NEBRASKA 2015-16 BOWLING TOURNAMENT NOTES/ WEEKLY RELEASE JAN. 15-17 Date Jan. 15-17 Location Jonesboro, Ark. (Jonesboro Bowling Center) Time 11:20 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 8:30 a.m. After over a month off, the second-ranked Nebraska bowling team returns to the lanes this weekend for the Mid-Winter Invitational. The tournament is hosted by No. 1 Arkansas State, and will take place at the Jonesboro Bowling Center in Jonesboro, Ark. The Cornhuskers (40-16) come into the invitational having won three tournaments in a row, capped by a TRACK Kat Klash victory in early December. NU finished third at the Mid-Winter Invitational a year ago, and has finished in the top five in every year in which they have competed going back to 2007. NU won the tournament in 2013. Fourteen teams will compete this weekend, including ten teams ranked in the Dec. 17 NTCA Coaches Poll. The top five teams in the country will all bowl this weekend, including the Huskers, Arkansas State, No. 3 Vanderbilt and the two teams tied for fourth, Central Missouri and Sam Houston State. Other ranked teams include No. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. 8 Stephen F. Austin, No. 9 McKendree, No. 10 Maryland- Eastern Shore and No. 15 Valparaiso. In all, nine of the top 10 teams in the country will compete this weekend. Two more teams competing, Alabama State and Jackson State, are receiving votes in the poll. The Huskers won their third tournament in a row their last time out, at the TRACK Kat Klash the weekend of Dec. 4-6 in Houston, Texas. NU defeated hosts Sam Houston State, 4-3, in the championship match. The Big Red went 11-3 on the weekend and defeated seven ranked teams along the way. Julia Bond, Gazmine Mason and Melanie Crawford each earned spots on the all- tournament team at the TRACK Kat Klash, as Bond finished third in the individual standings with a 214.4 average and Mason placed fifth with a 208.6 average. Crawford joined them in the top 10 with a 204 average, good for ninth overall. The weekend’s action begins Friday with each team playing five five-game Baker format matches, beginning at 11:20 a.m., followed by five traditional team matches Saturday at 9:40 a.m. The standings after Saturday’s competition will determine the seeding for Sunday’s bracket-play tournament to determine a champion, consisting of three best-of-seven Baker format matches, with play set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Nebraska Mid-Winter Invitational At 2015-16 Schedule 2015-16 Roster BOWLING SID: James Hajek OFFICE PHONE: (402) 472-7873 CELL PHONE: (402) 943-6852 E-MAIL: [email protected]Huskers Return to Action in Arkansas Date Tournament Location/Result Oct. 16-18 Allstate Sugar Bowl Invitational 3rd/15 Nov. 6-8 Crusader Classic 3rd/14 Nov. 12-14 Big Red Invitational 4th, 1st, 1st/8 Dec. 4-6 TRACK Kat Klash 1st/10 Jan. 15-17 Mid-Winter Invitational Jonesboro, Ark. Jan. 29-31 Prairie View A&M Invite Arlington, Texas Feb. 12-14 SFA Stormin’ Ladyjack Classic Houston, Texas Feb. 19-21 Warhawk Invitational Kenosha, Wis. March 18-20 Music City Classic Smyrna, Tenn. April 14-16 NCAA Championships North Brunswick, N.J. Name Yr. Hometown Kelly Belzeski So. Schererville, Ind. Julia Bond So. Aurora, Ill. Melanie Crawford Sr. Plano, Texas Bethany Hedley Sr. Watford, England Kelly Huddleston Fr. Papillion, Neb. Julie Lohman Fr. Chicago, Ill. Gazmine Mason Jr. Cranston, R.I. Allison Morris Fr. Ann Arbor, Mich. Alexandra Mosquera Jr. Armenia, Colombia Meghan Straub Fr. Lincoln, Neb. Briana Zabierek Jr. Lockport, Ill. Head Coach: Bill Straub Assistant Coach: Paul Klempa Office Assistant: Kim Straub Pronunciation Guide Kelly Belzeski ......................................... (BELL-zesk-EE) Alexandra Mosquera ........................... (mah-SCARE-uh) Julie Lohman ................................................ (LOW-min) Straub ............................................................ (STRAWB) Gazmine Mason............................................ (JAZZ-min) Briana Zabierek....................................... (zuh-BEAR-ick) Nebraska Quick Facts Location .................................................... Lincoln, Neb. Population ........................................................ 268,738 Enrollment .......................................................... 25,260 Founded .................................................. Feb. 15, 1869 Chancellor ....................................Harvey Perlman, J.D. President .................................. Hank M. Bounds, Ph.D. Director of Athletics............................... Shawn Eichorst Executive Associate A.D./SWA.................. Pat Logsdon Senior Associate A.D. .................................. Bob Burton Colors ...............................................Scarlet and Cream Nickname .................................... Cornhuskers/Huskers Affiliation ............................................. NCAA Division I Facility .................................. Nebraska Bowling Facility Head Coach................................. Bill Straub (19th Year) Assistant Coach ....................... Paul Klempa (19th Year) Bowling Office Phone ............................ (402) 472-0404 Website ..................................................... huskers.com Bowling Twitter......................................... @NEBowling
After over a month off, the second-ranked Nebraska bowling team returns to the lanes this weekend for the Mid-Winter Invitational. The tournament is hosted by No. 1 Arkansas State, and will take place at the Jonesboro Bowling Center in Jonesboro, Ark. The Cornhuskers (40-16) come into the invitational having won three tournaments in a row, capped by a TRACK Kat Klash victory in early December. NU finished third at the Mid-Winter Invitational a year ago, and has finished in the top five in every year in which they have competed going back to 2007. NU won the tournament in 2013. Fourteen teams will compete this weekend, including ten teams ranked in the Dec. 17 NTCA Coaches Poll. The top five teams in the country will all bowl this weekend, including the Huskers, Arkansas State, No. 3 Vanderbilt and the two teams tied for fourth, Central Missouri and Sam Houston State. Other ranked teams include No. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. 8 Stephen F. Austin, No. 9 McKendree, No. 10 Maryland-Eastern Shore and No. 15 Valparaiso. In all, nine of the top 10 teams in the country will compete this weekend. Two more teams competing, Alabama State and Jackson State, are receiving votes in the poll. The Huskers won their third tournament in a row their last time out, at the TRACK Kat Klash the weekend of Dec. 4-6 in Houston, Texas. NU defeated hosts Sam Houston State, 4-3, in the championship match. The Big Red went 11-3 on the weekend and defeated seven ranked teams along the way. Julia Bond, Gazmine Mason and Melanie Crawford each earned spots on the all-tournament team at the TRACK Kat Klash, as Bond finished third in the individual standings with a 214.4 average and Mason placed fifth with a 208.6 average. Crawford joined them in the top 10 with a 204 average, good for ninth overall. The weekend’s action begins Friday with each team playing five five-game Baker format matches, beginning at 11:20 a.m., followed by five traditional team matches Saturday at 9:40 a.m. The standings after Saturday’s competition will determine the seeding for Sunday’s bracket-play tournament to determine a champion, consisting of three best-of-seven Baker format matches, with play set to begin at 8:30 a.m.
FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONS 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 | 58 ALL-AMERICANS | 9 NATIONAL BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
Last Time Out: Huskers Win TRACK Kat Klash The fourth-ranked Nebraska bowling team won its second consecutive TRACK Kat Klash, defeating hosts Sam Houston State, 4-3, in the championship match Sunday, Dec. 6, at Emerald Lanes in Houston, Texas. The Cornhuskers (40-16) started slow, falling to Sam Houston State, 4-0, in the opening round of Sunday’s best-of-seven Baker format championship tournament, but rebounded with a sweep over No. 9 Central Missouri to set up a rematch with the hosts in the championship match. NU ran its record to 4-1 against the Jennies on the season. The Bearkats, who had not lost a game Sunday prior to the championship match, continued to play well early, winning game one by a score of 172-161. The Huskers bounced back, winning games two and three by a combined 63 pins. NU dropped game four, but won game five by a score of 214-197 setting up a chance for the Huskers to win the tournament. Sam Houston State battled back, winning game six to force a deciding game seven. The Huskers prevailed in the deciding game, 215-198, to earn their third straight tournament victory this season. The win was the Huskers third over the Bearkats this season. NU went 11-3 on the weekend and defeated seven ranked teams along the way. Central Missouri defeated No. 14 LIU-Brooklyn to take third place. The Huskers have now finished in the top five at the TRACK Kat Klash in each of the past five years, including winning the tournament the past two seasons. Julia Bond, Gazmine Mason and Melanie Crawford earned spots on the all-tournament team, as Bond finished third in the individual standings with a 214.4 average and Mason placed fifth with a 208.6 average. Crawford joined them in the top 10 with a 204 average, good for ninth overall. “(Bond, Mason and Crawford) did an admirable job the whole time,” Nebraska head coach Bill Straub said. “As it was, it came right down to the last game for us to pull it out. This was no easy tussle by a longshot. We just got lucky at the right time.”
1. Nebraska2. Arkansas State3. Alabama State4. Central Missouri5. Jackson State6. Lincoln (Mo.)7. Louisiana Tech
8. Maryland-Eastern Shore9. Sam Houston State10. Stephen F. Austin11. McKendree12. Valparaiso13. Vanderbilt14. Wisconsin-Whitewater
2015 NCAA CHAMPIONS
Mid Winter Invitational - Teams Competing
Place Team Previous 1st Place Votes 1. Arkansas State 1 16 2. Nebraska T4 12 3. Vanderbilt 3 3 T4. Central Missouri 9 3 T4. Sam Houston State 6 6. Fairleigh Dickinson 2 7. Wisconsin-Whitewater 7 8. Stephen F. Austin 8 9. McKendree 6 10. Maryland-Eastern Shore 12 T11. Delaware State 10 T11. North Carolina A&T 11 13. St. Francis (Pa.) 13 14. LIU-Brooklyn 14 15. Valparaiso 17 16. Kutztown 16 T17. Monmouth 22 T17. Norfolk State 20 T19. St. Francis Brooklyn (N.Y.) 18 T19. Tulane 21 21. Prairie View A&M 19 22. Sacred Heart 15 23. Adelphi 24 24. Franklin Pierce 23 25. Elmhurst RV
2015-16 NTCA Rankings (Dec. 17)
Looking Ahead The Huskers will take a week off and return to action Jan. 29-31 at the Prairie View A&M Invitational in Arlington, Texas. The Huskers won the tournament each of the last three years and have finished in the top four every year since 2012. The tournament is hosted by No. 21 Prairie View A&M
New Rankings The NTCA released a new set of rankings on Dec. 17, with Arkansas State remaining in the top spot in the nation. Nebraska moved up two spots to No. 2. Vanderbilt remained at No. 3, while Sam Houston State and Central Missouri tied for fourth in the latest rankings. Central Missouri moved up five spots, while Sam Houston State held steady. Nebraska has not been ranked lower than fourth this season.
Team USA Two current members of the Nebraska bowling team and two Husker alumni were named members of Team USA 2016 at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials held Jan. 3-7. Junior Gazmine Mason and sophomore Julia Bond were selected to Junior Team USA 2016. Mason earned a spot based on her performance at the trials after she finished 19th overall among 109 competitors and seventh among competitors in her age group. Bond had already earned a spot on Junior Team USA 2016 based on her performance at the 2015 Junior Gold Championships. Bond finished 24th overall and 10th among competitors in her age group. Shannon Pluhowsky, a Husker from 2001-2005, finished fifth overall and was named to the team based on her performance at the trials. Kayla Johnson, a Husker from 2009-2012, earned a spot from the National Selection Committee based on a submitted resume.
Making History Nebraska finished with a weekend pinfall of 14,494 at the Big Red Invitational Nov. 12-14, second-most in program history. The Huskers’ highest single-tournament pinfall occurred nearly eight years before on Nov. 16-18, 2007, when they scored a 14,968 pinfall at the Maverick Challenge.
The Opening Frame
3 2016 NEBRASKA BOWLING TOURNAMENT NOTES
FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONS 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 | 58 ALL-AMERICANS | 9 NATIONAL BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
2015-16 NEBRASKA BOWLING STATISTICSAllstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Bowling Invitational | Oct. 16-18 | Kenner, La. | Place: 3rdW L Team Games Team Game Pinfall Team Game Avg. Baker Games Baker Pinfall Baker Avg.10 5 6 5,648 941.3 45 8,649 192.2
Friday, Oct. 16 - Baker Format Matches (3-3 Record) 1. vs. Jackson St. (L, 995-911) 2. vs. Sam Houston St. (L, 941-928) 3. vs. Tulane (W, 981-839) 4. vs. Vanderbilt (L, 980-971) 5. vs. Florida A&M (W, 935-772) 6. vs. North Carolina A&T (W, 962-874)
Saturday, Oct. 17 - Traditional Team Matches (4-2 Record) 1. vs. Texas Southern (W, 962-830) 2. vs. Stephen F. Austin (L, 951-859) 3. vs. Louisiana Tech (W, 889-870) 4. vs. Bethune Cookman (W, 998-847) 5. vs. Arkansas State (L, 1,026-1,011) 6. vs. North Carolina A&T (W, 929-897)
Sunday, Oct. 18 - Best-of-Seven Baker Format Tournament (3-0 Record - 3rd Place) 1. vs. North Carolina A&T (W, 4-0 - 187-183; 158-140; 193-179; 213-188) 2. vs. Stephen F. Austin (W, 4-2 - 190-152; 220-155; 187-166; 186-191; 168-193; 204-158) 3. vs. Vanderbilt (W, 4-1 - 204-176; 218-221; 215-200; 224-169; 194-174)
Crusader Classic | Nov. 6-8 | Valparaiso, Ind. | Place: 3rdW L Team Games Team Game Pinfall Team Game Avg. Baker Games Baker Pinfall Baker Avg.8 5 5 5,048 1,009.6 42 7,826 186.3Friday, Nov. 6 - Baker Format Matches (2-3 Record) 1. vs. Arkansas State (L, 1,078-943) 2. vs. Vanderbilt (L, 886-869) 3. vs. Valparaiso (L, 942-931) 4. vs. Tulane (W, 972-905) 5. vs. Monmouth (W, 936-854)
Saturday, Nov. 7 - Traditional Team Matches (4-1 Record) 1. vs. Prairie View A&M (L, 916-892) 2. vs. Aurora (Ill.) (W, 1,012-724) 3. vs. Central Missouri (W, 1,027-946) 4. vs. Alabama State (W, 1,074-906) 5. vs. Central Missouri (W, 1,043-813)
Sunday, Nov. 8 - Best-of-Seven Baker Format Tournament (2-1 Record - 3rd Place) 1. vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater (W, 4-2 - 173-187; 203-159; 188-186; 146-221; 172-151; 162-153) 2. vs. Vanderbilt (L, 4-3 - 169-151; 190-179; 161-232; 222-163; 145-212; 145-225; 168-162) 3. vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater (W, 4-0 - 174-173; 215-189; 210-168; 208-130)
4 2016 NEBRASKA BOWLING TOURNAMENT NOTES
FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONS 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 | 58 ALL-AMERICANS | 9 NATIONAL BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
Big Red Invitational | Nov. 12-14 | Lincoln, Neb. (Sun Valley Lanes) | Place: 1stW L Team Games Team Game Pinfall Team Game Avg. Baker Games Baker Pinfall Baker Avg.11 3 10 10,442 1,044.2 20 4,052 202.6
Thursday, Nov. 12 - Baker Format Matches (2-2 Record - 4th Place) 1. vs. Sam Houston State (L, 1,076-1,025) 2. vs. Valparaiso (W, 998-923) 3. vs. McKendree (W, 1,021-884) 4. vs. Arkansas State (L, 1,025-1,008)
Friday, Nov. 13 - Traditional Team Matches (5-1 Record - 1st Place) 1. vs. Central Missouri (L, 965-943) 2. vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater (W, 1,017-974) 3. vs. Lincoln (Mo.) (W, 1,060-715 4. vs. Sam Houston State (W, 1,034-886) 5. vs. Valparaiso (W, 1,010-879) 6. vs. McKendree (W, 1,008-966)
Saturday, Nov. 14 - Traditional Team Matches (4-0 Record - 1st Place) 1. vs. Arkansas State (W, 1,100-950) 2. vs. Central Missouri (W, 1,093-1,063) 3. vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater (W, 1,123-970) 4. vs. Lincoln (Mo.) (W, 1,054-855)
TRACK Kat Klash | Dec. 4-6 | Houston, Texas | Place: 1stW L Team Games Team Game Pinfall Team Game Avg. Baker Games Baker Pinfall Baker Avg.11 3 5 5,033 1,006.6 45 8,667 192.6
Friday, Dec. 4 - Baker Format Matches (5-1 Record) 1. vs. Jackson State (W, 872-830) 2. vs. Sam Houston State (W, 1,043-1,032) 3. vs. Texas Southern (W, 928-794) 4. vs. Central Missouri (W, 970-967) 5. vs. LIU-Brooklyn (W, 1,085-936) 6. vs. Sam Houston State (L, 1,026-879)
Saturday, Dec. 5 - Traditional Team Matches (4-1 Record) 1. vs. Adelphi (W, 988-865) 2. vs. Louisiana Tech (W, 1,037-991) 3. vs. Grambling (W, 968-633) 4. vs. Stephen F. Austin (L, 1,041-940) 5. vs. LIU-Brooklyn (W, 1,100-950)
Sunday, Dec. 6 - Best-of-Seven Baker Format Tournament (2-1 Record - 1st Place) 1. vs. Sam Houston St. (L, 4-0 - 190-170; 189-188; 245-174; 202-191) 2. vs. Central Missouri (W, 4-0 - 184-183; 233-204; 213-160; 193-175) 3. vs. Sam Houston St. (W, 4-3 - 161-172; 180-163; 224-178; 172-212; 214-197; 178-224; 215-198)
Season TotalsW L Team Games Team Game Pinfall Team Game Avg. Baker Games Baker Pinfall Baker Avg.40 16 26 26,171 1,006.5 152 29,194 192
2015-16 NEBRASKA BOWLING STATISTICS
5 2016 NEBRASKA BOWLING TOURNAMENT NOTES
FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONS 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 | 58 ALL-AMERICANS | 9 NATIONAL BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
• Is one of two juniors on this season’s roster• Won MVP honors at the Crusader Classic (Nov. 6-8) after finishing with a 223.8 average• Earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 12-14), finishing fourth overall with a 208.3 average• Earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the TRACK Kat Klash (Dec. 4-6), finishing fifth with a 208.6 average• Member of Junior Team USA 2016
2015-16 NOTES• Is one of two seniors on this season’s roster• Helped the Huskers to a third-place finish at the Crusader Classic (Nov. 6-8), finishing 10th overall with a 201 average• Finished 10th overall on the second day of the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 13) with a 199 average, helping the Huskers to their first tournament victory of the year• Earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the TRACK Kat Klash (Dec. 4-6), finishing ninth with a 204 average
2015-16 NOTES
2015-16 STATISTICS2015-16 STATISTICS
• Is one of two seniors on this season’s roster• Averaged a 189 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Bowling Invitational (Oct. 16-18) to help the Huskers to a third place finish• Finished tenth overall on the third day of competition at the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 14) with a 209 average, helping the Huskers to the day-long tournament victory
2015-16 NOTES
2015-16 STATISTICS
7 38 10
6 2016 NEBRASKA BOWLING TOURNAMENT NOTES
FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONS 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 | 58 ALL-AMERICANS | 9 NATIONAL BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
• Is one of two sophomores on this season’s roster• Earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 12-14), finishing second overall on the weekend with a 223.4 average• Earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the TRACK Kat Klash (Dec. 4-6), finishing third with a 214.4 average• Member of Junior Team USA 2016
2015-16 NOTES• Is one of two juniors on this season’s roster• Led the Huskers to a third-place finish at the season-opening Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Bowling Invitational (Oct. 16-18), finishing 15th overall with a 199.3 average• Finished sixth overall on the final day of the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 14) with a 216.7 average, helping the Huskers to a victory in the day-long tournament• Finished 11th on the second day of the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 13) with a 198.5 average
2015-16 NOTES
2015-16 STATISTICS2015-16 STATISTICS
• Is one of two sophomores on this season’s roster• Put forth a strong performance at the Crusader Classic (Nov. 6-8), averaging 203.3 for the weekend• Helped the Huskers to a TRACK Kat Klash tournament victory (Dec. 4-6) with a 205.5 average in four traditional matches
2015-16 NOTES
2015-16 STATISTICS
5 6 28
7 2016 NEBRASKA BOWLING TOURNAMENT NOTES
FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPIONS 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015 | 58 ALL-AMERICANS | 9 NATIONAL BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
• Is one of four freshmen on this season’s roster• Averaged a 201 in two traditional matches as the Huskers took third place at the Crusader Classic (Nov. 6-8)• Put forth a strong performance at the Big Red Invitational (Nov. 12-14), averaging 196.5 in four traditional matches
