Women's bowling is ranked fifth in the latest National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) poll, the third of the season, released Friday. The men's squad slipped out of the top 20 after being ranked 18^th in the second poll of the year in early January.

The Lady Lions received 661 points based on voting to sit 68 points behind Jacksonville State in fourth. Mount Mercy University retained the top position with 1,092 points and 18 first place votes, followed by Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) – Savannah with 912 points and one first place vote. The University of Pikeville rounded out the top three with 764 points.

The Lady Lions had a strong January and February on the lanes. After finishing fifth out of 48 teams at the tier one Kegel Collegiate in mid-January, Lindenwood took the top spot at back-to-back Mid-South Conference events and then qualified first at the Baker Challenge. The Lady Lions completed the regular season by placing seventh out of 63 teams at the tier one Columbia 300 Hoosier Classic to qualify for match play at the event.  

In the men's poll, Mount Mercy ascended to the top position, moving up from fifth in the previous poll, with 1,326 points and 18 first place votes. Webber International received 12 first place votes and 1,284 points to claim second, followed by SCAD – Savannah in third with 1,074 points and one first place vote. Lawrence Tech settled in fourth with 1,010 points with Newman rounding out the top five with 854 points.

After a solid fall campaign, the Lions struggled with some inconsistency in January and February. After taking 23^rd out of 56 teams at the Kegel Collegiate, Lindenwood finished fifth and eighth on the MSC events. A fourth-place finish at the Baker Challenge followed, but the Lions came up just short of the upper half of the field at the Hoosier Classic to wrap up the regular season.

Men's and women's bowling will attempt to punch tickets to the Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC) through Sectional competition in Fort Worth, Texas March 8-9. The Lady Lions are among a field of 18 different teams including Coe College (No. 7 NCBCA poll), Sacred Heart University (No. 12 NCAA Power Index), McKendree University (No. 14 NCAA Power Index), and the University of Alabama – Birmingham (No. 19 NCAA Power Index).

The Lions will compete in a field of 19 teams including Newman (No. 5 NCBCA poll), Wichita State (No. 7 NCBCA poll), Oklahoma Christian (No. 9 NCBCA), McKendree (No. 13 NCBCA), and Purdue (No. 17 NCBCA). The top four teams after 64 baker games over two days at each of four locations nationally will advance to the ITC April 17-19 in Las Vegas.
 
About the NCBCA

The NCBCA Coaches' Team Poll is a presentation of the top 20 USBC Collegiate bowling programs determined by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA). The NCBCA membership includes college bowling coaches, club advisors, tournament directors, and conference officers. Each NCBCA member completes a ballot ranking the top 20 USBC Collegiate programs. On each ballot, the first place team receives 40 points, second place-34 points, third place-30 points, fourth place-28 points, fifth place-26 points, sixth place-24 points, seventh place-22 points, eighth place-20 points, ninth place-18 points, 10th place-16 points, 11th place-14 points, 12th place-12 points, 13th place-10 points, 14th place-eight points, 15th place-six points, 16th place-five points, 17th place-four points, 18th place-three points, 19th place-two points, and 20th place-one point. NCBCA member ballots are tabulated and generate the NCBCA Coaches' Team Poll.