WPU Returning to Nationals
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Dallas, Texas–The Statesmen men’s bowling team is going back to the biggest show of the season after competing well at the Intercollegiate Team Sectionals Saturday and Sunday.
William Penn qualified for nationals after placing fourth out of 16 teams with 12,350 pins in 64 Baker games. The navy and gold join sectional champion McKendree (13,118 pins) as well as Midland and Wichita State as national qualifiers.
The Statesmen are making their third trip to nationals in program history and second in a row. The program was 13th in last year’s qualifying action and owned a 1-2 record in bracket play.
WPU was on the outside looking in after 16 games with just 2,959 pins, but improved into the top four at the midway point with 6,163 pins. The squad stayed in qualifying position the remainder of the way, closing strong in the final 16 games to hold off Newman by 178 pins for the last spot.
WPU will now travel to Lincoln, Neb. on April 16-21 to compete at the Intercollegiate Team Championships at Sun Valley Lanes.
The Singles Sectionals tournament was also contested Friday, but unfortunately none of the Statesmen were able to make it to nationals.
Josh Fane (So., Brownsville, Wis., Business Management and Accounting) was William Penn’s top competitor, finishing three spots and 55 pins out of a qualifying berth. Fans was seventh with 1,243 pins.
Wesley Low of Wichita State guided the standings with 1,353 pins, while Charlie Reid (McKendree), Tyler Cortez-Schenck (Wichita State), and Joseph Grondin (Wichita State) also qualified in the 128-player field.
Quincy Bruce (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, General Accounting) and Nick Walker (Jr., Zeeland, Mich., Business Management) were also in the top 20, tying for 18th with 1,190 pins.
Aleksander Kostric (Fr., Koper, Slovenia, Sports Management) was next with 1,185 pins, while Braxton Coble (Jr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Business Management) (1,177) and Curtis Majka (Sr., Elgin, Ill., Mechanical Engineering) (1,175) were also in the mix.
Austin Young (Fr., Iowa City, Iowa, Business Management) (1,139 pins), David Decker (So., Peyton, Colo., Physical Education) (1,129), Rok Kostric (Fr., Koper, Slovenia, Sports Management) (1,112), and Bret Keimig (Sr., Davenport, Iowa, Physical Education) (1,036) competed as well.
