The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers’ bowling team competed in the Releaser’s NCAA Invitational this weekend. Through two days of the tournament the Lady Rattlers posted a 7-3 mark, with a key victory over rival BCU Saturday.
The tournament took place at the Seminole Bowl bowling alley and included 10 teams. The teams present were Bethune-Cookman University, Fayetteville State University, Jackson State University, Louisiana Tech University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T State University, Winston-Salem State University and South Carolina State University.
Bowler Gina Davis, a freshman nursing student from Virginia, said she was really thrilled with the team’s victory over BCU and happy with how the team finished day two of the tournament.
“I’m happy that we beat BCU because they’re our main rival,” said Davis, 18.
Despite the fact that the Lady Rattlers’ bowling team consists of five freshmen and one sophomore, assistant coach Paul Williams had high hopes.
Williams said the team’s season started off fairly well but a little slow, however, now that it’s seen different competitors and earned a few wins it is starting to come around.
“We’ve seen the best of the best,” Williams said. “Now all we have to do is hang in there, and they’ve already proven they can do that.”
The bowling season is far from over and the bowlers feel there is still plenty of room and time to develop and improve.
Freshman bowler Marisa Moffet, 18, a Detroit native, said she’s really excited to see how the season turns out.
“This season has been very interesting so far,” said Moffet, a business administration student. “But we’re coming back and doing a lot better and I just hope we continue to do even better.”
With about half of the season already completed, the coaches and bowlers still agree there is still much to be won.
Williams insisted that the girls can do nothing but improve.
“If they continue to grow and continue to perform the way they do, they’re only going to get better,” he said. “By the end of their career, I might expect a championship ring on my mantle.”
Although the expectations the bowlers and coaches have for the future seem to be high, there is still a cry out for much more support.
Williams said more people would come out and support if they realized FAMU had a competitive women’s bowling team.
“That’s the best kept secret still in my opinion on campus, that there’s a women’s bowling team,” he said.
With only two home games on their schedule, the team realizes that support is hard, however, it practices every week Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Seminole Bowl.
The Lady Rattlers will travel to Philadelphia this weekend. Their final home match is scheduled for March 8.