Husker Bowlers Earn NCAA Bid

The Nebraska bowling team’s quest for a seventh NCAA title begins next weekend, as the Huskers will travel to Rochester, N.Y. for the NCAA Regional.

Nebraska, the No. 2 overall seed in the 16-team field, is the top seed in the four-team Rochester Region and will be joined by Wilmington (Del.) University. Fairleigh Dickson and Sacred Heart.  Competition will take place beginning Friday, April 8 and Saturday, April 9.

The double-elimination format will advance one winner from each of the four regionals to the National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship in Columbus, Ohio, on April 15-16.

The regionals, except for the if-necessary match, will use the Mega Match format, which includes a five-person team, baker total pinfall and a best-of-seven Baker Match play. If the if-necessary match is needed, it will be a best-of-seven Baker Match play.

The 2022 season is the first time where the NCAA will have four regional sites with the winners advancing to the championship finals.

With today’s NCAA bid announcement, the Husker bowling program is the only program to qualify for every national championship since the NCAA sponsored bowling in the 2003-04 season. The Huskers, who are ranked No. 2 in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll, are 82-27 in matches this year and have won five tournament titles in nine tournaments while posting eight top-three finishes. Nebraska is looking for its first back-to-back national titles since 2004 and 2005.

The Huskers return their entire starting lineup for 2021 NTCA National Coach of the Year Paul Klempa, including All-Americans Crystal Elliott, Cassidy Ray and Kayla Verstraete. Ray, a two-time All-American, paces the Huskers with four top-five finishes while Verstraete has three top-five showings. Elliott, who was the 2021 NTCA Bowler of the Year, leads NU in baker scoring at 20.80 pins per frame, while four of the Huskers top five bowlers average at least 20.0 pins per frame in either baker or traditional

format.

Nebraska has won eight national titles since becoming a varsity sport in 1997-98 (1999-IBC, 2001-IBC, 2004-NCAA; 2005-NCAA, 2009-NCAA, 2013-NCAA; 2015-NCAA and 2021-NCAA) while earning runner-up honors on four other occasions.