March 7, 2010

BOSSIER CITY, LA – With a 4-0 sweep of Prairie View A&M, top-seeded Alabama A&M was crowned the 2010 SWAC Women’s Bowling Champion on Sunday at Holiday Lanes.

In the first game the Bulldogs collected two strikes and 10 spares to post a 180-140 win over PV. The second game was highlighted by six Bulldog strikes as the squad went up 2-0 with a 193-164 win. In the third, despite out-striking the Bulldogs 5-3, the Lady Panthers couldn’t pull off a win and fell in a 0-3 hole with a 160-176 defeat. In the fourth and closest game of the match, the Bulldogs held off a late PV surge to hold on to a 171-168 victory and the 2010 conference title.

This is Alabama A&M’s first championship title since 2007 and second overall. The Bulldogs have competed in the last four tournament championship matches.  Prairie View A&M, who didn’t participate in the tournament last season, made its first championship match appearance since 1997.

The Bulldogs’ Melanie DeCarlo was named the 2010 Tournament Most Valuable Player with a tournament-high 204.4 average.

2010 All-Tournament Team

Bowler                                                 Institution                          Cl                            Hometown                         Avg.

Melanie DeCarlo (MVP)               Alabama A&M                   So.                          Peru, IL                                 204.4
Vanessa Caldwell                             Southern                             Sr.                           Evansville, IL                       199.6
Addileen Pointer                              Alabama A&M                   So.                          Highland, IL                         188.2
Brittany McKinney                           Alabama St.                        Jr.                           Chicago, IL                           183.8
Jasmin Payne                                     Alabama A&M                   So.                          Waukegen, IL                    181.6