COLONIA, NJ – With the departure of two-time defending ECC champion Mercyhurst to the Northeast Conference after its transition to Division I athletics, the ECC will crown a new champion this spring. Taking the top spot in the 2024-25 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll, Bryant is expected to take home the trophy and earn the conference's bid into the NCAA Championship this year, as voted on by the league's nine head coaches and announced on Monday afternoon.
In the same vote, Bryant junior Laura Clark (Port Jefferson Station, NY) and Molloy junior Emily Kulkarni (Lake Ronkonkoma, NY) were selected the ECC Preseason Co-Bowlers of the Year.
Bryant earned seven first-place votes with 76 points to top the preseason voting. The Bulldogs made the final of the 2023-24 ECC Championship, battling Mercyhurst in traditional (963-894) and baker (966-937) play.
ECC Preseason Co-Bowler of the Year Clark was an integral piece of that championship run, averaging 19.48 in baker and 20.20 in team traditional play for the event; her team traditional format score of 202 topped all Bulldogs. Clark would end up finishing the her sophomore campaign with an 18.85 overall baker average and 18.97 overall traditional average for the 2023-24 season.
Led by reigning ECC Coach of the Year Morgan Walsh, Bryant returns all nine members from last year's 46-win squad. The trio of All-ECC bowlers in Clark (First Team, Tournament Team), Olivia Hillman (Second Team), who turned in a finals-best 229 baker pinfall total, and Abby Unson (Third Team), as well as All-Tournament Team selection Jenavieve Lion, will lead the way.
Expected to challenge Bryant on Championship Sunday is Kutztown, as the Golden Bears take the No. 2 spot in the poll with 66 points and one first-place vote. Kutztown returns 11 bowlers from last year's squad that went 58-33 overall and sat just one game outside of Championship Sunday a year ago. The Golden Bears will look to reach their second ECC Championship Final in program history, and first since 2016, this spring.
Back-to-back All-ECC First Team bowler Chloe Sromovski, who earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team last year, returns for her senior year while the duo of junior Madison Brenneman (2024 All-ECC First Team) and graduate student Megan Hanaway (2023 All-ECC Second Team) round out KU's power trio.
Molloy checked in at No. 3 in the poll with 60 points. The Lions return six bowlers from last year's squad that went 45-39 overall and reached the 13th match in last year's ECC Championship. The season prior, the Lions appeared in the ECC Championship Final Megamatch against Mercyhurst.
Despite the departure of All-ECC Second Team selection Jessica Pinelli, the Lions are in capable hands with seven veterans, led by none other than ECC Preseason Co-Bowler of the Year Kulkarni. Kulkarni turned in the highest single-pin spare conversion percentage in all of NCAA Division II last season at a clip of 92.30 and posted the fourth-highest frame average across the ECC.
Separated by just three points, Daemen (51), who received the final first-place vote, and Roberts Wesleyan (48) rounded out the poll's top five in fourth and fifth, respectively. Back-to-back All-ECC First Team bowler Mollie Gizicki returns for her fifth year to lead the Wildcats in 2024-25, while Roberts Wesleyan junior Amelia Ponto looks to guide the Redhawks this year.
D'Youville (40), who reached Championship Sunday a season ago, Adelphi (30), St. Anselm (23), and St. Thomas Aquinas (11) closed out the No. 7-10 spots.
2024-25 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll
1. Bryant - 76 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Kutztown - 66 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Molloy - 60 points
4. Daemen - 51 points (1 first-place vote)
5. Roberts Wesleyan - 48 points
6. D'Youville - 40 points
7. Adelphi - 30 points
8. St. Anselm - 23 points
9. St. Thomas Aquinas - 11 points
Preseason Co-Bowlers of the Year: Laura Clark, Jr., Bryant and Emily Kulkarni, Jr., Molloy