UMES DROPS TO FOURTH IN LATEST NATIONAL POLL G. STAN BRADLEY 12/14/11 Hawks collect four first place votes in December voting. HACKENSACK, N.J.-The National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) December poll was released earlier this week and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) fell to fourth place, down from first in the previous poll. The Lady Hawks amassed 518 points and collected four first place votes. After struggling on the final day of both the FDU New Jersey Jamboree and their own Hawk Classic, finishing fifth and fourth respectively, UMES fell in the latest poll, voted on by head coach members of the NTCA. The Hawks currently stand at 37-9 and sport a perfect 20-0 mark in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play. The upstart Crusaders of Valparaiso University claimed the polls top spot, catapulting up from last month's 18th overall ranking, the biggest leap since the poll's inception in 2005. Valpo, currently 30-8, won two of the three tournaments they bowled in and notched eight first place votes and 582 total points. They edged out Fairleigh Dickinson University by just two points (580) who is in second and claimed six first place votes. FDU, currently at 45-12 has won two events they have bowled in and taken second and third in two others. The point difference in the two is the smallest difference since the April 2007 poll when Nebraska was voted No. 1 over FDU by one point in that poll. Sacred Heart, jumping up from ninth place overall edged UMES by 36 points (554) and also claimed four first place votes. They are currently first in the Northeast Conference (NEC) and took tournament finishes of second, fourth and sixth this season. Sam Houston State was fifth, Vanderbilt and Central Missouri are tied for sixth and Nebraska and Arkansas State are tied for eighth. New Jersey City rounded out the top ten. MEAC members Delaware State and Norfolk State are currently 12th and 13th overall while Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M are both receiving votes. UMES is currently idle until mid-January when they head to the Mid-Winter Classic in Little Rock, Arkansas.