Zodiacs of New Orleans make final appearance at Women’s Championships
May 30, 2026
LAS VEGAS – What started as a protest over the attire at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships in 1969 turned into more than 50 years of incredible costumes and a passion for the sport and tournament matched by few.
The Zodiacs of New Orleans – known as the “World’s Best-Dressed Bowling Team” – recently returned to the tournament for the 57th consecutive year at the South Point Bowling Plaza to pay tribute to the group’s founder, Linda Prattini, who passed away last October.
The group’s 2026 appearance also marked the final year for the Zodiacs at the USBC Women’s Championships, with four teams donning items from their previous costumes designed by Prattini.
Prattini made her tournament debut at the Women’s Championships during the 1967 event in Rochester, New York, but she introduced the Zodiacs two years later in San Diego. Protesting the tournament’s dress code, the team arrived that year in full-length formal dresses that would break away at the knees once they were ready to bowl.
Zodiacs of New Orleans at the 1969 Women's Championships
Since then, the Zodiacs became an annual tradition at the tournament as each team member would hand-craft a new costume based on a theme. The theme often was determined by characteristics of the host city or events taking place in New Orleans.
Prattini made her 50th consecutive appearance at the tournament in 2016 and made her final appearance at the Women's Championships in 2024, marking 57 consecutive trips to compete.
Linda Prattini celebrating her 50th appearance in 2016
One lady who has been with the Zodiacs for more than 30 years is Muriel Staunton of Metairie, Louisiana, who joined the team with Prattini in 1995 and made her 47th tournament appearance this year in Las Vegas.
“I didn’t go with them until 1995,” Staunton said. “I think because they would bowl every year consecutively, which is why I joined. Other teams I had bowled with said they would go, and when it came time to, they didn’t do it.”
Over the years, people looked forward to Prattini and the Zodiacs arriving in their famous attire. At one tournament, the team didn’t dress up.
“She bowled one year without a costume, and they gave her hell,” Staunton said. “I think it was in Baltimore (1981) when she thought people were over it, but they were really expecting her to come in a costume.”
Having the expectation of special costumes became something people looked forward to over the years. It’s a tradition that the Zodiacs had to keep up not only for themselves, but for the bowling community.
“So, naturally, we had to keep it up over the years,” Staunton said.
One of Staunton’s favorite memories of Prattini was when she had them dress like the characters of “The Wizard of Oz.” The design included many elements of the movie into their outfits, and it was a highlight for Staunton.
“The first time we bowled in Kansas, the whole group dressed like the yellow brick road,” Staunton said. “The costumes had the scarecrows, dogs, rainbows, green stones and all the other elements of the yellow brick road. It was my favorite.”
Prattini was a lady full of passion for bowling and the Zodiacs. The love she shared for her teammates really touched them.
“She just had a zest for life and all things New Orleans,” said Denise Chamberlain of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, who made her ninth tournament appearance with the Zodiacs. “That’s why it shined through with the bowling and all the bling, because, you know, Mardi Gras and New Orleans.”
The ladies are truly going to miss having Prattini leading the way, but the legacy of the Zodiacs will always be part of the storied history of the Women’s Championships.
“Just going to miss her, you know, being the Zodiacs, but we’re going to keep bowling and all the good stuff,” Chamberlain said.
Zodiacs of New Orleans celebrate the team's 50th appearance in 2018
The Women’s Championships is celebrating its 106th edition in 2026 and making its sixth trip to Las Vegas. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 16,000 bowlers and 4,200 four-player teams competing across 65 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The Zodiacs of New Orleans – known as the “World’s Best-Dressed Bowling Team” – recently returned to the tournament for the 57th consecutive year at the South Point Bowling Plaza to pay tribute to the group’s founder, Linda Prattini, who passed away last October.
The group’s 2026 appearance also marked the final year for the Zodiacs at the USBC Women’s Championships, with four teams donning items from their previous costumes designed by Prattini.
Prattini made her tournament debut at the Women’s Championships during the 1967 event in Rochester, New York, but she introduced the Zodiacs two years later in San Diego. Protesting the tournament’s dress code, the team arrived that year in full-length formal dresses that would break away at the knees once they were ready to bowl.
Zodiacs of New Orleans at the 1969 Women's Championships
Since then, the Zodiacs became an annual tradition at the tournament as each team member would hand-craft a new costume based on a theme. The theme often was determined by characteristics of the host city or events taking place in New Orleans.
Prattini made her 50th consecutive appearance at the tournament in 2016 and made her final appearance at the Women's Championships in 2024, marking 57 consecutive trips to compete.
Linda Prattini celebrating her 50th appearance in 2016
One lady who has been with the Zodiacs for more than 30 years is Muriel Staunton of Metairie, Louisiana, who joined the team with Prattini in 1995 and made her 47th tournament appearance this year in Las Vegas.
“I didn’t go with them until 1995,” Staunton said. “I think because they would bowl every year consecutively, which is why I joined. Other teams I had bowled with said they would go, and when it came time to, they didn’t do it.”
Over the years, people looked forward to Prattini and the Zodiacs arriving in their famous attire. At one tournament, the team didn’t dress up.
“She bowled one year without a costume, and they gave her hell,” Staunton said. “I think it was in Baltimore (1981) when she thought people were over it, but they were really expecting her to come in a costume.”
Having the expectation of special costumes became something people looked forward to over the years. It’s a tradition that the Zodiacs had to keep up not only for themselves, but for the bowling community.
“So, naturally, we had to keep it up over the years,” Staunton said.
One of Staunton’s favorite memories of Prattini was when she had them dress like the characters of “The Wizard of Oz.” The design included many elements of the movie into their outfits, and it was a highlight for Staunton.
“The first time we bowled in Kansas, the whole group dressed like the yellow brick road,” Staunton said. “The costumes had the scarecrows, dogs, rainbows, green stones and all the other elements of the yellow brick road. It was my favorite.”
Prattini was a lady full of passion for bowling and the Zodiacs. The love she shared for her teammates really touched them.
“She just had a zest for life and all things New Orleans,” said Denise Chamberlain of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, who made her ninth tournament appearance with the Zodiacs. “That’s why it shined through with the bowling and all the bling, because, you know, Mardi Gras and New Orleans.”
The ladies are truly going to miss having Prattini leading the way, but the legacy of the Zodiacs will always be part of the storied history of the Women’s Championships.
“Just going to miss her, you know, being the Zodiacs, but we’re going to keep bowling and all the good stuff,” Chamberlain said.
Zodiacs of New Orleans celebrate the team's 50th appearance in 2018
The Women’s Championships is celebrating its 106th edition in 2026 and making its sixth trip to Las Vegas. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 16,000 bowlers and 4,200 four-player teams competing across 65 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.