TOWSON, Md. – The North Carolina A&T bowling team's bounce-back performance on Sunday at Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Meet #1 hosted by Morgan State University at AMF Towson Lanes should make February in Norfolk, Va., fascinating.
After going 2-2 on Saturday and falling behind Delaware State and Coppin State teams, who went 4-0, the Aggies won all three of their Baker format matches on Sunday to end the weekend at 5-2.
Now, the five-time defending MEAC champions and the seventh-ranked team in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll will enter MEAC Meet #2, scheduled for February 21-22 in Norfolk, Va., tied for the conference lead with the Delaware State Hornets, the 23rd-ranked team in the nation. Coppin went 0-3 on Sunday to drop to 4-3 in conference play, tied with fellow Baltimore school Morgan State.
A&T will have the total pins advantage after a 6,564 total pinfall over the weekend, averaging 187.5 over 35 games played. The UAB Blazers had the second-highest total pinfall at 6,276, followed by Morgan State at 6,084. A&T looked super impressive on Sunday, totaling 2,877 pins for an average of 191.8 over 15 games bowled.
Sunday opened with an A&T matchup against the Norfolk State Spartans. A&T's opening lineup included preseason MEAC Bowler of the Year Victorya White as the leadoff bowler, followed by junior Savannah Burgin, freshman Alexa Escamilla, and sophomore Jasmine Hall, with junior Payton Hartgrove serving as anchor.
It was all A&T from the start. The Aggies took an 81-pin advantage in the first game with a 198-117 showing. It did not get better from there as the Aggies defeated the Spartans 887-572.
Sixteenth-ranked University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), the longtime MEAC archrival of A&T, was up next on the schedule. Once again, the Aggies took command early and never relented. The Aggies did not change their lineup from the first match, out-pinning the Hawks 83 before exploding in the third game for a 232-156 advantage. The Aggies eventually defeated UMES 997-783.
Howard did not fare much better as A&T entered the same lineup for the third straight match. But unlike others, the Bison did recover from the Aggies' initial onslaught. A&T took a 43-pin advantage after the first game, only to see Howard take the lead over the next two games by out-pinning the Aggies 403-350.
However, A&T regained its dominance, out-pinning the Bison 427-292 over the final two games to win 993-868. In addition to having a 5-2 mark in the conference, the Aggies are 23-10 overall during the 2025-26 season.
A&T will take a weekend off from competition before returning to the Colonial Classic tournament hosted by Tulane University, November 21-23.
