ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. – The Lincoln University's women's bowling team is set to kick off its inaugural season Friday with a trip to Elmwood Park, N.J. for the New Jersey Jamboree hosted by Fairleigh Dickinson. Despite having never taken part in any official competition, the team enters the season ranked 26th nationally and eighth in the DII/DIII poll. They were also picked to finish fourth in the East Coast Conference. The three-day tournament will conclude Sunday afternoon.

Competition will be broken into two divisions—American and National. Lincoln Memorial will compete in the American division Friday and Saturday. Their opponents for the five individual matches each day are set to be randomly drawn. Sunday's competition will consist of two best-of-seven matches. Lincoln Memorial would then play a third best-of-seven in a finals match if they advance.

The New Jersey Jamboree will feature 27 teams, including 14 ranked in the top 25 nationally. Sixth-ranked Sam Houston State headlines the group followed by No. 8 North Carolina A&T, No. 9 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and No. 10 Fairleigh Dickinson. Fellow East Coast Conference members No. 17 Kutztown, No. 19 Adelphi, Franklin Pierce and Felician will also compete.

The long drive to the suburb outside of New York City is one of three consecutive long trips Lincoln Memorial will make. Next week they will travel to Huntsville, Texas, home of Sam Houston State. They will then venture to Kenosha, Wisconsin the week after, which is in between Chicago and Milwaukee. In total, the team will cover nearly 15,000 miles this season. All three events feature some of the best teams college bowling has to offer.

"That's what I wanted," Director of Bowling and Women's Head Coach Joe Slowinski said. "That's why we're going to these events and traveling the distances we are."

Although this will be the first official competition for the team comprised entirely of true freshmen, most opponents have already bowled in one or two tournaments.

"I'm hoping we can get a weaker team early just to settle down so they can make some mistakes and get settled in, build some confidence and get a win under our belt," Slowinski said.

Lincoln Memorial's varsity competitors for the weekend, all making their collegiate debuts, will be:

Marisol Dodson (FR; Jacksonville, Fla.)

• Still holds two of the top 25 highest high school qualifying scores in the state of Florida
• Finished near the top 50 the past two summers at the U-20 Team USA Trials
• Slowinski: "She will be one of our stronger players because she has been a top player nationally over the past few years. She also has good emotional control perspective, which I think is essential to being a very good player."

McCayla Donna (FR; Belleview, Fla.)

• Slowinski: "We have done a lot of renovation to her game, and I am working hard to help her be in better control of her emotions so she can be stronger on the lanes."

Sabrina Fautheree (FR; Converse, Texas)

• Averaged the second-highest score in the state of Tennessee in high school.
• Slowinski: "She has really blossomed in training over the past six weeks. I expect her to have a really, really good year."

Alexxa Flood (FR; Flint, Mich.)

• Slowinski: "She has had a really strong week getting in preparation and had very good ball motion."

Mary Kate Kersting (FR; Sayerville, N.J.)

• Is returning to her home state of New Jersey this weekend. She will be able to visit her family and sleep in her own bed.
• Slowinski: "I'm looking for that consistency from her of that higher-level performance."

Hailie Savoie (FR; Sunset, La.)

• Is in the pre-vet program and aspires to be a veterinarian.
• Slowinski: "She is very small in stature but throws 15-pound bowling balls."

Heather Trapp (FR; Chester, Va.)

• Has been successful nationally at the Teen Masters, where she has finished in the top 25 each of the past three years.
• Slowinski: "She's very hungry to get started. We have done a lot of work on her game and are very close to seeing a big jump in performance."

As with any collegiate competition, especially for a group made up entirely of freshmen making their collegiate debuts, calming nerves will play an important role. Slowinski has stressed to the team the vital role of keeping emotions in check.

"What I want to see is emotional control. I want to see team communication and observation skills, getting used to the process and getting better each day."

Despite the program's fledgling status, the team has its sights set on finishing in the top 20 nationally and making a run at the East Coast Conference championship.

"We're going to be fresh and hungry but don't have that experience of competing and getting settled down," Slowinski said. "My biggest challenge this weekend is getting everybody to settle down quickly and control their emotions because they will be nervous. It's just that new experience at this level."

Live updates will be posted on @LMUBowling as well as the Lincoln Memorial University Bowling Team's Facebook page.