The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
USBC Nationals
UAB Heads North to Compete on USBC National Stage
4/15/2019 9:18:00β―PM | Women's Bowling
BIRMINGHAMΒ βΒ TheΒ UAB bowlingΒ teamΒ heads north to wrap up the season with its second consecutive appearance at the USBC Intercollegiate Championships,Β held April 16-20 in Dayton, Ohio.Β Β
The first two days of the tournamentΒ consist ofΒ the Intercollegiate Singles Championship,Β with junior Rachel StroginΒ representing the Blazers. This marks the first time that a member of the UAB bowling team has reached the singles championships.Β Β
StroginΒ lifted herself to championship-qualifying status with her history-making fourth place overall finish in the ITCΒ Sectionals in March.Β Β
At sectionals, theΒ Mentor, Ohio nativeΒ bowled for 1,262 total pins across her six games, averaging a score of 210.33 per game.Β Β
This season,Β StroginΒ averages a score of 193.80 per match with a high of 245, in addition to being tied withΒ Taylor Russell for the second-most 200+ games on the team with 15.Β Β
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On Tuesday, the singles matchups kick off with six qualifying games before being seeded into bracketΒ play. The top eight of the singlesΒ poolΒ will receive a bye in the first round. Once bracket playΒ begins, the format will consist of three games and will be based on total pin-fall. The top four individual bowlers willΒ advanceΒ the championship on Saturday.Β Β Β
Team play begins on Thursday with 24 qualifyingΒ Baker games. Following those matches, each team will be seeded leading into the bracket. Match play will begin on Thursday and last through Friday and will be played in a best-of-seven, double elimination format. The top two finishers will move on to the team championship on Saturday following the singles finale.Β Β
UAB qualified for the ITC Team Championships with itsΒ second placeΒ finishΒ at sectionals in which the Green and Gold notched a total pin-fall of 12, 410 over the three-dayΒ competition.Β Β
In their first appearance at the championshipsΒ last season, the Blazers fell in the third round of bracket play.Β Β
Looking to lead UAB to a titleΒ alongside StroginΒ areΒ Russell andΒ All-Conference first-team member Caitlin Cunningham.Β
Cunningham leads the team this season with 18 200+ games and an average score of 190.78 across her 58 matches this season.Β Β
Russell leads the team for the highest individual game score of 290, oneΒ that propelled her to a fourth-place individual finish at the Columbia 300 Music City tournament earlierΒ thisΒ season. The junior averages a score of 189.25 across her 52 matches.Β Β
Saturday's championship matches can be streamed atΒ www.bowltv.com. The singles championship will begin at 8:30 a.m.,Β followed by the team championship at approximately 11 a.m.Β Β
For more information on the UAB bowling team, follow the Blazers on Instagram and Twitter (@UAB_Bowl) or like them on Facebook (Facebook.com/UABBOWL).Β
