Morgan State University has turned to an experienced program builder to lead its women’s bowling program into its next chapter.
Morgan State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Director of Athletics Dena Freeman-Patton announced the hiring of Michael Blakeney as the Bears’ new head women’s bowling coach on Aug. 17. Blakeney brings more than a decade of collegiate head coaching experience and more than 20 years of coaching experience at the high school and college levels.
Freeman-Patton pointed to Blakeney’s leadership, player development background and emphasis on winning as reasons Morgan State believes he is the right choice for the position.
“Michael Blakeney is a proven leader whose more than a decade of head coaching experience, commitment to student-athlete development, and passion for winning make him the right person to lead the Bears women’s bowling program,” Freeman-Patton said in the university’s announcement.
Blakeney takes over a program that remains capable of competing near the top of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Morgan State entered the 2026 MEAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed and advanced deep into the elimination bracket before Maryland Eastern Shore ended the Bears’ championship run.
Blakeney Built Chestnut Hill Bowling From the Ground Up
Blakeney’s resume is especially notable because of the program-building work he has already done.
He spent nine seasons as the head women’s bowling coach at Chestnut Hill College after being selected as the first head coach in program history in February 2015. That meant Blakeney was responsible for establishing the NCAA Division II program rather than simply inheriting an existing operation.
During his tenure, Chestnut Hill earned victories over multiple Division I opponents.
That experience should be valuable at Morgan State, where Blakeney will compete in a conference featuring several programs that regularly appear in national rankings.
His ability to develop a program from its beginning also demonstrates experience in recruiting, roster construction, player development and establishing a team culture.
Major Turnaround at Cheyney
Before arriving at Chestnut Hill, Blakeney served as the head women’s bowling coach at Cheyney University from 2008 through 2012.
His four seasons there included a dramatic improvement in scoring.
According to Chestnut Hill’s coaching biography, Cheyney increased its team scoring average from 530 to 760 under Blakeney. The Wolves eventually won 31 percent of their matches during his final season and recorded victories over nationally ranked programs including Adelphi and, interestingly, Morgan State.
That history creates an interesting connection to his new job.
Years after coaching a Cheyney team that defeated Morgan State, Blakeney will now be responsible for building the Bears into a program capable of consistently defeating nationally ranked opponents itself.
Blakeney also showed an ability to recruit beyond his immediate region. His success helped Cheyney attract players from locations including Chicago and Connecticut, something the school had not previously done.
Academics Have Been Part of Blakeney’s Approach
Blakeney’s teams have also produced results away from the lanes.
At Cheyney, his bowlers compiled a 3.22 cumulative team grade-point average.
That part of his background fits well with the direction of Morgan State’s program.
Four Morgan State bowlers, Ayanna Carroll, Johnna Hill, Kyra Italien and Jamaya Mayers, were named to the 2026 MEAC Bowling All-Academic Team. Players needed at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and had to meet the conference’s eligibility requirements to receive the honor.
Morgan State therefore enters the Blakeney era with an established academic foundation that matches one of the new coach’s longtime priorities.
Blakeney Brings Playing Experience
Blakeney’s background goes well beyond coaching.
He has competed in Professional Bowlers Association regional tournaments and has recorded 11 career perfect 300 games. He is also a United States Bowling Congress Silver Level Coach.
His formal education is also tied closely to athletics and bowling management.
Blakeney earned a Master of Education in Sport and Recreation Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Recreation Management from Temple University. He also earned an associate degree in Bowling Center Management from Vincennes University.
That combination of coaching experience, competitive bowling experience and administrative education gives Morgan State a coach with a broad understanding of the sport.
Morgan State Was Competitive in 2025-26
Blakeney is not taking over a program that needs to be rebuilt from nothing.
Morgan State finished the first 2025-26 MEAC meet tied for third at 4-3, including victories over Norfolk State, nationally ranked Maryland Eastern Shore, Delaware State and crosstown rival Coppin State.
The Bears eventually earned the No. 4 seed for the 2026 MEAC Championship.
Morgan State lost its opening tournament matchup against No. 5 Maryland Eastern Shore but responded by eliminating Norfolk State. The Bears then defeated Howard 2-1 in another elimination match before meeting Maryland Eastern Shore again with a spot in the consolation final at stake.
Morgan State won the traditional portion of that match, 845-834, before Maryland Eastern Shore took the Baker portion and won the best-of-seven Baker series 4-2 to eliminate the Bears.
The tournament showed that Morgan State was capable of competing with some of the MEAC’s best programs but still had ground to make up against the conference’s championship contenders.
Johnna Hill Earned Major Conference Honors
Morgan State also had one of the MEAC’s top individual bowlers last season.
Johnna Hill earned First Team All-MEAC honors in 2026, joining some of the conference’s best performers. Ayanna Carroll was named Third Team All-MEAC.
Hill also earned a place on the 2026 MEAC Championship All-Tournament Team after helping Morgan State advance through multiple elimination matches.
Carroll also delivered several strong performances during the season. At the Mount Shootout in February, she finished 16th individually with 1,053 pins over five traditional matches, averaging 210.60 with a high game of 255.
Both Hill and Carroll were listed among Morgan State’s spring 2026 graduates, meaning Blakeney will have to replace two of the program’s most accomplished veterans as he begins his tenure.
That makes recruiting and player development especially important early in his tenure.
Young Talent Gives Blakeney Something to Build Around
Morgan State’s 2025-26 roster included several underclassmen who could help form the foundation of the next team.
Sophomores Kyra Italien and Jamaya Mayers were joined by freshmen Olivia Cameron, Jordan Fletcher, Alexandra Stephen and Lindora Kamalu.
With Hill and Carroll graduating, the younger bowlers will have opportunities to move into larger roles.
Blakeney’s history of developing athletes should be particularly useful as the Bears transition from a veteran-led lineup to one featuring more young players.
A Difficult Conference Awaits
The MEAC remains one of the stronger bowling conferences in the country.
North Carolina A&T won its sixth consecutive MEAC regular-season championship in 2026 and entered the conference tournament nationally ranked. UAB, Delaware State and Maryland Eastern Shore were also among the teams challenging near the top of the league.
North Carolina A&T eventually won the 2026 MEAC Championship, defeating Maryland Eastern Shore for the conference title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
That establishes a clear target for Blakeney.
Morgan State does not need simply to improve. The Bears must find a way to close the gap on programs that are consistently competing nationally.
Blakeney’s previous success against Division I and nationally ranked opponents suggests he understands that challenge.
Continuing Morgan State Bowling Tradition
Blakeney made clear in Morgan State’s announcement that the program’s history was one of the things that attracted him to the job.
“There is a large amount of history at this program, and I’m excited to begin a part of it,” Blakeney said. “I can’t wait to get back on the lanes to help this program grow.”
Morgan State has been competing in women’s bowling for decades and continues to host the James Brown Invitational, one of the signature events on its schedule. The 10th edition of the tournament was held in February 2026 at AMF Towson Lanes and featured Morgan State along with Coppin State, Delaware State, Norfolk State, Maryland Eastern Shore, Virginia Union and Barton College.
The combination of history, local visibility and MEAC competition gives Blakeney a strong platform to work from.
MSB Take
This looks like a strong and logical hire for Morgan State.
Blakeney checks several important boxes.
He has head coaching experience. He has built a college program from scratch. He has improved struggling programs. He has coached teams to victories over nationally ranked opponents. He has recruited players from outside his immediate region, and his teams have also produced academically.
Perhaps most importantly, he understands that successful college bowling programs need development.
Morgan State is losing veterans such as Hill and Carroll, so the Bears will need younger players to step forward quickly. Blakeney has already spent much of his career in situations where development and recruiting were essential.
The Bears were competitive enough last season to reach the later stages of the MEAC Tournament, but they were not yet on the same level as North Carolina A&T, Maryland Eastern Shore and some of the conference’s other championship contenders.
Blakeney’s job will be to close that gap.
Morgan State does not appear to be starting over. Instead, the Bears are handing an experienced coach a program with young talent, recent All-MEAC success and an established tradition.
If Blakeney can recruit effectively and reproduce the type of improvement he previously created at Cheyney and Chestnut Hill, Morgan State could become an increasingly dangerous team in the MEAC over the next several seasons.
For a program looking to take another step, hiring a coach with a proven history of building and improving teams makes a lot of sense.
Maryland Sports Blog
www.marylandsportsblog.com
