NASHVILLE, Tenn. (4/12/21) – Helping lead the Red Wolves to a runner-up finish at the National Collegiate Bowling Championship this season, Taylor Davis and Faith Welch of the Arkansas State women's bowling team have been named First Team All-Region by the National Ten Pin Coaches Association (NTCA).
 
The all-region teams are a new idea for college bowling, brought about in part because the COVID-19 pandemic limited intersectional play during the 2020-21 season. The all-region teams are a result of voting by participating head coaches. The NTCA will announce its All-America team later this month.
 
"Taylor and Faith both had great seasons for us and we fully expect they will be first or second team All-Americans," said A-State head coach Justin Kostick. "It was an unusual season cramming most of the events in during the spring portion of the season, but we battled that adversity led by these two and made a run in the championship."
 
Davis, an All-Tournament Team honoree at the NCAA Championship, had an overall average of 205.7 this season, including a traditional average of 201.6 and a Baker average of 209.9. She ranked fifth in the final player composite performance index (PCPI), percentage of competitors that a bowler has outperformed over identified categories, at a PCPI of 93.3 percent. She carried a first ball average of 9.08 and a fill percentage of 88.6 percent. She had an overall spare percentage of 77.3 percent, converting 95.7 percent of single pin spares.  
 
Welch ranked third in the final regular season report of the PCPI at 94.35 percent. She rolled to a traditional average 214.4 and a Baker average of 212.3 for an overall average of 213.4. She carried a strike percentage of 55 percent, scoring 9.13 on the first ball. She finished with a fill percentage of 86.8 percent and 92.7 percent single pin spare conversion rate.
 
Davis and Welch helped A-State to a 13th-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the Red Wolves tied for the best finish in program history, finishing runner-up at the 2021 National Collegiate Bowling Championship.
 
For the latest on A-State bowling, follow the team on Twitter (@AStateBowling), Facebook (/AStateBowling) and Instagram (@redwolvesbowling).
 
2021 NTCA All-Region Teams
Central Region
 
First Team
Denise Blankenzee – Sam Houston State
Taylor Davis – Arkansas State
Crystal Elliot – Nebraska
Hope Gramly – McKendree
Faith Welch – Arkansas State
 
Second Team
Mabel Cummins – Vanderbilt
Sarah Gill – Stephen F. Austin
Maranda Pattison – McKendree
Cassidy Ray – Nebraska
Kayla Verstraete – Nebraska
 
Honorable Mention
Isabel Allen – McKendree
Carlene Beyer – Stephen F. Austin
Elise Chambers – Sam Houston State
Samantha Gainor – Vanderbilt
Bea Hernandez – Sam Houston State
Paytynn Kuhns – Central Missouri
Madison McCall – Tulane
Britaney Myers – McKendree
Savanna Razor – Alabama State
Emma Wren – Youngstown State