SOMERSET, N.J. – Fairleigh Dickinson women's bowling freshman
Lanasia Neal was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced Wednesday afternoon.
Neal, who was competing in her first collegiate event this weekend, helped the Knights start off the 2018-19 season with a 9-4 record and a fifth-place finish at the Caldwell University Classic.
Neal averaged 17.56 pins per frame during the three-day tournament. The South Plainfield, N.J., native topped all NEC eligible rookies in overall frame average and was at her strongest during the baker play portions of the 12-team tournament. Neal, who made 90 percent of single-pin spare attempts over the course of the weekend, accounted for 18.10 pins per baker frame. The freshman, who averaged 8.72 pins per first ball attempt, appeared in 10 matches for FDU, which closed out the event by going 3-0 on Sunday.
During the traditional matches, Neal averaged 162.0 pins over three matches, including a high of 169 in earning a win against seventh-ranked Maryland-Eastern Shore. She also helped the Knights win two playoff baker matches against ranked opponents Adelphi and Kutztown on the final day of competition.
The Knights over the course of the first weekend won four of six traditional matches and five of seven baker matches, defeating four ranked opponents and two NEC rivals in Saint Francis U and St. Francis Brooklyn.
FDU returns to action this weekend when it competes in the Virginia Union Invitational in Richmond, Va.
