Collegiate sectional assignments announced

ARLINGTON, Texas - The nation's top college bowling teams can begin charting their course toward the 2012 national title as sectional-qualifying assignments were handed out Wednesday for the 2012 United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships.

The four sectional qualifiers will be held March 10-11 at AMF Parkway Lanes in Allentown, Pa.; AMF Euless Lanes in Euless, Texas; St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Ill.; and Smyrna Bowling Center in Smyrna, Tenn.

The top four teams in each division at each sectional will advance to the 2012 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships, which will be held April 19-21 at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb.

On the men's side, Robert Morris-Illinois, the No. 1 program in Team Ranking System points, will compete in the Fairview Heights sectional along with No. 4 William Penn. No. 2 Lindenwood will headline the field at the Allentown sectional, while No. 3 Morehead State will head to the Smyrna sectional. No. 5 Wichita State will be the top-ranked team in Euless.



In women's competition, No. 1 Pikeville will be the featured team at the Smyrna sectional. No. 2 Wichita State will head to the Euless sectional, while No. 3 Lindenwood will be in Allentown. No. 4 Robert Morris-Illinois will compete in Fairview Heights.

The complete men's and women's 2012 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships Sectional Qualifier field (teams listed in alphabetical order):

MEN
Allentown Sectional

Briarcliffe, Canisius, Corning CC, Davenport, Hudson Valley CC, Indiana Tech, Lindenwood, Michigan State, Penn State-Berks, Penn State, Rochester Tech, Sacred Heart, Schenectady County CC, St. John's, Stony Brook, Temple, Urbana, Virginia Tech, Webber International, William Paterson

Euless Sectional
Arizona, Arizona State, Ashford, Campbellsville, Central Oklahoma, Fresno State, Houston, Kansas, Marian, Midland, New Mexico, North Texas, San Jose State, Texas A&M, UC-Davis, UNLV, Viterbo, Weber State, West Texas A&M, Wichita State

Fairview Heights Sectional
Bowling Green, Calumet, Clarke, Lindenwood-Belleville, Minnesota State, Missouri Baptist, Nebraska, Newman, North Dakota State, Northwestern Ohio, Purdue, Robert Morris-Illinois, St. Ambrose, Toledo, Western Illinois, William Penn, Winona State, Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin-Whitewater

Smyrna Sectional
Central Florida, Cumberland, Florida State, Grand View, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Martin Methodist, McKendree, Morehead State, N.C. State, Notre Dame-Ohio, Ohio State, Pikeville, Rock Valley, Saginaw Valley State, St. Catharine, Vincennes, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wright State

WOMEN
Allentown Sectional

Adelphi, Adrian, Briarcliffe, Davenport, Herkimer County CC, Indiana Tech, Kutztown, Lindenwood, Long Island, Maryland Eastern Shore, Mohawk Valley CC, Norfolk State, Schenectady County CC, St. Francis-Pennsylvania, Urbana, Webber International, Youngstown State

Euless Sectional
Ashford, Baker, Bethel, Campbellsville, Fresno State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Marian, Midland, Southwestern Christian, Stephen F. Austin, Viterbo, West Texas A&M, Wichita State

Fairview Heights Sectional
Bellarmine, Bowling Green, Calumet, Clarke, Illinois State, Lindenwood-Belleville, Minnesota State, Mount Mercy, Newman, Northwestern Ohio, Purdue, Robert Morris-Illinois, Robert Morris-Lake County, Robert Morris-Peoria, St. Ambrose, William Penn, Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Smyrna Sectional
Ball State, Delaware State, Florida, Florida State, Grand View, Louisville, Martin Methodist, McKendree, Morehead State, Notre Dame-Ohio, Ohio State, Pikeville, St. Catharine, Ursuline, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Wright State

Sectional assignments are based on the Team Ranking System points earned in USBC Collegiate-certified competition throughout the season. USBC Collegiate attempts to place no more than two of the top eight schools and no more than four of the top 16 schools in a sectional based on final TRS totals. Sectional qualifier fields are determined by taking geographic distance, economics and field size into consideration.

The sectionals will consist of 32 Baker games each day for a total of 64 Baker games. The top four teams based on total pinfall in each division following the completion of competition at each sectional will advance to the 2012 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships.

In addition, these four locations will host qualifying for the 2012 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships on March 9. Competitors at each of the four sectional events will bowl six games with 24 men and 16 women - the top four men and top four women at each sectional plus eight additional selections from the men's field based on size of field at each location - advancing to the national singles tournament on April 17 at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb.

For more information on USBC Collegiate, visit BOWL.com/collegiate.