Aggies Announce Inaugural Vernell Stallings Bowling Invitational

Aggies Announce Inaugural Vernell Stallings Bowling Invitational

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 29, 2019) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University announced its women’s bowling team will host the inaugural Vernell Stallings Women’s Bowling Invitational this fall.

The tournament, scheduled for Nov. 15-17 at AMF Lanes, 910 S. Holden Road, Greensboro, will feature at least 10 teams.

The event honors Stallings, a 1964 North Carolina A&T State University graduate who led his alma mater to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) bowling titles in 1996, 1997 and 1999, before the conference fully sponsored the sport. He retired as the team’s first head coach after the 1999 championship season.

“Coach Stallings has been instrumental in providing the foundation of the bowling program here at A&T,” Aggies head bowling coach Kim Terrell-Kearney said. “Without his many years of hard work, these young ladies may not have all the opportunities we can offer them today.  I am so thankful for all he has done, and we are honored to host this event in his name.”

Stallings, who earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial arts education, returned to N.C. A&T in 1979 after serving in the Vietnam War to become associate director of the Memorial Student Union, a position he held for 22 years. The university recognized Stallings’ dedication by naming the facility’s ballroom for him.

Recently, Stallings bestowed a gift to the bowling program that will allow for the purchase of SPECTO Bowling training software, which is used by previous NCAA bowling champions.

“Mr. Stallings' gift puts our program in the upper echelon of the top women's bowling programs in the nation,” said Eric Hart, executive director of major gifts for the N.C. A&T Athletics Department. “Additionally, the scholarship endowment he has created gives Coach Kearney the ability to attract, recruit and retain some of the world’s best collegiate bowlers.”

The N.C. A&T bowling team, widely considered one of the best in the nation, won the MEAC title in 2018. It has been to the NCAA tournament twice in the last five seasons and in 2015 won the International Team Championship (ITC) national title, sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress.

The Aggies begin the 2019-20 season with a trip to Harahan, La., for the Tulane University Sugar Bowl Invitational, Oct. 18-20.

The first MEAC meet is Nov. 8-10 in Baltimore, a week before the Vernell Stallings Women’s Bowling Invitational.

The MEAC Bowling Championship Tournament is March 20-22 in Chesapeake, Va., followed by the NCAA regionals from April 3-4.