Opening ceremony kicks off excitement at 2026 USBC Open Championships
March 14, 2026
RENO, Nev. – The 122nd edition of the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships got underway Saturday in The Biggest Little City in the World as the first of more than 11,000 teams took to the lanes at the National Bowling Stadium.
The 2026 event marks the tournament’s 15th trip to Reno, Nevada, and 12th visit to the famed Taj Mahal of Tenpins. Competition will be held over 128 consecutive days and conclude July 19.
The 53 teams on Saturday’s squad were treated to an opening ceremony featuring plenty of excitement, starting with the selection of Vicki Larsen of Caldwell, Idaho, as “Josephine Bowler.”
The ceremony also included speeches from Visit Reno Tahoe CEO and President Mike Larragueta, City of Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, Caesars Entertainment Senior Vice President and General Manager Mark Huse and USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy, a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and an acrobatic performance by members of Cirque Alice – the latest show at Eldorado, running from March 13-July 26.
The Mass Ball Shot also took place Saturday at the NBS as a member of each team rolled a ball down the lane at the same time.
The “Joe Bowler” tradition at the USBC Open Championships dates back to 1951, but last year’s event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, welcomed the first “Josephine Bowler” as Shellie Camarata of Chino Hills, California, earned the distinction.
Larsen’s selection Saturday helped make it two in a row for “Josephine Bowler,” and she lived up to the moment while donning a tiara, cape and scepter. In delivering the ceremonial first ball to officially start the 2026 event, she recorded a nine count, leaving only the 10 pin standing.
“It was fun, but I was definitely kind of nervous,” Larsen said. “I don’t really like being out in the spotlight – I’m more of a person who likes being in the background.
“It’s going to be a good story for my kids and grandkids someday.”
Bowlers will compete in three games each of team, doubles and singles across three average-based divisions (Regular, Standard and Classified). Titles also will be awarded in each division for all-events (combines all three sets for a nine-game total).
One team will take home the win in 2026 for Team All-Events, which combines the nine-game scores for all five team members to determine the champion.
With the opening team squad in the books, the early leaders in 2026 include Storm Bowling of Fort Worth, Texas, in the Regular Division with 2,857. The group – featuring President of Storm Bowling Tyler Jensen, Corbet Austin, Chris Gittins, 2015 Regular Team champion Rob Gotchall and Brett Cooper – had games of 934, 932 and 991.
A pair of groups tied at 2,640 for the top score in Standard Team on Saturday. Maple Family Centers 1 of Rockville Centre, New York, got to the top of the standings with 938, 829 and 873, while Plaza Lanes of St. Charles, Missouri, posted games of 854, 881 and 905.
Maple Family Centers 1 included Anthony Bruno, James Constantinides, William Latham, Joseph Schwartz and Timothy Rice. Plaza Lanes was represented by Jason Belt, Shaun Ostmann, Cody Ostmann, Brad Ostmann and Larry Darvas.
The members of Hoosier Connection #2 of Brownsburg, Indiana, set the pace in Classified Team with 2,352. The squad – featuring Brad Wilkie, Julie Wacasey, Jesse Brown, Thomas Bechtel and Keith Settles II – rolled games of 888, 753 and 711.
The first doubles and singles squad of the 2026 event will get underway at 7 a.m. Pacific on Sunday.
Reno’s premier resort casinos – Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus (Caesars Entertainment) – will serve as the presenting sponsors and hosting hotels for the 2026 Open Championships.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The 2026 event marks the tournament’s 15th trip to Reno, Nevada, and 12th visit to the famed Taj Mahal of Tenpins. Competition will be held over 128 consecutive days and conclude July 19.
The 53 teams on Saturday’s squad were treated to an opening ceremony featuring plenty of excitement, starting with the selection of Vicki Larsen of Caldwell, Idaho, as “Josephine Bowler.”
The ceremony also included speeches from Visit Reno Tahoe CEO and President Mike Larragueta, City of Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, Caesars Entertainment Senior Vice President and General Manager Mark Huse and USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy, a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and an acrobatic performance by members of Cirque Alice – the latest show at Eldorado, running from March 13-July 26.
The Mass Ball Shot also took place Saturday at the NBS as a member of each team rolled a ball down the lane at the same time.
The “Joe Bowler” tradition at the USBC Open Championships dates back to 1951, but last year’s event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, welcomed the first “Josephine Bowler” as Shellie Camarata of Chino Hills, California, earned the distinction.
Larsen’s selection Saturday helped make it two in a row for “Josephine Bowler,” and she lived up to the moment while donning a tiara, cape and scepter. In delivering the ceremonial first ball to officially start the 2026 event, she recorded a nine count, leaving only the 10 pin standing.
“It was fun, but I was definitely kind of nervous,” Larsen said. “I don’t really like being out in the spotlight – I’m more of a person who likes being in the background.
“It’s going to be a good story for my kids and grandkids someday.”
Bowlers will compete in three games each of team, doubles and singles across three average-based divisions (Regular, Standard and Classified). Titles also will be awarded in each division for all-events (combines all three sets for a nine-game total).
One team will take home the win in 2026 for Team All-Events, which combines the nine-game scores for all five team members to determine the champion.
With the opening team squad in the books, the early leaders in 2026 include Storm Bowling of Fort Worth, Texas, in the Regular Division with 2,857. The group – featuring President of Storm Bowling Tyler Jensen, Corbet Austin, Chris Gittins, 2015 Regular Team champion Rob Gotchall and Brett Cooper – had games of 934, 932 and 991.
A pair of groups tied at 2,640 for the top score in Standard Team on Saturday. Maple Family Centers 1 of Rockville Centre, New York, got to the top of the standings with 938, 829 and 873, while Plaza Lanes of St. Charles, Missouri, posted games of 854, 881 and 905.
Maple Family Centers 1 included Anthony Bruno, James Constantinides, William Latham, Joseph Schwartz and Timothy Rice. Plaza Lanes was represented by Jason Belt, Shaun Ostmann, Cody Ostmann, Brad Ostmann and Larry Darvas.
The members of Hoosier Connection #2 of Brownsburg, Indiana, set the pace in Classified Team with 2,352. The squad – featuring Brad Wilkie, Julie Wacasey, Jesse Brown, Thomas Bechtel and Keith Settles II – rolled games of 888, 753 and 711.
The first doubles and singles squad of the 2026 event will get underway at 7 a.m. Pacific on Sunday.
Reno’s premier resort casinos – Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus (Caesars Entertainment) – will serve as the presenting sponsors and hosting hotels for the 2026 Open Championships.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.