William Penn Athletics News January 25
William Penn University Athletics
Statesmen Blow Past 14 Higher-Ranked Teams at Blue & Gold
South Bend, Ind.–Following the cue of their top bowler, the Penn men’s bowling team was a major presence at the Blue and Gold Classic hosted by Notre Dame last Saturday and Sunday.
As a team, Penn was 13th out of 71 teams with 8,929 pins in nine games at the Tier 1 event.
Wichita State (Kan.) won the team crown with 9,558 pins, easily slipping past the field, including runner-up Lindenwood Black (Mo.) and its 9,355 pins. Frank Testa of host Notre Dame took the individual title with a 228.4 average (2,056 pins).
The Statesmen competed extremely well, bettering 14 teams ranked ahead of them in the collegebowling.com ranking, including top-ten programs Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) at #5, Pikeville (Ky.) at #7, and McKendree (Ill.) at #10.
The ranking, which is only through December 30, has Penn 38th nationally.
As he usually is, Sean Rangel (So., Omaha, Neb., Bellevue East HS) was up there with the big boys, finishing sixth (out of 475 competitors) with a 219.8 average (1,978 pins). Rangel eclipsed the 200 mark in all nine games, including posting a high of 251.
Three of his teammates also broke into the top 100, highlighted by a 63rd-place finish via James Miller (Sr., Oswego, Ill., Vincennes). The senior owned a 196.2 clip.
Kyle Clark (Fr., Oswego, Ill., Yorkville HS), in 86th with a 191.4 average, and Cameron Foster (Fr., West Jordan, Utah, West Jordan HS), in 95th with a 189.8 mark, joined Rangel and Miller in bowling all nine games.
Drew Balta (Fr., Walford, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS) rolled seven games with a 193.1 average, while Piet Schaeffer (Fr., Livingston, Scotland, The James Young HS) concluded his team’s scoring with a strong 201.0 average in two games.
Next: Penn takes a couple weeks off before traveling to Dubuque on Saturday and Sunday, February 12-13 to compete in the inaugural Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships.
Penn Women 12th in Blue and Gold Classic
South Bend, Ind.–In one the top Tier 1 collegiate bowling tournaments, the Lady Statesmen made an impressive showing at the Blue and Gold Classic hosted by Notre Dame last Saturday and Sunday.
As a team, Penn was 12th out of 41 teams with 7,930 pins in nine games.
Wichita State (Kan.) won the team crown with 8,707 pins, holding off Lindenwood’s (Mo.) Black team and its tally of 8,663. Jazreel Tan of Wichita State took the individual title with a 211.4 average (1,903 pins).
The Lady Statesmen had a great weekend against top squads, knocking off six programs that are ranked ahead of them in the collegebowling.com ranking, including #8 Newman (Kan.).
The ranking, which is only through December 30, has Penn 26th nationally.
Samantha Powell (So., Herriman, Utah, Bingham HS) led her team in 33rd place (out of 272 competitors) with a 181.2 average (1,631 pins).
Breanne Underwood (Sr., Treynor, Treynor HS) was right after her in the standings, taking 35th with a 180.8 average. Underwood and Powell were the only two individuals to bowl all nine games.
Amanda Kilts (Fr., Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Jefferson HS) narrowly missed the top 100 with a 170.1 average in eight games.
Kirstin Newberry (Fr., Holland, Mich., West Ottawa HS) held a 177.6 average in seven games, while Amanda Edenholm (So., Marysville, Wash., Marysville-Pilchuck HS) was solid as well, owning a 180.4 clip over five games.
Morgan Fest (Sr., Salt Lake City, Utah, Weber State) carried a 177.4 average in five games, while Abigayle Wempen (So., Titonka, North Iowa HS) also competed for Penn, posting a 139.5 mark in two games.
Next: Penn takes a couple weeks off before traveling to Dubuque on Saturday and Sunday, February 12-13 to compete in the inaugural Midwest Collegiate Conference Championships.
Burgey Now Sixth Nationally
Oskaloosa–Eric Burgey (Fr., Easton, Pa., Easton HS) keeps winning and his stock keeps going up as the NAIA’s fifth rating was released today.
Penn is just outside the top 20 nationally, in 21st position with ten points. Hastings (Neb.) is 20th with 10.5 points, while defending national champion Notre Dame (Ohio) is still first with 119.5 points. Grand View has closed the gap considerably, though, and now has 115 points.
McKendree (Ill.), Campbellsville (Ky.), and Missouri Valley round out the top five.
149-pound Burgey had been stalking just outside the top ten for the past few weeks, but the winner of 21 straight matches is now sixth in the nation.
He is joined on the national scene by Matt Woollums (Sr., Chariton, Chariton HS), who is 12th at 197 pounds.
As a team, Penn is still sixth in the Central Qualifying Group poll, but is creeping up with 75.5 points. Grand View has finally taken over the top spot with a commanding 214 points, while the former leader Missouri Valley is second with 170 points. Oklahoma City is third with 126.5 points.
Burgey paces the Statesmen in the Group as well, sitting in second. Woollums is next in fourth, while 125-pounder Taylor Louie (Sr., West Covina, Calif., West Covina HS) and 157-pounder Brandon Smith (Fr., Malcom, BGM HS) are both fifth at their respective weights.
The trio of David Crow (Sr., Baumholder, Germany, Baumholder HS), at 125 pounds, Tyler Schneider (Fr., Belleville, Mich., Belleville HS), at 133 pounds, and Chris Diaz (Jr., Montrose, Colo., Olathe HS), at 184 pounds, are all sixth in the Qualifying Group polls.
