HACKENSACK, N.J. - Fairleigh Dickinson women's bowling head coach Mike LoPresti announced Tuesday evening his team's 2021-22 schedule as the Knights look to defend their Northeast Conference regular season and tournament titles from the 2020-21 season.

"The 2021-22 season will include the most challenging competition schedules we've planned in years," remarked LoPresti. "We're a program full of people who enjoy being challenged and love to compete. Challenging schedules are the best because that's how champions are made."

With play commencing on October 29 in the Empire State at the Dezy Strong Classic hosted by Adelphi, FDU will compete on 26 regular season dates concluding with the Northeast Roundup scheduled to take place on March 19 and 20 in New Castle, Del. The Knights return nine of their 10 bowlers from last season's historic campaign which saw the Knights advance to their 13th NCAA tournament and win the NEC for a conference-record fifth time - the first since 2017. LoPresti, the 2020-21 NEC Coach of the Year, made history as the first NCAA women's bowling head coach to eclipse the 1,500 win mark, a feat he accomplished on February 20 in a match against Wagner.

Among the Knights' returners in 2021-22 are four All-NEC performers from last season, including graduate student Jenna Henderson who returns to Hackensack for her fifth season in the Burgundy and Blue. The 2020-21 NEC Bowler of the Year will be join by All-NEC teammates in fellow grad student Amanda Chrzanowski (First Team), junior Cameron Spring (Second Team) and redshirt sophomore Julianna Spina (All-Rookie Team) in the upcoming campaign.

Looking to return to the NCAA Championship for the 14th time in program history, the Burgundy and Blue will face top-ranked teams at the three-day Prarie View A&M Invitational in Arlington, Texas from January 28-30. Before then, LoPresti's Knights will get their first look at the NEC field with the conference's fall meet on the books for November 6 and 7 in North Brunswick, N.J. at Bowlero Carolier Lanes.

The following week, FDU will take on regional foes at the Falcon Fall Classic which will take place on November 13 and 14, hosted by Felician at nearby Lodi Lanes. Heading to the "first state" on November 19 through 21, the Burgundy and Blue will take part in the Hawk Classic hosted by Eastern Shore (Md.) in Millsboro, Del.

On December 4, the 2021 NEC champions will bowl individually at the NE Region Singles Tournament at Hamilton Lanes in Hamilton, N.J. - the site of the Northeast Conference championship match.

In the team's first even of the new year, FDU will bowl in the Northeast Winter Classic, co-hosted by LIU and Sacred Heart, in Deptford, N.J. on January 21 through 23. Returning to NEC play, the next major conference test for the Knights will come on February 5 and 6 in the second NEC meet of the season, this time in Mount Joy, Pa.

Beginning on February 25, FDU will bowl in the Stallings Invitational in Greensboro, N.C. hosted by North Carolina A&T. The tournament will conclude on February 27. Closing out the NEC regular season, the third and final conference meet will take place on March 5 and 6 in Allentown, Pa.

Also listed on the schedule is the USBC Singles Sectional will take place in the Garden State at 30 Strikes Lanes in Stratford.

For their regular season finale, FDU will bowl in the Northeast Roundup hosted by Wilmington (Del.) at Bowlerama in New Castle, Del. Last year the event was hosted by the Knights at Lodi Lanes.

Looking ahead to postseason play, the Northeast Conference tournament is scheduled for March 25 through 27 at Hamilton Lanes. NCAA regional play will begin on April 8, location to be determined.

Fans can follow FDU Knights women's bowling on Twitter and Instagram, @FDUKnightsBOWL, and on Facebook, @FDUKnightsWBOWL.