Webber International leads undefeated teams at 2011 NAIA Invitational
April 02, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS - Four men's teams and four women's teams remained undefeated after the opening day of the double-elimination match-play bracket at the 2011 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Invitational.
The Webber International men and women led the way as the only school to have both teams go unbeaten at Woodland Bowl. The Webber men are the No. 1 ranked program in the country among NAIA schools, while the Webber women were the top seed after 24 games of qualifying Friday.
"It's outstanding the way things went today because it was very relaxed and not very stressful," Webber International women's coach Randy Stoughton said. "As we move along in the tournament, those 3-0 and 3-1 victories are going to become very hard to find."
Stoughton's women's team won both of their matches with ease on Saturday, taking down Martin Methodist, 3-1, and then defeating Davenport, 3-0, in the final match of the day. Other women's teams still undefeated are McKendree, Robert Morris and Lindenwood.
On the men's side, Webber is the highest seeded team remaining at No. 3 after victories over Notre Dame College, 3.5-1.5, and Bethel, 3-1. Viterbo, William Penn and Davenport are also unbeaten.
Each of the undefeated teams are just three straight victories from winning the title. A total of four men's teams and four women's teams are still in the hunt for the title in the contenders portion of the bracket.
The entire event is being broadcast live on BOWL.com. Coverage continues Sunday at 8 a.m. Eastern and will continue until the champions are crowned Sunday afternoon.
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.
The Webber International men and women led the way as the only school to have both teams go unbeaten at Woodland Bowl. The Webber men are the No. 1 ranked program in the country among NAIA schools, while the Webber women were the top seed after 24 games of qualifying Friday.
"It's outstanding the way things went today because it was very relaxed and not very stressful," Webber International women's coach Randy Stoughton said. "As we move along in the tournament, those 3-0 and 3-1 victories are going to become very hard to find."
Stoughton's women's team won both of their matches with ease on Saturday, taking down Martin Methodist, 3-1, and then defeating Davenport, 3-0, in the final match of the day. Other women's teams still undefeated are McKendree, Robert Morris and Lindenwood.
On the men's side, Webber is the highest seeded team remaining at No. 3 after victories over Notre Dame College, 3.5-1.5, and Bethel, 3-1. Viterbo, William Penn and Davenport are also unbeaten.
Each of the undefeated teams are just three straight victories from winning the title. A total of four men's teams and four women's teams are still in the hunt for the title in the contenders portion of the bracket.
The entire event is being broadcast live on BOWL.com. Coverage continues Sunday at 8 a.m. Eastern and will continue until the champions are crowned Sunday afternoon.
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.