Women’s Bowling Team Makes History

The Lady Knights rallied from the brink of elimination to defeat defending champion Nebraska’s Lady Cornhuskers, 4-3, on April 10 to win its second NCAA Championship in women’s bowling — the only two NCAA championships in FDU’s history. A reception honoring the women’s bowling team was held on April 15 in the Fitness Center, Metropolitan Campus. A video replay of the deciding seventh game of the championship match, originally aired live on ESPN, was played.

The victorious women’s bowling team with coaches are bottom row, from left: Brianna Carlo, Joely Carrillo, Nichole Toto and Erica Perez; and top row, from left: Lisa Friscioni, assistant coach; Kristen Graham, Meghan Kelly, Jessica Wahler, Sara Litteral, Tracy Ganjoin, Danielle McEwan; and Mike LoPresti, head coach.

Mike LoPresti, head coach (Metro), described the championship match as “… the best NCAA Tournament match ever played.” Nebraska was leading 3-2 in the best-of-seven Baker Game series, but FDU was not going down with a fight and pushed hard to reach game seven. Strong performances by senior Erica Perez and freshman Danielle McEwan in the pivotal sixth game tied the match at 3-3, while back-to-back strikes by junior Tracy Ganjoin and sophomore Joely Carrillo gave FDU the advantage.

The Lady Knights were seeded #5 in the first day of competition and defeated #4 New Jersey City University (NJCU), 4-2, to advance to the second round against Nebraska. After dropping the first game of the match, the Lady Knights rebounded to win 4 of the next 5 games to defeat the Lady Cornhuskers and earn a bye into the Final Four semifinal round. In the semifinals, FDU won over NJCU, 4-2, to reach the championship match, again facing Nebraska.

Northeast Conference Player of the Year Erica Perez was named to the All NCAA All-Tournament Team, while Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year Danielle McEwan was named as the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.

Other team members are freshmen Brianna Carlo and Jessica Wahler; sophomores Danielle Del Donno and Meghan Kelly; juniors Kristen Graham and Sara Litteral; and senior Nichole Toto. Lisa Friscioni is assistant coach (Metro).

David Langford, center, director, athletics, holds the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship Trophy. With Langford are, from left, Sean Morrison, director of development/marketing for University athletics; Sara Naggar, assistant director of public relations, athletics; Mike LoPresti, head women’ bowling coach, athletics; Ann Gulino Thompson, senior associate director, athletics; Jennifer Quirk, director, academic/student-athlete support services; and Nikki Lockhard, graduate assistant, academic/student-athlete support services.

The Division I women’s bowling team has reached the NCAA Tournament six times since the team was established in 2004, and in each of the six years, the Lady Knights have made the final four.

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Celebrating with the Lady Knights are, from left, the Knights mascot, and Joseph Kiernan, University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Right photos: Viewing the video replay are, from left, Jonathan Wexler, vice president for enrollment management (Metro/Flor); Maria Kocylowsky, associate University librarian and director, Business Library (Metro); Braimoh Oseghale, economics/finance and director, University Core (Metro); Okang McBride, director, alumni relations (Metro); and Thomas Swanzey, English and associate dean, Petrocelli College (Metro/Flor).