UMES Bowling Earns NCAA’s Second-Highest Team GPA, Five Hawks Receive NTCA Academic Honors

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore bowling program continues to prove it is one of the nation’s elite programs—not only on the lanes but in the classroom.

The National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) announced that the Hawks finished the 2025-26 academic year with the second-highest team GPA among all NCAA bowling programs, recognizing UMES as one of the top academic programs in collegiate bowling. The Hawks posted an outstanding 3.816 cumulative team GPA, trailing only Jacksonville State’s 3.876 by just six-hundredths of a point. The accomplishment earned UMES NTCA All-Academic Scholar Team honors, an award presented to programs that maintain at least a 3.2 team GPA during the academic year.

For a program with one of the richest traditions in NCAA bowling, the recognition reinforces the culture head coach Ronald Simms Jr. has built. UMES has consistently competed for MEAC championships while also emphasizing academic excellence, and this latest honor reflects the commitment student-athletes have shown away from competition.

Five Hawks also earned NTCA All-Academic Scholar-Athlete recognition:

• Mariane Almeida (Sophomore)
• Ara Pitts (Sophomore)
• Sofia Tosto Valenzuela (Sophomore)
• Jayda Gordon (Senior)
• Mariana Santos Rivero (Senior)

To receive the individual award, bowlers must maintain at least a 3.4 GPA during the academic year. This season, 405 student-athletes from 68 NCAA bowling programs received the distinction. All five Hawks were also named to the 2026 MEAC Bowling All-Academic Team, highlighting their success both in competition and in the classroom.

Head coach Ronald Simms Jr. praised his team’s commitment to academics.

“I emphasize academics not only because of the obvious reason of being eligible to participate in the sport we love, but I know what having a degree does for the possibilities down the road in life. Having a degree can open more doors of opportunity at some point. And, by the way, if you are going to do it, then do it at a high level. It’s your name that’s on it. Go all in or don’t go at all.”

The classroom success complements another strong season on the lanes. UMES finished as the 2026 MEAC Tournament runner-up, while several Hawks earned All-MEAC recognition during the season. Although the program narrowly missed another conference championship, it remained among the nation’s top bowling teams throughout the year.

Academic excellence has long been a hallmark of UMES bowling. The program owns multiple NCAA national championships and has established itself as one of the premier collegiate bowling programs in the country. Adding another national academic honor only strengthens that legacy and demonstrates that the Hawks continue to excel in every aspect of the student-athlete experience.

MSB Take

Winning championships will always be the goal, but what UMES accomplished in the classroom deserves just as much recognition. Finishing with the second-highest team GPA in the nation is an extraordinary achievement and speaks volumes about the culture within the Hawks’ bowling program. Maryland Sports Blog congratulates Coach Ronald Simms Jr., his staff, and all five student-athletes on representing UMES with excellence both academically and athletically.