GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T honored three incredible bowling team seniors on Sunday after the action concluded at the annual N.C. A&T Vernell Stallings Invitational at Triad Lanes. 


Honoring seniors Pamela Warr, Ericka Quesada, and Christa Acosta ended a weekend that turned into a confidence-building endeavor for the sixth-ranked team in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll, the N.C. A&T Aggies. 

Even though the Aggies failed to win their invitational for the first time in three years as Vanderbilt took the crown, they took some steps toward their goal of capturing a national championship. The Aggies are 71-34 on the season after a 10-1 weekend. Quesada, sophomore Melanie Katen and junior Lauren Tomaszewski earned all-tournament honors. Quesda earned tournament MVP honors. 

"Man, I hate to lose," said A&T coach Kim Terrell-Kearney. "But I am so encouraged with how we bowled this weekend. It was a reminder that we can play with the very best in the country." 

The Aggies came into Sunday's bracket play 9-0, having knocked down 10,224 total pins against some of the best teams in America as seven nationally-ranked teams made their way to Greensboro this weekend. N.C. A&T's total pins earned the Aggies a second seed in bracket play behind top-seeded Vanderbilt, with 10,411 total pins coming into Sunday morning. 

Therefore, the Aggies and the Commodores faced each other in a best-of-seven to start the day. The matchup became what was expected from two top-10 nationally-ranked squads as the Aggies defeated the Commodores, 4-3.   


N.C. A&T won the first two games in best-of-seven and held a 490-384 advantage. However, Vandy ate up a considerable chunk of that deficit in the third game by knocking down 279 pins compared to N.C. A&T's 174. Therefore, A&T held a 664-663 advantage going into Game 4. 

The Aggies regained control in Game 4 by posting a 258-178 advantage before Vandy's 238-231 Game 5 inched the Commodores a little closer to N.C. A&T. Vandy had a big Game 6 as the Aggies held a 1,331-1,277. Nevertheless, the Aggies held on to win Game 7 and advance to the championship match. 

"It was a classic," said Terrell-Kearney. "It came down to the last ball in Game 7 of a best-of-seven. This is why you shoe up."

Vandy defeated Sam Houston State, the second-ranked team in the country, to get into the championship round against N.C. A&T. The Commodores won the rematch 4-2 (1,266-1,137) thanks to a Game 4 where they beat the Aggies 258-188 and a Game 6 where they held a 182-134 advantage. 

"We made some mistakes down the stretch in the championship match, but I know that when we are in that place again, things will end differently," said Terrell-Kearney. "This group is determined. Some of the best lessons are learned and remembered because they stung just enough."

Warr, Quesada and Acosta can't wait to get back to that place. It is a senior class that was Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) runners-up in 2019 before winning the MEAC in 2021 and advancing to the NCAA tournament. They also were national runner-up at the Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC) sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress. 

Quesada is a two-time All-MEAC performer, an NTCA All-Region standout and a third-team All-American. 

"In the last four years, I've watched this group grow as both athletes and young women," said Terrell-Kearney. "It has been my gift to spend my day with them. They challenge me every day to give them all I have. They make me better."