Tabbed 15^th: The Crusader bowling team has been picked 15^th in the nation in the NTCA preseason top-20 poll.  This comes after ending the 2013-14 campaign ranked 14^th nationally.  The preseason ranking continues a remarkable string for the program, as the Crusaders have been ranked in the NTCA top-20 in every poll since their inception, including the preseason poll prior to their inaugural year of competition.

Challenging Slate: As always, head coach Matt Nantais has set forth a challenging schedule for the Crusader bowlers to face in 2014-15.  Valpo will travel to tournaments hosted by five teams among the top-seven in the NTCA preseason poll out of its eight tournaments this season.  The Crusaders will also host the Crusader Classic for the fifth consecutive year, welcoming six of the nation’s top-ten teams and ten squads in all ranked inside the top-20.

Look Back at Last Season: This season’s challenging schedule follows on the heels of last season’s slate, which was arguably the toughest bowling schedule in the nation.  Last year saw the Crusaders bowl 59 matches against teams which finished in the top-10 in RPI – the most of any team in the nation – as well as 50 matches versus teams which advanced to the 2014 NCAA Championship, out of 123 total matches.  Despite the tough schedule, Valpo finished with 59 victories, just one win shy of its total from the previous year.

Larson Leads the Returnees: Sophomore Carly Larson leads the Crusader contingent of returnees from last season’s squad.  As a freshman in 2013-14, Larson posted the team’s best average, averaging a 191.4, the eighth-best single-season mark in program history.  She earned All-Tournament Team honors at Arkansas State’s Mid-Winter Invitational, where she ranked second in the tournament field with a 218.8 average.

Lots of Experience Back: In all, the Crusaders return 10 bowlers from the 2013-14 team for the 2014-15 campaign, including a pair of regulars in action from last season.  This year’s team is comprised of two seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and one freshman.