FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2014

CONTACT:
Gordon Vadakin
Phone (316) 978-7655
Fax (316) 978-6056
email - shocker.bowling@wichita.edu
www.wichita.edu/bowling

Shockers Ready for Nationals in Reno

WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State Shocker Bowling welcomes all media and press to attend Media Day this Thursday, April 10, at Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes in the Rhatigan Student Center on the WSU campus. All attendees are welcome to meet and interview members of the 19-time men and women’s national championship teams as they prepare to leave for nationals in Reno, Nev., on April 16-18.

The Shocker women are currently ranked No. 1 in the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association poll while the men are ranked 6th. Both teams dominated their sectional qualifier in Fort Worth, Texas en route to qualifying for the National tournament. The men lead by over 650 pins while the women lead by over 150.

This year’s women’s team consists of two players in the running for the International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) 201 4 Collegiate Player of the Year award, these players include: senior Tannya Roumimper (Bandung, Indonesia) and sophomore Dasha Kovalova (Ukraine). The men’s team has one nominee, Francois Lavoie (Quebec City, Canada).

Eight men and eight women are nominated for the award every year. Shocker bowling has had ten Collegiate Players of the Year since the award began in 1987. In addition to this award, all of the All-American team members and Coach of the Year recipients, for the 2013-14 season, will be honored on Tuesday night, April 15, in Reno.

In addition to the team championships on April 18, the Intercollegiate Singles Championships will be held in the few days before.

Four Lady Shockers and three men qualified, last month in Forth Worth, for the chance to earn a national individual title. These players include: senior Allie Ijams (Mission Viejo, Calif.), junior Heather Melvin (Sioux Falls, S.D.), senior Kelsey Muther (Topeka, Kan.), senior Tannya Roumimper (Bandung, Indonesia), senior Devin Bidwell (Moorpark, Calif.), junior Francois Lavoie (Quebec City, Canada) and sophomore Zach Rhoades (Lafayette, Ind).


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The Rhatigan Student Center has been the major financial and administrative supporter of the Wichita State University bowling program since 1959.