Strikes delivered in Diamond Division at 2024 USBC Women’s Championships
May 02, 2024
RENO, Nev. – The first week of the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships featured plenty of excitement from bowlers in the Diamond Division, which included a pair of 300 games at the National Bowling Stadium and big scores setting the pace in team, doubles, singles and all-events.
The start of the 104th edition of the USBC Women’s Championships nearly aligned with the beginning of the 2024 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season, so several competitors used the trip to Reno to serve as a final test at the national level before heading to Eagan, Minnesota, for the PWBA GoBowling! Twin Cities Open.
The strikes started in team competition Monday, with the members of Own It 2 of Brigham City, Utah, getting to the top spot with a 2,676 total.
Powered by Brianna MacLeod’s 799 series, the team fired games of 910, 830 and 936 to lead the jam-packed squad.
MacLeod was joined by Kristina Rosberg (658 series), Sue-Ling Utley (621) and Summer Jasmin (598) in the team’s rise to the top of the standings.
MacLeod’s performance was highlighted by games of 279, 224 and 296 at the 78-lane venue. The 296 game saw MacLeod leave the 3-6-9-10 on her final delivery.
“I had gotten there early and watched the earlier squads to give myself an idea of what they were using and what part of the lane they were playing,” said MacLeod, who made her second appearance at the Women’s Championships. “It also helped being on a pair with a bunch of women that have more experience than I do. I can look at them and ask questions, and they can help me line up. From practice, I started with my Radical Hitter and just loved the way it looked. We really communicated well to get everyone lined up.
“I honestly didn’t even know I had a chance for 800 going into that 10th frame. I was definitely well aware that I had the front nine going in. When I threw the first shot in the 10th frame, I turned around and saw the whole group behind me and it made me feel even better. It was definitely a little more nerve-wracking being out at nationals and still not having a 300. On top of that, that was the pair my dad had 299 on (at the USBC Open Championships), so that was in the back of my head as well. Sadly, the last shot didn’t go my way, but I couldn’t be happier with the overall performance.”
MacLeod, Utley and Rosberg bowled team together at last year’s Women’s Championships in Las Vegas, and Jasmin was a new addition to the group in Reno.
The team quickly found the right rhythm and saw it all come together with a strong final game.
“Our team got off to a really good start, and Brianna had a great first game,” said Jasmin, making her eighth tournament appearance. “She threw it great for all three games. Sue-Ling and Kristina were out there throwing it well. We kind of gelled a little bit and then found our footing toward the end of it. I know our crossing lane was making a run as well, which made it more fun. We were all working together trying to get there and rooting everyone on. It’s cool to be part of something like that. It’s pretty cool to leave Reno on top of that leaderboard.”
MacLeod echoed how the team came together and relied on the larger group during the performance, and now, the teammates get to wait and see if their number is enough to record the win in Reno.
“I think it’s just the experience on the team, honestly,” MacLeod said. “Not just our team, but the whole group we go out with. They’re bowling regionals, PWBA national events or have a lot of experience here at nationals. We all come from different parts of the country, so coming together and getting to bowl with this impressive team is always just easy.
“I think it would be absolutely amazing. We definitely put a number out there that could be very hard to beat, but I know a bunch of great bowlers are coming up at the end of the year. I couldn’t be happier. It would be awesome to win a title with this group of ladies. I think we are more than deserving, and I can’t wait to also give it a run next year.”
The excitement transitioned to doubles and singles Tuesday, and the pair of Erin Czuprynski of New Lenox, Illinois, and Amber Thompson of Danville, Indiana, stole the show with a 1,474 total, the sixth highest doubles score in tournament history.
Czuprynski led the way with games of 225, 257 and 288 for a 770 series, and Thompson rolled games of 268, 191 and 245 for a 704 total.
“We worked very well together as a team and broke the lanes down,” said Czuprynski, who made her second appearance at the Women’s Championships. “We were focusing on one shot at a time, and everything seemed to flow.”
The focus for Czuprynski and Thompson helped get them through the set, and they continued to just learn from the previous game.
“We’ve all been lifelong bowlers, and this year, we seemed to get into the rhythm faster than last year,” Czuprynski said. “We learn from every tournament. We were really good at being present, and that’s normally when you do your best. Not really thinking about the score but focusing on one shot at a time.”
Finishing their time in Reno, they had the goal of winning their event. Accomplishing the high score and taking the lead was the first step, and now, they hope to see if it’s enough to stay at the top for the 2024 event.
“Taking the Diamond home and hoping that score is good to stay,” said Czuprynski, talking about her final thoughts on the performance.
In singles competition, a pair of bowlers tied for the top spot in the Diamond Division with a 760 total.
Amber MacLeod of Conway, South Carolina, and Michelle Abner of Cleves, Ohio, finished their block with matching scores to share the lead.
Amber MacLeod, the older sister to Brianna MacLeod, rolled the first perfect game of the 2024 Women’s Championships to start singles, and she added 236 and 224 to post her number.
Abner had games of 266, 225 and 269 to get to her final tally.
For Amber MacLeod, there certainly was a friendly rivalry with her sister after she watched Brianna roll 296 on Monday, but it’s all love and support for the talented siblings on and off the lanes.
“I was actually very nervous, I’m not going to lie. My little sister shot 296 yesterday, so I couldn’t let her beat me,” joked Amber MacLeod.
Brianna MacLeod was excited to be able to share the moment with her sister on the national stage.
“Honestly, it’s amazing,” Brianna MacLeod said. “Ever since she moved to South Carolina and I stayed in New Jersey, we don’t get as many chances to bowl together. Any chance we do get to bowl together, we like to take it. It’s always just amazing to have her behind me every shot and being able to be there for her as well.”
The strikes had already added up for members of the group through team and doubles competition at the National Bowling Stadium, so Amber MacLeod sensed that someone would breakthrough for all 12 strikes.
“I’ve been with this same group of girls for five years now, which is amazing, and they’re all super supportive to me,” Amber MacLeod said. “Someone in our group had to do it. You saw my sister roll 296. Kayla (Pashina) had 299, and we were all super close. Somebody had to do it. So, I took just a couple of deep breaths and then started my shot.”
Amber MacLeod had finished third in Diamond Doubles at the 2023 event with two-time champion Elysia Current of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, so she had hoped to make another run with Current on Tuesday.
After a 191 start in doubles, she found some momentum with 257 and 232 for a 680 series to help the pair into the top 10 with a 1,350 total and was able to keep it going into singles.
“My doubles partner and I came in third last year, so we were kind of coming back this year with a vengeance,” Amber MacLeod said. “Although it didn’t happen, it’s OK. I’m happy I found a good look and just ran with it.”
For Abner, her performance comes after spending some time focusing on her family.
“This means a lot,” Abner said. “I took a lot of time off when I had both of my sons, and I’ve just started finally getting back into bowling. To come out here and compete with the women that I do, and to be able to bowl the way I did, it’s great. My support system is fantastic between my teammates, my husband and my family, and it means the world to me.”
Abner had the chance to shoot 280 in her final game of singles to take the overall lead, and after the first strike in the 10th frame, she recorded a nine count and made the spare to share the top spot.
“I honestly didn’t even know how close we were until I stepped up in the 10th,” Abner said. “I really wanted the second one. When I came back and made my spare, I just so happened to look over and see Amber’s score. To be tied with one of my teammates, one of my sister teams, it’s incredible.”
Abner was making her fourth appearance at the Women’s Championships this week, but it was her first time competing at the National Bowling Stadium.
“This is actually my first time here,” Abner said. “I’ve never bowled here at the Stadium before, so I was a little intimidated coming in. I love South Point (in Las Vegas), so I knew I had a feeling I’d like Reno and the Stadium as well. It’s a different atmosphere. Being able to come out and bowl as well as I did in such a large setting, I honestly can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now.”
The top score in Diamond All-Events now belongs to Kayla Pashina of Otsego, Minnesota, with a 2,198 total for her nine games Monday and Tuesday.
Pashina posted sets of 781 in doubles, 713 in team and 704 in singles at the National Bowling Stadium to set the early pace.
Her 781 series in doubles started with 299, and she had eight games of 224 or higher during her 2024 appearance.
“I think it all kind of started in our team event,” said Pashina, making her second appearance at the Women’s Championships. “The teams on our pair were talking a lot as we were making moves and talking through ball choices. Going into the next day, we had a game plan of what we wanted to do. I took what I learned in the team event and applied it directly to doubles and singles. I started with the same ball and played about the same area of the lane and just tried to execute.”
Pashina has been working on her game in preparation for a full season on the PWBA Tour in 2024, and she’s happy to see the dedication to her craft come full circle during her time at the NBS.
“This offseason, I’ve been trying to put more work into the stability in my physical game,” Pashina said. “I’ve worked a lot on using my legs more to be more stable and create more power out of my lower body. It’s been the No. 1 thing I’ve worked on.
“I’m also planning to bowl the entire PWBA Tour schedule, so I needed more stamina and stability to carry me through the longer blocks. Since January, I’ve been seeing a lot of good results and have been bowling very well at home. The momentum I had been building was able to carry into the Women’s Championships, and I’m really happy with my performance. I hope to carry it into Friday for the first PWBA event.”
While her focus during the next few months will be on putting together strong performances going from stop to stop against the top players in the world, she’s also excited to see how her performance holds up at the Women’s Championships.
She’s been fighting some injuries through the past couple years, and a win at the tournament would validate the work she’s put in to continue to be at the top level.
“Looking back at previous years, that’s a very good score and typically in the top five, if not the top two or three,” Pashina said. “So now, I’m going to sit back and wait and hope my score holds up. No matter what, that’s a great score, and if someone comes out and shoots 2,200, I’ll be happy for them. If it’s me or someone else, that’s an amazing score.
“It would mean a lot to me. In the last few seasons, I’ve had some injuries and will say that I haven’t always been able to attend as many events or perform as well as I would have hoped on tour. It would really prove to me that I’ve been able to come back and continue to do what I love.”
The final highlight from the Diamond Division belonged to Alyssa Ferraro of Deltona, Florida.
Ferraro connected for the second 300 game of the 2024 Women’s Championships during the first game of her singles set, just moments after Amber MacLeod secured her perfect performance.
She finished the series with back-to-back 175 games for a 650 series, but this moment meant a little more for Ferraro as she is in the process of coming back to competition after a car accident in February 2024.
“This is my first month back to the lanes, and I was on the fence because I was unsure on coming back to bowling,” Ferraro said. “I was afraid if I came back too early, I didn’t want to reinjure myself or not be comfortable bowling again.
“But, I practiced and made sure I grinded through it. Today, it was just an amazing feeling knowing everything that I’ve been through. It all paid off for me today.”
Ferraro’s perfect game came after a 717 series in doubles competition, and she also had 650 in team for a 2,017 all-events total.
“My goal was just to shoot well, nothing crazy,” said Ferraro, who made her seventh appearance at the Women’s Championships. “I just wanted to shoot my consistent scores. I wanted to be confident in my shot making and got to 2,017 for all-events. I’m OK with that. That’s a nice showing for me considering I’m only just getting back.”
Ferraro earned her spot in the tournament’s record book with the 300 game, and she always looks forward to the experience of competing at the national level.
“I think it’s a great experience for everybody to come out and bowl,” Ferraro said. “Especially with all your friends and all the love that everyone shows each other, even if you don’t know each other. It’s just a good experience every time I come out here. I love bowling with Ashly (Galante) and my team. We just always click very well, we all communicate and that’s probably why my favorite tournament every year is women’s nationals.”
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.
The start of the 104th edition of the USBC Women’s Championships nearly aligned with the beginning of the 2024 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season, so several competitors used the trip to Reno to serve as a final test at the national level before heading to Eagan, Minnesota, for the PWBA GoBowling! Twin Cities Open.
The strikes started in team competition Monday, with the members of Own It 2 of Brigham City, Utah, getting to the top spot with a 2,676 total.
Powered by Brianna MacLeod’s 799 series, the team fired games of 910, 830 and 936 to lead the jam-packed squad.
MacLeod was joined by Kristina Rosberg (658 series), Sue-Ling Utley (621) and Summer Jasmin (598) in the team’s rise to the top of the standings.
MacLeod’s performance was highlighted by games of 279, 224 and 296 at the 78-lane venue. The 296 game saw MacLeod leave the 3-6-9-10 on her final delivery.
“I had gotten there early and watched the earlier squads to give myself an idea of what they were using and what part of the lane they were playing,” said MacLeod, who made her second appearance at the Women’s Championships. “It also helped being on a pair with a bunch of women that have more experience than I do. I can look at them and ask questions, and they can help me line up. From practice, I started with my Radical Hitter and just loved the way it looked. We really communicated well to get everyone lined up.
“I honestly didn’t even know I had a chance for 800 going into that 10th frame. I was definitely well aware that I had the front nine going in. When I threw the first shot in the 10th frame, I turned around and saw the whole group behind me and it made me feel even better. It was definitely a little more nerve-wracking being out at nationals and still not having a 300. On top of that, that was the pair my dad had 299 on (at the USBC Open Championships), so that was in the back of my head as well. Sadly, the last shot didn’t go my way, but I couldn’t be happier with the overall performance.”
MacLeod, Utley and Rosberg bowled team together at last year’s Women’s Championships in Las Vegas, and Jasmin was a new addition to the group in Reno.
The team quickly found the right rhythm and saw it all come together with a strong final game.
“Our team got off to a really good start, and Brianna had a great first game,” said Jasmin, making her eighth tournament appearance. “She threw it great for all three games. Sue-Ling and Kristina were out there throwing it well. We kind of gelled a little bit and then found our footing toward the end of it. I know our crossing lane was making a run as well, which made it more fun. We were all working together trying to get there and rooting everyone on. It’s cool to be part of something like that. It’s pretty cool to leave Reno on top of that leaderboard.”
MacLeod echoed how the team came together and relied on the larger group during the performance, and now, the teammates get to wait and see if their number is enough to record the win in Reno.
“I think it’s just the experience on the team, honestly,” MacLeod said. “Not just our team, but the whole group we go out with. They’re bowling regionals, PWBA national events or have a lot of experience here at nationals. We all come from different parts of the country, so coming together and getting to bowl with this impressive team is always just easy.
“I think it would be absolutely amazing. We definitely put a number out there that could be very hard to beat, but I know a bunch of great bowlers are coming up at the end of the year. I couldn’t be happier. It would be awesome to win a title with this group of ladies. I think we are more than deserving, and I can’t wait to also give it a run next year.”
The excitement transitioned to doubles and singles Tuesday, and the pair of Erin Czuprynski of New Lenox, Illinois, and Amber Thompson of Danville, Indiana, stole the show with a 1,474 total, the sixth highest doubles score in tournament history.
Czuprynski led the way with games of 225, 257 and 288 for a 770 series, and Thompson rolled games of 268, 191 and 245 for a 704 total.
“We worked very well together as a team and broke the lanes down,” said Czuprynski, who made her second appearance at the Women’s Championships. “We were focusing on one shot at a time, and everything seemed to flow.”
The focus for Czuprynski and Thompson helped get them through the set, and they continued to just learn from the previous game.
“We’ve all been lifelong bowlers, and this year, we seemed to get into the rhythm faster than last year,” Czuprynski said. “We learn from every tournament. We were really good at being present, and that’s normally when you do your best. Not really thinking about the score but focusing on one shot at a time.”
Finishing their time in Reno, they had the goal of winning their event. Accomplishing the high score and taking the lead was the first step, and now, they hope to see if it’s enough to stay at the top for the 2024 event.
“Taking the Diamond home and hoping that score is good to stay,” said Czuprynski, talking about her final thoughts on the performance.
In singles competition, a pair of bowlers tied for the top spot in the Diamond Division with a 760 total.
Amber MacLeod of Conway, South Carolina, and Michelle Abner of Cleves, Ohio, finished their block with matching scores to share the lead.
Amber MacLeod, the older sister to Brianna MacLeod, rolled the first perfect game of the 2024 Women’s Championships to start singles, and she added 236 and 224 to post her number.
Abner had games of 266, 225 and 269 to get to her final tally.
For Amber MacLeod, there certainly was a friendly rivalry with her sister after she watched Brianna roll 296 on Monday, but it’s all love and support for the talented siblings on and off the lanes.
“I was actually very nervous, I’m not going to lie. My little sister shot 296 yesterday, so I couldn’t let her beat me,” joked Amber MacLeod.
Brianna MacLeod was excited to be able to share the moment with her sister on the national stage.
“Honestly, it’s amazing,” Brianna MacLeod said. “Ever since she moved to South Carolina and I stayed in New Jersey, we don’t get as many chances to bowl together. Any chance we do get to bowl together, we like to take it. It’s always just amazing to have her behind me every shot and being able to be there for her as well.”
The strikes had already added up for members of the group through team and doubles competition at the National Bowling Stadium, so Amber MacLeod sensed that someone would breakthrough for all 12 strikes.
“I’ve been with this same group of girls for five years now, which is amazing, and they’re all super supportive to me,” Amber MacLeod said. “Someone in our group had to do it. You saw my sister roll 296. Kayla (Pashina) had 299, and we were all super close. Somebody had to do it. So, I took just a couple of deep breaths and then started my shot.”
Amber MacLeod had finished third in Diamond Doubles at the 2023 event with two-time champion Elysia Current of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, so she had hoped to make another run with Current on Tuesday.
After a 191 start in doubles, she found some momentum with 257 and 232 for a 680 series to help the pair into the top 10 with a 1,350 total and was able to keep it going into singles.
“My doubles partner and I came in third last year, so we were kind of coming back this year with a vengeance,” Amber MacLeod said. “Although it didn’t happen, it’s OK. I’m happy I found a good look and just ran with it.”
For Abner, her performance comes after spending some time focusing on her family.
“This means a lot,” Abner said. “I took a lot of time off when I had both of my sons, and I’ve just started finally getting back into bowling. To come out here and compete with the women that I do, and to be able to bowl the way I did, it’s great. My support system is fantastic between my teammates, my husband and my family, and it means the world to me.”
Abner had the chance to shoot 280 in her final game of singles to take the overall lead, and after the first strike in the 10th frame, she recorded a nine count and made the spare to share the top spot.
“I honestly didn’t even know how close we were until I stepped up in the 10th,” Abner said. “I really wanted the second one. When I came back and made my spare, I just so happened to look over and see Amber’s score. To be tied with one of my teammates, one of my sister teams, it’s incredible.”
Abner was making her fourth appearance at the Women’s Championships this week, but it was her first time competing at the National Bowling Stadium.
“This is actually my first time here,” Abner said. “I’ve never bowled here at the Stadium before, so I was a little intimidated coming in. I love South Point (in Las Vegas), so I knew I had a feeling I’d like Reno and the Stadium as well. It’s a different atmosphere. Being able to come out and bowl as well as I did in such a large setting, I honestly can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now.”
The top score in Diamond All-Events now belongs to Kayla Pashina of Otsego, Minnesota, with a 2,198 total for her nine games Monday and Tuesday.
Pashina posted sets of 781 in doubles, 713 in team and 704 in singles at the National Bowling Stadium to set the early pace.
Her 781 series in doubles started with 299, and she had eight games of 224 or higher during her 2024 appearance.
“I think it all kind of started in our team event,” said Pashina, making her second appearance at the Women’s Championships. “The teams on our pair were talking a lot as we were making moves and talking through ball choices. Going into the next day, we had a game plan of what we wanted to do. I took what I learned in the team event and applied it directly to doubles and singles. I started with the same ball and played about the same area of the lane and just tried to execute.”
Pashina has been working on her game in preparation for a full season on the PWBA Tour in 2024, and she’s happy to see the dedication to her craft come full circle during her time at the NBS.
“This offseason, I’ve been trying to put more work into the stability in my physical game,” Pashina said. “I’ve worked a lot on using my legs more to be more stable and create more power out of my lower body. It’s been the No. 1 thing I’ve worked on.
“I’m also planning to bowl the entire PWBA Tour schedule, so I needed more stamina and stability to carry me through the longer blocks. Since January, I’ve been seeing a lot of good results and have been bowling very well at home. The momentum I had been building was able to carry into the Women’s Championships, and I’m really happy with my performance. I hope to carry it into Friday for the first PWBA event.”
While her focus during the next few months will be on putting together strong performances going from stop to stop against the top players in the world, she’s also excited to see how her performance holds up at the Women’s Championships.
She’s been fighting some injuries through the past couple years, and a win at the tournament would validate the work she’s put in to continue to be at the top level.
“Looking back at previous years, that’s a very good score and typically in the top five, if not the top two or three,” Pashina said. “So now, I’m going to sit back and wait and hope my score holds up. No matter what, that’s a great score, and if someone comes out and shoots 2,200, I’ll be happy for them. If it’s me or someone else, that’s an amazing score.
“It would mean a lot to me. In the last few seasons, I’ve had some injuries and will say that I haven’t always been able to attend as many events or perform as well as I would have hoped on tour. It would really prove to me that I’ve been able to come back and continue to do what I love.”
The final highlight from the Diamond Division belonged to Alyssa Ferraro of Deltona, Florida.
Ferraro connected for the second 300 game of the 2024 Women’s Championships during the first game of her singles set, just moments after Amber MacLeod secured her perfect performance.
She finished the series with back-to-back 175 games for a 650 series, but this moment meant a little more for Ferraro as she is in the process of coming back to competition after a car accident in February 2024.
“This is my first month back to the lanes, and I was on the fence because I was unsure on coming back to bowling,” Ferraro said. “I was afraid if I came back too early, I didn’t want to reinjure myself or not be comfortable bowling again.
“But, I practiced and made sure I grinded through it. Today, it was just an amazing feeling knowing everything that I’ve been through. It all paid off for me today.”
Ferraro’s perfect game came after a 717 series in doubles competition, and she also had 650 in team for a 2,017 all-events total.
“My goal was just to shoot well, nothing crazy,” said Ferraro, who made her seventh appearance at the Women’s Championships. “I just wanted to shoot my consistent scores. I wanted to be confident in my shot making and got to 2,017 for all-events. I’m OK with that. That’s a nice showing for me considering I’m only just getting back.”
Ferraro earned her spot in the tournament’s record book with the 300 game, and she always looks forward to the experience of competing at the national level.
“I think it’s a great experience for everybody to come out and bowl,” Ferraro said. “Especially with all your friends and all the love that everyone shows each other, even if you don’t know each other. It’s just a good experience every time I come out here. I love bowling with Ashly (Galante) and my team. We just always click very well, we all communicate and that’s probably why my favorite tournament every year is women’s nationals.”
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.