellar season for Eastern Shore who is fresh off a 4-1 victory in the MEAC Championship versus North Carolina A&T. Adding another accolade was the #8 ranking the team had in the country.
The Hawks finished the season 84-39 overall this season and 19-5 in the MEAC. Now the team will take a trip down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to battle out with seven other teams.
Other schools included in the tournament are Nebraska, McKendree, Arkansas State, Sam Houston State, Vanderbilt, Fairleigh Dickinson and Stephen F. Austin. Head coach Kayla Bandy said getting players experience on the national stage last year will help them with this year’s tournament.
“I think that last years’ experience at USBCs was really healthy for the team getting to see a championship at least” Bandy said. “But the MEAC Championships were taped by ESPN and we
have a group of bowlers that hadn’t performed on a telecast up to this point. So, they were successful there and our girls are pretty resilient because of what they have been through to
get to where they are now.”
The NCAA Tournament will take place April 13-15. The Hawks also qualified for the USCB Championships also which will be held April 20-22.
Fans can tune in to watch the championship final on ESPNU April 15, at 6:30 p.m.
