KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's bowling team remained in the latest edition of the National Tenpin Coaches Association's (NTCA) poll, checking in at No. 25 in the second midseason ranking, as announced by the organization on Tuesday.

Additionally, the Maroon and Gold rose from ninth to sixth in the ten-team NTCA Division II/III poll, which consists solely of Division II and III programs. Kutztown remains the only team from the East Coast Conference recognized in the Division II/III polls.

The Golden Bears (37-21 overall) have continued its stellar start to the season, making noise against fellow ranked opponents and having strong stretches of play at every tournament this season. Since the last NTCA poll, KU has finished with a winning record in three of its four tournaments, while it punched well above its weight class on the way to a strong finish at the loaded Northeast Classic in late January.

Reigning ECC Coach of the Year Angela Reynolds, who won her 300th career match on Sunday, Feb. 1, against Wilmington (Del.), is directing a team that is gearing up to make another deep run in the East Coast Conference Tournament. The Golden Bears are led by reigning ECC Rookie of the Year Kamryn Brenneman (York, Pa./Central York), as well as breakout star freshman Madilyn Bogovic (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff). The senior tandem of Shelby Wunch (Easton, Md./Easton) and Sydney Snyder (Morrisville, Pa./Conwell-Egan Catholic), along with a deep supporting cast, has helped the team achieve a high level of success through the first six tournaments of the season.

The NTCA February Polls are topped by Jacksonville State, which holds 41 of the 44 available votes. Second-place Vanderbilt holds the remaining three votes, while four of the top five teams in the rankings remain unchanged. Bryant, the only other ECC team recognized in the polls, sits one spot ahead of Kutztown in 24th.

The Division II/III Polls featured Maryville, which sits in first place after claiming all 44 first-place votes. Kutztown is the lone ECC team mentioned in the polls, and is one of just four teams to climb in the rankings after being ranked in the preseason edition of the DII/III polls. A fourth and final in-season poll will be released by the NTCA in early March to give updated national rankings as teams head into postseason play.

The Golden Bears compete in three more tournaments that affect the team's regular season record. Its first of those challenges will come at the Wildcat DII Invitational, hosted by the Wilmington (Del.) Wildcats, at Bowlero Turnersville in Blackwood, N.J., from Friday, Feb. 13, through Sunday, Feb. 15.