College tournament to showcase NAIA programs
March 30, 2011
ARLINGTON, Texas - For the first time since 1978, member schools of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) will compete in a dedicated national tournament when the NAIA Invitational takes place this weekend.
A total of 24 men's teams and 23 women's teams will travel to Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis for the competition, which will be conducted April 1-3. BOWL.com will have wire-to-wire live streaming of the event.
"More than 80 percent of all NAIA teams will be competing in this event, which is a tremendous turnout," International Bowling Campus High School and Collegiate Manager Gary Brown said. "It's our hope that this event will be a showcase event for other NAIA schools to begin college bowling programs."
Among the schools competing in the NAIA Invitational are six men's teams and six women's teams which advanced to the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships in Columbus, Ga., from April 21-23.
On the men's side, Calumet, Davenport, Lindenwood, Pikeville, Robert Morris (Illinois) and Webber International will compete in both events. For the women, Lindenwood, McKendree, Midland, Pikeville, Robert Morris (Illinois) and Webber International will look for titles at each event.
The NAIA Invitational begins Friday with all teams taking part in 24 games of qualifying utilizing the Baker system (five players combine to form one team game). All teams advance to the double-elimination bracket, which starts Saturday and continues until champions are crowned Sunday afternoon.
NAIA schools competed against each other from 1962-1978, crowning championships annually in team, singles and doubles competition. St. Vincent's won the last team title in 1978.
NAIA elevated bowling to emerging sport status last summer. The move by one of the nation's governing bodies for collegiate athletics puts bowling on the path to becoming a championship sport for dozens of additional colleges and universities across the country.
In the 2010-11 season, teams from 28 schools fielded bowling teams. If 50 or more NAIA member institutions designate bowling as a varsity sport, then bowling will be eligible for championship sport status and an NAIA national championship.
The NAIA has 50,000 student-athletes participating at nearly 300 member colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. Divided into 25 conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions, the NAIA offers 23 championships in 13 sports. All NAIA bowling programs are members of USBC Collegiate.
2011 NAIA INVITATIONAL
(At Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, April 1-3)
TEAMS COMPETING
(Men's and women's teams competing unless noted)
Bethel
Calumet
Campbellsville
Clarke
Cumberland
Davenport
Grand View
Indiana Tech
Lindenwood
Marian
Martin Methodist
McKendree
Midland
Missouri Baptist
Notre Dame (Ohio)
Our Lady of the Lake
Pikeville
Robert Morris (Illinois)
Siena Heights
St. Ambrose
St. Catherine (men only)
Viterbo
Webber International
William Penn
A total of 24 men's teams and 23 women's teams will travel to Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis for the competition, which will be conducted April 1-3. BOWL.com will have wire-to-wire live streaming of the event."More than 80 percent of all NAIA teams will be competing in this event, which is a tremendous turnout," International Bowling Campus High School and Collegiate Manager Gary Brown said. "It's our hope that this event will be a showcase event for other NAIA schools to begin college bowling programs."
Among the schools competing in the NAIA Invitational are six men's teams and six women's teams which advanced to the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships in Columbus, Ga., from April 21-23.
On the men's side, Calumet, Davenport, Lindenwood, Pikeville, Robert Morris (Illinois) and Webber International will compete in both events. For the women, Lindenwood, McKendree, Midland, Pikeville, Robert Morris (Illinois) and Webber International will look for titles at each event.
The NAIA Invitational begins Friday with all teams taking part in 24 games of qualifying utilizing the Baker system (five players combine to form one team game). All teams advance to the double-elimination bracket, which starts Saturday and continues until champions are crowned Sunday afternoon.
NAIA schools competed against each other from 1962-1978, crowning championships annually in team, singles and doubles competition. St. Vincent's won the last team title in 1978.
NAIA elevated bowling to emerging sport status last summer. The move by one of the nation's governing bodies for collegiate athletics puts bowling on the path to becoming a championship sport for dozens of additional colleges and universities across the country.
In the 2010-11 season, teams from 28 schools fielded bowling teams. If 50 or more NAIA member institutions designate bowling as a varsity sport, then bowling will be eligible for championship sport status and an NAIA national championship.
The NAIA has 50,000 student-athletes participating at nearly 300 member colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. Divided into 25 conferences and the Association of Independent Institutions, the NAIA offers 23 championships in 13 sports. All NAIA bowling programs are members of USBC Collegiate.
2011 NAIA INVITATIONAL
(At Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, April 1-3)
TEAMS COMPETING
(Men's and women's teams competing unless noted)
Bethel
Calumet
Campbellsville
Clarke
Cumberland
Davenport
Grand View
Indiana Tech
Lindenwood
Marian
Martin Methodist
McKendree
Midland
Missouri Baptist
Notre Dame (Ohio)
Our Lady of the Lake
Pikeville
Robert Morris (Illinois)
Siena Heights
St. Ambrose
St. Catherine (men only)
Viterbo
Webber International
William Penn