Eight returnees and a first-year woman bowler who is putting up numbers as good as the men gives Pennsylvania College of Technology bowling coach Debbie Vincenzes reason to be optimistic. The Wildcats open their season Friday at Summit Lanes in Pocono Summit.
"David Florist (sophomore/Horsham) returns and is a much better bowler than he was last year. He went to States last year and held his own. And Ryan Forry (sophomore/Lancaster) also has returned and he is as good, if not better than last year," said Vincenzes, starting her second season as coach.
"We have a lot of depth, just like we did last year. Right now, from my figures, we have eight men averaging 200 or better, and the next four are all in the 190s," Vincenzes said. (A perfect score is 300.)
Returning men, in addition to Florist and Forry, are Ryan Greenland (sophomore/Clearfield), Joe Ianaro (junior/Frenchville), Preston McKay (junior/Kersey), David Pierce (sophomore/Warren), Michael Pollock (sophomore/Sugarloaf) and Ben Zech (junior/Dover).
Other men on the squad are Bryann Bingaman (freshman/Middleburg), Warren Blume (sophomore/Aaronsburg), Merle Burkhart Jr. (freshman/Lancaster), Matt Haulman (freshman/West Milton), Cody Laielli (freshman/Williamsport), Wesley Moyer (freshman/Fleetwood) and Ryan Wilson (freshman/Wellsboro).
There are three women on the team Kami Bickel (freshman/Sunbury), Stephanie Hostetler (freshman/Middleburg) and Marly Artley (junior/Milton) but Hostetler will only remain through the week and Artley through the rest of this semester.
"We are going to have tryouts again for the girls because we don't have enough for a team (three are needed)," Vincenzes said. "We've had some responses and I'm slowly contacting them."
The coach calls Bickel "a great addition. She comes from a bowling background. She bowled in high school, is left-handed and is averaging 200. She's a very strong bowler."
During Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference regular-season action, bowlers will compete in one of three divisions: gold (three women), blue (best three men) and white (other men). Overall scores are determined by combining individual scores within their division teams.
"I think that we have as good a chance of winning the conference this year as we did last year. And, at this point in time, I've very hopeful for States. I think we might be able to repeat with the talent that we have," Vincenzes said.
Last season, the Wildcats won championships in four Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association categories men's singles, men's all events, men's team and men's overall.
"They are pretty big expectations, but, unless somebody out there really got a lot better, we're still going to be in the running," the coach continued.
"They've been doing their drills and they've been working hard. They're looking forward to getting on the road," Vincenzes added.
(Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's Athletics Web site .)