EAST GREENSBORO – The North Carolina A&T bowling gave Aggies fans a gift this season. The sixth-ranked team in the nation, according to the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA), will not only be playing in front of its hometown fans this week but next week as well.
The Aggies will host the second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Meet at Triad Lanes on 21 Oak Branch Road in Greensboro Saturday and Sunday before hosting the annual NCATSU Stallings Invitational Feb. 24-26 at AMF All Star Lanes on 910 S. Holden Road in Greensboro. A&T got off to a rough start to open 2023 but seemed to recapture some of its mojo last week at the James Brown Invitational hosted by Morgan State University at Towson, Md.'s AMF All Star Lanes.
After winning the JBI two straight seasons, the Aggies finished second last week to Maryland Eastern Shore. For the week, the Aggies toppled 13,219 pints for a per game average of 194.4. Individually, sophomore Chloe Newberry finished fourth with 1,255 total pins for a six-game average of 209.17.
THE WEEKEND
A&T comes into the final MEAC Meet of the season with a 61-23 overall record and an 8-0 mark in the conference. The Aggies went 10-2 last weekend for their best weekend record of the 2023 calendar year.
The MEAC is one of the best bowling conferences in the nation. The conference boasts four nationally ranked teams, led by the Aggies at No. 6 and followed by UMES at No. 10, Delaware State at No. 16 and Morgan State at No. 24. Monmouth is not ranked but received votes in the last NTCA poll released.
In the first MEAC Meet in Millsboro, Del., on Saturday, Nov. 11, the Aggies totaled 4,971 pins on the first day to go 5-0 in Baker format and went over 1,000 pins in two of those matches. They followed that with a 3-0 day on Sunday in Baker play and finished with 8,705 total pins for the weekend.
This weekend will determine the regular-season champion. UMES and Del State come into the weekend two games behind the Aggies at 6-2. Morgan State and UAB are tied for fourth at 4-4.
THE TEAMS
North Carolina A&T, UMES, Delaware State, Morgan State, UAB, Coppin State, Monmouth, Norfolk State, Howard.
THE FORMAT
Play will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday as each team will play five traditional matches. The action starts at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, with each team playing four traditional matches. There will be no bracket play this weekend.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Aggies will love the middle to end portion of February because they do not have to travel. After hosting MEAC Meet #2, the Aggies will move their operation to AMF All Star Lanes to compete in their annual Stallings event at AMF Lanes. Invitational. They will close out the regular season at the Vanderbilt U Music City Classic three weeks later, March 17-19.
