Dover (Apr. 8, 2009) --- The Delaware State University bowling team's quest for the first national championship in school history begins tomorrow in Michigan. The 2009 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship gets underway with qualifying round competition on Thursday at Super Bowl Lanes in Canton, Mich.

The Hornets are in the tournament's field of eight for the first time in team history. DSU, 117-36 this season, is No. 4 in the latest National Tenpins Coaches Association Poll. The 2009 NCAA Tournament field also features Arkansas State, Central Missouri, Fairleigh Dickinson, New Jersey City, Nebraska, Vanderbilt and defending national champ Maryland-Eastern Shore (UMES).

Delaware State is familiar with this year's NCAA Tournament field, having faced each team during the 2008-09 season. The Hornets are 25-19 this season vs. the other tournament teams: Arkansas State (0-2), Central Missouri (2-0), Fairleigh Dickinson (4-5), Nebraska (1-1), New Jersey City (9-2), Vanderbilt (2-4), UMES (7-5).      

The Hornets captured the first MEAC championship in team history last month. DSU also took first place in the ECAC Championship, Kutztown Tournament and the Arkansas State Mid-Winter Invitational, which included wins over No. 1 Vanderbilt and No. 2 Nebraska.

Delaware State is led by head coach and touring professional Kim Terrell-Kearney, who was named selected by her peers as the 2009 MEAC Coach-of-the-Year. The Hornets also feature four All-MEAC selections and the league's rookie-of-the-year.

Adriana Jaime (fr.) leads the team with a 197.3 average. Jaime was selected as the 2008-09 MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year and to the All-MEAC First Team. Sophomore Angela Reynolds (193.8) and freshman Jazmyne Hefflefinger (190.9) were also named to the First Team, while junior Kalyn Washburn (193.6) was a Second Team pick.

In the NCAA Tournament qualifying round, each team bowls four five-person regular team games and five four-game Baker matches.  Total pinfall during the qualifying round determines each team's seed in bracket play.  In the Baker format, each of the five team members, in order, bowls a complete frame until a complete (10-frame) game is bowled.  The fifth Baker match serves as the position round.  The pinfall from the position round serves as a tiebreaker, if necessary. 
 
Based on the qualifying round, teams are placed in two four-team double-elimination brackets.  Teams compete against each other in a best-of-seven games Baker match.  Ties within a Baker game will be decided by another full Baker game.
 
During bracket play, the higher seed receives starting lane preference for the first game of the match, the seventh game of the match and any tie-breaker game that must be played.