WEST BABYLON, N.Y. – Coming off of its first-ever East Coast Conference title, Mercyhurst took the top spot in the 2023-24 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's ten head coaches and announced on Friday afternoon. Additionally, for the second straight year, Mercyhurst's Samantha Strebel (Harrisville, Utah) was selected the ECC Preseason Bowler of the Year.

Mercyhurst earned eight first-place votes with 98 points to top the preseason voting. The Lakers swept Molloy in the final of the 2022-23 ECC Women's Bowling Championship to claim their first-ever league title and earn the conference's bid into the NCAA Championship en route to an overall record of 83-40. Seven members from last year's historic squad are back, including All-ECC First Team selection Strebel.

The back-to-back ECC Preseason Bowler of the Year, Strebel earned All-ECC First Team recognition a season ago after garnering ECC Bowler of the Year honors in 2021-22. Last year in the ECC rankings, Strebel finished second in overall frame average (19.43), fill percentage (83.2), and National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) Player Composite Performance Index (94.34 percent) and third in spare conversion percentage (69.7%) and strike percentage (44.4). 

Molloy finished in the No. 2 spot of the preseason poll with 79 points and one first-place vote. The Lions return six returners from last year's squad that finished 60-54 and reached the ECC Championship Final Megamatch.

Daemen, earning the final first-place vote, and Kutztown tied for the No. 3 spot with 75 points apiece. The Wildcats return All-ECC selections Mollie Gizicki (First Team) and Caitlyn Nowak while the Bears welcome back the All-ECC duo of Chloe Sromovski (First Team) and Megan Hanaway. 

The No. 5-7 spots were separated by just six points as Roberts Wesleyan (55 points), D'Youville (52 points), and Bryant (49 points) finished in the middle of the pack and Bryant (49 points), Saint Anselm (30 points), Adelphi (25 points), and St. Thomas Aquinas (10 points) closed out the No. 7-10 spots. 

2023-24 ECC Women's Bowling Preseason Poll
1. Mercyhurst - 98 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Molloy - 79 points (1 first-place vote)
T-3. Daemen - 75 points (1 first-place vote)
T-3. Kutztown - 75 points
5. Roberts Wesleyan - 55 points
6. D'Youville - 52 points
7. Bryant - 49 points
8. Saint Anselm - 30 points
9. Adelphi - 25 points
10. St. Thomas Aquinas - 12 points

Preseason Bowler of the Year: Samantha Strebel, Gr., Mercyhurst