SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— The Drury Panthers women's bowling is ranked 14^th among NCAA-II and NCAA-III teams in the National Tenpin Coaches Association preseason poll.
 
NCAA women's bowling competes in one division, but the NTCA produces two national polls, including one to provide recognition from NCAA-II and NCAA-III programs.
 
McKendree is ranked number one nationally in the D-II/D-III and is also the overall number one ranked team in the NCAA. Central Missouri is number two in the D-II/D-III rankings, while Wisconsin-Whitewater is ranked third.
 
A total of five teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference are ranked in the top 15. In addition to McKendree, and Central Missouri (who competes in bowling as an affiliate member of the GLVC), Maryville is ranked fourth, and Lewis is ranked ninth.
 
The Panthers return five letter winners, including last year's GLVC Freshman of the Year Sydney Horton. Head coach Larry Hughes will be in his sixth year leading the program, and the team will be in its fifth season in the NCAA.
 
The Panthers open the 2020-21 season on Friday at the Bearcat Classic hosted by McKendree in Fairview Heights, Illinois. The three-day event concludes on Sunday.
 
 
#MoreThanChampions