McEwan, Jones Earn Top NCAA Bowling Honors

DanielleMcewanSum WICKLIFFE, OH -- Fairleigh Dickinson’s Danielle McEwan was named the NCAA Player of the Year for Division I while Kutztown’s Kayla Jones earned the same honor for Division II/III after the post-season vote by members of the National Ten Pin Coaches Association. The announcement was made at the NCAA Championship Banquet here Wednesday night.

McEwan was the driveshaft of the powerful Fairleigh Dickinson team that was rated No. 1 nationally much of the season. McEwan compiled the nation’s best average, 210.92 over 61 games en route to two individual titles and nine Top 5 finishes.

She was joined on the All-America first-team by Jackie Carbonetto, who led Sacred Heart’s resurgence into the NCAA’s championship field with a 205.76 average, Rachel Gittings, who’s 210 average was a key to Arkansas State’s powerful spring that led the Red Wolves to the No. 1 ranking of the regular season, Vanderbilt’s Brittni Hamilton, who made the first-team for the third time in her career, and Nebraska’s Kayla Johnson, who finished her regular season with the nation’s fourth-best average (209.28).

Kutztown’s Jones won the Kutztown Invitational and was ranked ninth among all NCAA bowlers with a 204.68 average in 50 games with one championship and five Top 5 finishes.

BritHamiltonInsideThe NTCA spotlights two outstanding freshmen for its annual Rookie of the Year honors. Sarah Lokker of Arkansas State took top honors in Division I while Gabriella Mayfield of Central Missouri won for Division II/III. Lokker was second at the Big Red Invitational and fourth at the Greater Ozarks Tournament. Mayfield won the Big Red and Mid-States Invitationals and finished among the Top 25 in seven of 10 events.

Third-year Arkansas State Head Coach Justin Kostick was voted the Coach of the Year in Division I by his peers and Central Missouri’s Ron Holmes was the Division II/III Coach of the Year, an honor he also claimed in 2010 and has now won a total of seven times.


2012 NTCA All-America Teams

First Team
Jackie Carbonetto, Sacred Heart, Jr., Blauvelt, NY
Rachel Gittings, Arkansas State, Jr. Glen Allen, Va.
Brittni Hamilton, Vanderbilt, Senior, Webster, NY
Kayla Johnson, Nebraska, Senior, Washington, Ill.
Danielle McEwan, Fairleigh Dickinson, Junior, Stony Point, NY

Second Team
Jessica Earnest, Vanderbilt, Junior, Vandalia, IL
Natalie Jimenez, Central Missouri, Junior, Rowland Heights, CA
Kayla Jones, Kutztown, Senior, Johnstown, Pa.
Amanda Lobossiere, Arkansas State, Sophomore, Buzzards Bay, Mass.
Kara Richard, Central Missouri, Sophomore, Tecumseh, Mich.
Anggie Ramirez, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Junior, Bogota, Columbia

Third Team
Joely Carrillo, Fairleigh Dickinson, Senior,Clifton, NJ
T’nia Falbo, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Junior, Greensburg, Pa.
Sarah Lokker, Arkansas State, Freshman, New Baltimore, Mich.
Kristina Mickelson, Nebraska, Junior, Bellevue, Neb.
Nicole Trudell, Sacred Heart, Sophomore, Coventry, RI

Honorable Mention
Valarie Calberry, Nebraska
Natalie Cortese, Valparaiso
Melanie DeCarlo, Alabama A&M
Dayna Galganski, Sam Houston State
Samantha Hesley, Vanderbilt
Christina Leid, St. Francis (Pa)
Gabriella Mayfield, Central Missouri
Danielle Merino, Adelphi
Nicole Parkhurst, Stephen F. Austin
Michelle Secours, Sam Houston State

Players of the Year
Division I Danielle McEwan, Fairleigh Dickinson
Division II/III Kayla Jones, Kutztown

Rookies of the Year
Division I Sarah Lokker, Arkansas State, Freshman, New Baltimore, Mich.
Division II/III Gabriella Mayfield, Central Missouri, Fr., Lake Isabella, Calif.

Coach of the Year
Division I Justin Kostick, Arkansas State
Division II/III Ron Holmes, Central Missouri