Head coach Jeff Fleck has seen steady development since the Raiders program transitioned to the NCAA ranks. The Wright State women improved from 92 to 46 in the NCAA RPI and from 65 to 28 in the United States Bowling Congress power rankings from the 2022-23 to 2023-24 season. Not even in the top 50 in the overall Power Index during the 2022-23 season, the Raiders were 36th out of 96 teams this year.
“They’re knocking on my door and they’re sending me emails,” Fleck said of potential Raiders. “Of the bowlers we wanted to get, 90 percent or more are committing.”
From conference bowlers of the year to all-state honorees, the seven incoming freshmen are a who’s who of the best Ohio high school bowlers. A few incoming Raiders won’t be far from home as a pair of Trojans will join the team — Troy’s Aiyana Godwin and Kiandra Smith, the 2023 and 2024 Miami Valley League bowlers of the year, respectively.
Several of the incoming Raiders competed on the best teams in the state this season as the Trojans finished second in the Division I state tournament while Hannah Dingledine, Faith Ford and the Mechanicsburg team placed second in the D-II state tournament. Addyson Meshew and the Triway squad also advanced to the D-II state championship round.
“These bowlers are good individually and they are coming from good teams,” McKee said. “They are going to push each other to be better.”
From 12 to 14 and now, 17, the Raiders team has continued to grow both in quality and quantity. There is however a challenge with that growth.
“The good and the bad is that we have 17 talented bowlers, but those 17 girls are competing for the top eight spots,” Fleck said. “But I know if we’re growing like this, we must be doing something right.”
Wright State women’s bowling recruiting class
(High School in parentheses)
* Jada Baker (Ashland) – 2024 Division I first team All-Ohio; Ohio Cardinal Conference Bowler of the Year (2023, ‘24)
* Hannah Dingledine (Mechanicsburg) – Division II Central District individual runner-up (2023, ‘24); 18-U State Pepsi Tournament champion (2023)
* Faith Ford (Mechanicsburg) – Ohio Heritage Conference first team (2023, ‘24)
* Aiyana Godwin (Troy) – D-I individual state runner-up (2023); Miami Valley League Bowler of the Year (2023)
* Addyson Meshew (Triway) – Three-time D-II All-Ohio Team; individual state runner-up (2023)
* Kiandra Smith (Troy) – D-I first team All-Ohio (2024); Miami Valley League Bowler of the Year (2024)
* Heather Walker (Mentor) – Greater Cleveland Conference Winter Sports Player of the Year (2023, ‘24)
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