“NATIONAL CHAMPS HAVE THREE ALL-AMERICANS”
UMES’ Kristina Frahm named DI Rookie of the Year.
G. STAN BRADLEY
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—An NCAA Championship is the pinnacle for any collegiate team in the NCAA, but for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Women’s Bowling Team, the awards continue to roll in. The Lady Hawks have earned three All-Americans for the second straight year and with it move their total up to seven in the last three seasons. The awards, named from the National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) selected Kristina Frahm (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East H.S.), Maria Rodriguez (Ibague Tolima, Colombia/La Presentacion) and NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Bowler Jessica Worsley (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial H.S.) as the latest three Lady Hawks to earn All-American status.

“It is so exciting to receive this national attention and to have fellow coaches recognize your athletes,” said Head Coach Sharon Brummell.

Frahm, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament Most Outstanding Performer, earned First-Team All-American status and with it was voted the Division I Rookie of the Year. The freshmen “sensation” knocked down over 15,000 pins individually during the season and averaged an impressive 201.83 over the course of the year. Her high game, a 279, came back in November at a MEAC Northern Division match-up.

“Kristina is a very special young lady,” said Brummell. “I knew when I recruited her that he was going to very good and had outstanding potential, but to be a first team All-American as a freshman, that is very impressive.”

Rodriguez, a Second-Team All-American selection was equally impressive. Also a freshman, Rodriguez only bowled the second half of the season and still managed to take out over 8,000 pins and post an average of a 204.7, the highest on the Lady Hawks. Her high game came in March at the Holiday Bowl Classic when she posted a 259. Rodriguez earned All-Tournament Team honors at two of the biggest events of the year for UMES, the MEAC Championships and the NCAA Championships.

“I am so happy about and for Maria,” said Brummell. “To come in at mid-year, and have the impact that she had, it is amazing how much she helped our team. She is also a freshmen and posses so much talent.”

Frahm and Rodriguez’s selections mark the first time UMES has had a bowling All-American above the third-team.

Worsley, one of just two seniors on the team was named a Third-Team All-American. The NCAA Tournament MVP, Worsley was as clutch as they come in big spots. She hit “the big four”, a 4-7, 6-10 split against Arkansas State to seal a win early in the NCAA Championship and then a critical 2-10 split against Vanderbilt when the Hawks were down three games to none. That split propelled UMES to four straight wins and a birth in the finals. For the season, Worsley knocked down over 14,000 pins and averaged a 181.23 with a high game of a 257. A former MEAC MVP, Worsley was also named the UMES Female Athlete of the Year the past two seasons.

“Jessica is just wonderful,” said Brummell. “I am so glad to see her honored nationally by the coaches. “All the coaches know Jessica and respect her ability. She didn’t have the best year in terms of stats, but she was ‘Miss Clutch’ and vital to our success. It is awesome for her to finally be recognized for what she gave us, not just this year, but really, all four years.”

Joining Frahm on the First-Team was Vicki Spratford from New Jersey City, Josie Earnest of Vanderbilt, Cassie Leuthold of Nebraska and Bryanna Caldwell of Central Missouri. Earnest was named the DI Player of the Year while Caldwell was the DII Player of the Year and Spratford the DIII Player of the Year.

Frahm and Rodriguez will return next season when UMES attempts the daunting task of defending their National Championship.