TEANECK, N.J. – The eighth-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson women's bowling team begins the month of March by heading down to nearby Monmouth to compete in the Hawk Flight Invite this weekend.
 
ENTERING THE WEEKEND
The Knights (67-39) finished with a 6-6 record in 12 matches at the NEC Spring Meet last weekend, winning all four matches on the second day of competition. FDU in the process qualified for the upcoming NEC Championships in three weeks, finishing the NEC portion of the regular season in fifth out of seven teams with an 8-10 record against their fellow conference competitors. The Knights averaged 205.8 pins per game in the six Baker matches over the weekend and finished NEC play with the third-highest team average of 189.7 pins per game, trailing only first-place Saint Francis U (192.7 pins per game) and Duquesne (191.7 pins per game).
 
FINAL NEC STANDINGS
Saint Francis U (14-4) earned the regular season crown after last weekend's meet, finishing two games ahead of Mount St. Mary's (12-6) and five games ahead of the two teams tied for third place – Sacred Heart (9-9) and Duquesne (9-9). Sacred Heart earned the tiebreaker over Duquense for third place, while FDU earned fifth place and the final spot in the NEC Championships, finishing two games ahead of LIU Brooklyn (6-12) and three games ahead of St. Francis Brooklyn (5-13).
 
PRIME PERFORMERS
Sophomores Amanda Chrzanowski and Aimee Sherman along with junior Samantha Hart were each named Northeast Conference Prime Performers after their play in last weekend's meet. All three pinsetters started in the six Baker matches, helping the Knights win four of six matches. Chrzanowski averaged 215.5 pins per game with a high of 256 vs. Mount St. Mary's in the traditional rounds, and Sherman averaged 210.5 pins per game with a high of 258 in the traditional round win over Sacred Heart. Hart averaged 186.5 per game in the traditional rounds with a high of 202 against St. Francis Brooklyn.
 
HISTORIC WIN FOR LoPRESTI
In FDU's first win last Saturday against Sacred Heart, head coach Mike LoPresti won his 1,400th game as the leader of the Knights. He is the NCAA's all-time bowling leader in career victories and has a sterling 1,405-496 record at FDU (.739) and has led the Knights to five NEC regular season titles, four NEC tournament championships, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight NCAA Final Four appearances and NCAA National Championships in 2006 and 2010 along with a runner-up finish in 2012.
 
TOURNAMENT INFO
The three-day tournament hosted by Monmouth starts Friday, March 1, with five Baker team total pin fall games. Saturday's matches consist of five traditional team matches, and the tournament concludes Sunday with a three-round Baker playoff best four-of-seven bracket. All matches this weekend will take place at King Pin Lanes in Egg Harbor, N.J.
 
TOURNAMENT FIELD
The Knights are one of 17 teams competing in the Hawk Flight Invite this weekend. They are also one of 10 ranked teams and one of four NEC teams in the field. Other ranked opponents include no. 12 Delaware State, no. 17 LIU Brooklyn, no. 6 UMES, no. 22 Monmouth (tournament host), no. 10 North Carolina A&T, no. 11 Saint Francis U, no. 5 Sam Houston State, no. 2 Vanderbilt and no. 25 Youngstown State. The remaining teams that comprise the tournament competitors include Bloomfield, Caldwell, Coppin State, Felician, Norfolk State, St. Francis Brooklyn and Wilmington.
 
UP NEXT
After this weekend's event, the Knights will take a week off and then finish the regular season at the Northeast Finest Tournament in New Castle, Del., before competing in the NEC Championships in Howell, N.J. from March 22-24.