FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2014

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

Quest for National Championships Begins This Weekend in Wichita

WICHITA, Kan. – The quest for two national championships begins this weekend in Wichita, Kan. The MidStates Championships begins the season for the Wichita State Shocker Bowling Teams.

The men’s team will look to defend their title at Northrock Lanes, while the women will look to defend their title at The Alley. The men’s team has won the tournament the last ten years.

This is only the beginning for the Shockers as their season consists of ten regular season events and two post-season tournaments.

Right after the MidStates Championships, the teams head to Lincoln, Neb. for the Sandhills Classic. This is the first time the Shockers will attend the event on October 18 and 19th.

The Jayhawk Classic comes after a small break for the Shockers in Lawrence, Kan. The ladies will look to defend their title for the third year in a row at Royal Crest Lanes on November 1-2.

Both selected and developmental teams will compete in the first three events.

After taking break from this event last year, the teams will return to Davenport, Iowa and Moline, Ill. for the Leatherneck Classic on November 7-8. In 2012, the last time the Shockers attended the event, it was a Shocker sweep of the Leatherneck titles.

The first Tier-1 event of the season happens over Thanksgiving, on November 28-29. Typically, Tier-1 events yield the largest fields filled with the strongest teams from across the country. The teams travel to Fairview Heights and Belleville, Ill. to compete in the National Team Match Games tournament, hosted by McKendree University.

A pair of Tier-1 events are the only tournaments the teams compete in during the month of December. The Las Vegas Invitational is December 20-21 and the Collegiate Shootout tournament is right after on December 22-23 in Las Vegas, Nev. The women have swept both tournaments for the past four years and will look to do the same this December.

Second semester begins before school starts with another Tier-1 event. The Illinois State BPA hosts the Kegel Midwest Collegiate Classic in Addison, Ill. January 17-18. Last year at this event, the men finished second by a mere two pins. The women look to repeat as tournament champions.

The following weekend, January 24-25, the Shox head back to Belleville and Fairview Heights, Ill. for the McKendree Baker Challenge. This is the only regular season event that features only baker games.

The regular season wraps up with a Tier-1 on February 14-15 in Indianapolis, Ind. at the biggest event of the season, the Hoosier Classic. The ladies will look to defend their title from last year.

Post season begins with the top 64 teams in the country competing in the ITC (Intercollegiate Team Championships) Sectional qualifier right before spring break, March 13-15. The teams are sent to one of four sectional locations: Stratford, N.J., Fort Worth, Texas, Addison, Ill. and Smyrna, Tenn. In each section, the top four teams will earn the right to compete for a national championship at the ITC.

If the Shox do qualify, they will not have to travel far as the ITC and ISC (Intercollegiate Singles Championships) are held right here in Wichita, Kan. at Northrock Lanes April 15-18. Last year the men made a run at the title before finishing third. The women placed ninth.

For more information on Shocker Bowling and a complete list of the competitive tournament schedule, visit www.wichita.edu/bowling.

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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.