GREENSBORO – One could easily get lost in the limelight of playing with the reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) bowler of the year and the 2022-23 preseason MEAC bowler of the year. But sophomore Chloe Newberry is stepping out of the shadows and is making a case for significant postseason honors in her own right.
The North Carolina A&T Aggies, ranked sixth in the nation by the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll, wrapped up Day No. 2 of their annual NCATSU Vernell Stallings Invitational on Saturday at AMF All-Star Lanes with Newberry leading the way individually, totaling 1,063 pins for an average of 212.60 in five traditional games.
Her teammate and the reigning MEAC bowler of the year, Melanie Katen, is close behind with 1,059 total pins for a five-game average of 211.80. Senior Jada Bassette, being celebrated this weekend as the Aggies lone senior, made it three Aggies in the top-10 with 598 pins over three games for a 199.3 average.
The trio helped the Aggies finish 5-0 on Saturday in traditional play, as the Aggies had the second-highest pin total on the day at 4,835. A&T is 9-1 for the tournament and has trampled 9,548 pins over two days to average 191.0. Second-ranked Vanderbilt and the defending Stallings Invitational champions lead the tournament with 9,894 total pins for a 197.9 average. They knocked down 4,899 pins on Saturday, and the Commodores head into Sunday's action 10-0 for the tournament.
Each team will play an additional traditional game to start Sunday's play at 8:30 a.m. to determine the individual champion as the Aggies will go up against ninth-ranked Sam Houston State University (SHSU). The teams will then enter best-of-seven bracket play in Baker format to determine the champion. A&T enters bracket play as the No. 2 seed and will face the 10th-ranked University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), the No. 3 seed. Vanderbilt is the top seed and will open against fourth-seeded SHSU.
Newberry, who now has a team-leading 26 games of 200 pins or better, opened the day by coming four pins shy of setting a new career. She knocked down 266 pins in a 1,017-816 win over Tusculum. Katen contributed by knocking down 228 pins. A&T then took down No. 22 Tulane, 917-819, behind a 206 from Katen. Senior Lauren Tomaszewski, the MEAC's preseason bowler of the year, came through with a 204.
After bowling a 158 against Tulane, Newberry bounced back with a 211 in a 976-892 win over MEAC rival UMES. But Katen, the reigning MEAC bowler of the week, led the way with a 245. Junior Laura Garcia added a 196. Then, Bassette entered the lineup against Coppin State and made an immediate impact. Bassette celebrated senior festivities by bowling a career-high 226. Garcia added a 203 for her eighth 200-plus game of the season.
A&T closed the day with an exciting 968-953 win over No. 21 Lincoln Memorial. Newberry's 259 helped her move ahead of Katen for the No. 1 spot in the tournament going into Sunday's play. Katen bowled a 192, and Bassette showed up big again with a 205.
The Aggies are 77-25 on the season. A&T is 26-4 since starting the semester 11-15.
