Former Junior Team USA members lead Diamond Doubles at 2017 USBC Women's Championships
May 25, 2017
By Matt Cannizzaro and Scott Simon
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Junior Gold Championships, Junior Team USA and college bowling have been proven steppingstones for continued success on the lanes, and Katelyn Simpson of Emmett, Idaho, and Mary Wells of Johnstown, Ohio, continued the trend Thursday at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.
The two combined for games of 440, 467 and 470 at the Raising Cane's River Center and surged into the lead in Diamond Doubles with a 1,378 total. Melissa Van Dyke of Parma, Ohio, and Heidi Sanders of Xenia, Ohio, previously held the lead with 1,332.
Simpson, a 22-year-old right-hander, led the doubles effort with a 732 series, while Wells, also a 22-year-old right-hander, added 646.
The two spent time together on Junior Team USA in 2015 and bowled collegiately at Pikeville and Central Missouri, respectively. This season, Simpson, a graduate assistant, served as part of the Pikeville coaching staff.
Most recently, Simpson and Wells competed in the USBC Queens, which also was held at the River Center, helping them to get familiar with the lanes and environment prior to competing in the Women's Championships.
Simpson made the cut to match play at the Queens but was eliminated after losing her first two matches. Wells did not advance to the double-elimination match-play bracket.
"I felt very comfortable bowling the Queens, and it carried over to today," said Simpson, who earned multiple first-team All-America honors while at Pikeville. "I was definitely disappointed when my run ended at the Queens, so I was excited to get back on the lanes and try again."
After a disappointing performance at the Queens, Wells admitted her team event at the Women's Championships didn't go much better.
"I just needed a couple days break to get my mind right," said Wells, who made her third Women's Championships appearance. "After the team event for me, it was a matter of making some lineup changes and figuring out how to get the ball through the pins correctly."
Simpson also took advantage of the short break between the Queens and the second Women's Championships appearance of her career, though she still was at the River Center watching friends bowl.
Her overall performance at the Women's Championships included sets of 660 in team and 634 in singles for a 2,026 all-events total, which is third in Diamond All-Events. Jennifer King of Irmo, South Carolina, leads with 2,046.
Wells moved into eighth place in Diamond Singles with a 687 series and added 539 in team for a 1,872 total. Taylor Bulthuis of Coral Springs, Florida, leads Diamond Singles with 746.
Both women said even with their success in youth and collegiate bowling, being the leaders at the Women's Championships is the biggest thrill in their young careers.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Junior Gold Championships, Junior Team USA and college bowling have been proven steppingstones for continued success on the lanes, and Katelyn Simpson of Emmett, Idaho, and Mary Wells of Johnstown, Ohio, continued the trend Thursday at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.
The two combined for games of 440, 467 and 470 at the Raising Cane's River Center and surged into the lead in Diamond Doubles with a 1,378 total. Melissa Van Dyke of Parma, Ohio, and Heidi Sanders of Xenia, Ohio, previously held the lead with 1,332.
Simpson, a 22-year-old right-hander, led the doubles effort with a 732 series, while Wells, also a 22-year-old right-hander, added 646.
The two spent time together on Junior Team USA in 2015 and bowled collegiately at Pikeville and Central Missouri, respectively. This season, Simpson, a graduate assistant, served as part of the Pikeville coaching staff.
Most recently, Simpson and Wells competed in the USBC Queens, which also was held at the River Center, helping them to get familiar with the lanes and environment prior to competing in the Women's Championships.
Simpson made the cut to match play at the Queens but was eliminated after losing her first two matches. Wells did not advance to the double-elimination match-play bracket.
"I felt very comfortable bowling the Queens, and it carried over to today," said Simpson, who earned multiple first-team All-America honors while at Pikeville. "I was definitely disappointed when my run ended at the Queens, so I was excited to get back on the lanes and try again."
After a disappointing performance at the Queens, Wells admitted her team event at the Women's Championships didn't go much better.
"I just needed a couple days break to get my mind right," said Wells, who made her third Women's Championships appearance. "After the team event for me, it was a matter of making some lineup changes and figuring out how to get the ball through the pins correctly."
Simpson also took advantage of the short break between the Queens and the second Women's Championships appearance of her career, though she still was at the River Center watching friends bowl.
Her overall performance at the Women's Championships included sets of 660 in team and 634 in singles for a 2,026 all-events total, which is third in Diamond All-Events. Jennifer King of Irmo, South Carolina, leads with 2,046.
Wells moved into eighth place in Diamond Singles with a 687 series and added 539 in team for a 1,872 total. Taylor Bulthuis of Coral Springs, Florida, leads Diamond Singles with 746.
Both women said even with their success in youth and collegiate bowling, being the leaders at the Women's Championships is the biggest thrill in their young careers.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.