Illinois crew takes Standard lead at 2026 USBC Open Championships
March 28, 2026
Pictured above (from left): Dustin Gromer, Mike Simmons, Adam Lubert, Jesse Fox, Matthew Nanos
RENO, Nev. – For college basketball fans, nothing beats a Cinderella story in March.
For the members of Cinderella Shoes, however, the tale told Saturday at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships involved a return trip to the top of the standings.
The group representing Bradley, Illinois, rolled scores of 933, 1,016 and 946 at the National Bowling Stadium to take the lead in Standard Team with a 2,895 total. Stone Brewing Company of Tarrytown, New York, previously held the top spot with 2,890.
Anchor Matthew Nanos left a 4 pin on his first delivery in the final frame of Game 3 and covered the spare to keep the team’s chances intact. He struck on his fill ball to secure the lead.
The crew in 2026 included Dustin Gromer (589 series), Mike Simmons (514), Adam Lubert (621), Jesse Fox (614) and Nanos (557).
The performance served as a flashback to 2022 for Lubert, Fox and Nanos. They hit the lanes in Las Vegas that year with Jordan Fox and Shea Nanos, and the group was able to take the lead in Standard Team with a 3,005 total. They maintained their spot at the top of the leaderboard for just over two weeks, ultimately finishing in fourth place.
“It felt similar to be in that moment again,” Jesse Fox said. “It was nice for us to have been on that team, because we knew what it felt like to be there. It’s cool to be back.
“We wish we would have done a little better. We know it won’t hold up, but at least we’re there now. That was the goal when we came here.”
In 2022, Cinderella Shoes started strong, firing 1,078. The first game in 2026 didn’t have the best beginning or middle, but you couldn’t write a much better ending.
Four of the five bowlers struck out in the 10th frame, setting up the push toward passing 1,000 in Game 2.
“We were off to a slow start and just trying to hold it together,” Fox said. “We knew that if we could put some spares and strikes together, we could get right back in it. We had the big finish to Game 1, and that kind of ignited the whole thing and got us back on track to where we needed to be.”
Although the teammates were excited to take the lead, they already knew their trip in 2026 was going to one to remember regardless of the final scores.
Prior to the start of their squad Saturday, their three-team group was able to celebrate Lonnie Netzel’s 50th appearance at the Open Championships.
“Lonnie’s 50th is a heck of an accomplishment,” Fox said. “We’ve been looking forward to this for years, and I’m glad we all made it out here for him.”
Standard Team features five-player groups with combined entering averages of 801-905.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
RENO, Nev. – For college basketball fans, nothing beats a Cinderella story in March.
For the members of Cinderella Shoes, however, the tale told Saturday at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships involved a return trip to the top of the standings.
The group representing Bradley, Illinois, rolled scores of 933, 1,016 and 946 at the National Bowling Stadium to take the lead in Standard Team with a 2,895 total. Stone Brewing Company of Tarrytown, New York, previously held the top spot with 2,890.
Anchor Matthew Nanos left a 4 pin on his first delivery in the final frame of Game 3 and covered the spare to keep the team’s chances intact. He struck on his fill ball to secure the lead.
The crew in 2026 included Dustin Gromer (589 series), Mike Simmons (514), Adam Lubert (621), Jesse Fox (614) and Nanos (557).
The performance served as a flashback to 2022 for Lubert, Fox and Nanos. They hit the lanes in Las Vegas that year with Jordan Fox and Shea Nanos, and the group was able to take the lead in Standard Team with a 3,005 total. They maintained their spot at the top of the leaderboard for just over two weeks, ultimately finishing in fourth place.
“It felt similar to be in that moment again,” Jesse Fox said. “It was nice for us to have been on that team, because we knew what it felt like to be there. It’s cool to be back.
“We wish we would have done a little better. We know it won’t hold up, but at least we’re there now. That was the goal when we came here.”
In 2022, Cinderella Shoes started strong, firing 1,078. The first game in 2026 didn’t have the best beginning or middle, but you couldn’t write a much better ending.
Four of the five bowlers struck out in the 10th frame, setting up the push toward passing 1,000 in Game 2.
“We were off to a slow start and just trying to hold it together,” Fox said. “We knew that if we could put some spares and strikes together, we could get right back in it. We had the big finish to Game 1, and that kind of ignited the whole thing and got us back on track to where we needed to be.”
Although the teammates were excited to take the lead, they already knew their trip in 2026 was going to one to remember regardless of the final scores.
Prior to the start of their squad Saturday, their three-team group was able to celebrate Lonnie Netzel’s 50th appearance at the Open Championships.
“Lonnie’s 50th is a heck of an accomplishment,” Fox said. “We’ve been looking forward to this for years, and I’m glad we all made it out here for him.”
Standard Team features five-player groups with combined entering averages of 801-905.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.