NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State bowling team was selected to finish third in the MEAC Southern Division as the preseason poll and all-conference team were released by the conference office on Tuesday.

NSU was picked behind No. 1 North Carolina A&T, last year's regular season winner, and No. 2 Bethune-Cookman. The Spartans also finished third in the regular season standings in 2014-15 at 13-11.

NSU received two first-place votes and 59 points in the voting. The Aggies garnered 16 first-place votes and 99 points, while the Wildcats grabbed the other two votes and finished with 71 points. Florida A&M and Hampton rounded out the top five in the South.

UMES tallied 117 points and 13 first-place votes to lead the way in the North. The rest of the standings included No. 2 Delaware State, No. 3 Howard, No. 4 Morgan State and No. 5 Coppin State. All five teams in the North received at least one first-place vote.

North Carolina A&T's Emily Strombeck, last year's preseason and postseason player of the year in the conference, was again voted the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year for this season. She was joined on the all-conference team by teammate MacKenzie Robinson, Thashaina Seraus of UMES, Chelsey Merkinger of Delaware State and Rebecca Goodwin of Bethune-Cookman.

Voting was done by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

NSU will begin its season by hosting the Hampton Roads Invitational from Oct. 24-25 at the AMF Lanes in Chesapeake.

2015-16 Bowling Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the conference Head Bowling Coaches and Sports Information Directors
(First place votes in parenthesis)
 

Northern Division
1. Maryland Eastern Shore (13)	117 points
2. Delaware State (3)	93 points
3. Howard (2)	67 points
4. Morgan State (1)	57 points
5. Coppin State (1)	48 points

 

Southern Division
1. North Carolina A&T (16)	99 points
2. Bethune-Cookman (2)	71 points
3. Norfolk State (2)	59 points
4. Florida A&M	48 points
5. Hampton	26 points

2015-16 Bowling Preseason All-MEAC Team

Name	School	Class	Hometown
Rebecca Goodwin	Bethune-Cookman	Sr.	Port Orange, Fla.
Chelsey Merkinger	Delaware State	So.	Kinzers, Pa.
Thashaina Seraus	Maryland Eastern Shore	Sr.	Oranjestad, Aruba
MacKenzie Robinson	North Carolina A&T	Jr.	Detroit, Mich.
Emily Strombeck	North Carolina A&T	Sr.	Durham, N.C.

Preseason Bowler of the Year: Emily Strombeck, North Carolina A&T