The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater bowling team finished fourth in the United States Bowling Congress sectional held at the Landmark Lanes in Peoria, Illinois Friday-Sunday, March 12-14.  The fourth place finish qualifies UW-W for the USBC Collegiate Team Championship April 15-17 at the El Paso Performing Arts and Convention Center in El Paso, Texas. 

results of sectionals

Wichita State University won the Peoria sectional with a total pinfall of 12,350.  McKendree College followed at 12,281, with Wright State third at 11,676 and UW-Whitewater in the final qualifying position with an 11,600 score.  

UW-W had three of the top twenty bowlers in the sectional field, which included 103 women.  Whitney Kueltzo (Homer Glen, IL/Lockport Township) led team, finishing fifteenth with 1169 pins in six games.  Katelyn Miles (Rockford, IL/Jefferson) was right behind in sixteenth with 1167, and another Warhawk, Ashley Keclik (Hoffman Estates, IL/Fremd) placed seventeenth at 1166 -- just three pins separating the three bowlers after six games.

The top individual in the field was Christina Oschman of Bellarmine, totaling 1305 pins.  

Other UW-W individuals included Jessica Walter (Columbus/Columbus), twenty-second at 1147; Sarah Steiner, twenty-seventh at 1126; Kayla Betz (Sterling, IL/Sterling), thirty-second at 1117; and Candace Schmidt, fifty-seventh at at 1053.  Also Jackie Sailer (Redgranite, WI/Wautoma High), seventieth at 1003; Kayla Schmidt (Johnston, IA/Johnston), seventy-second at 999; Cassie Molbeck (Germantown/Germantown), eighty-seventh at 957; Leann Eimermann (Campbellsport/Campbellsport), ninty-third at 941; and Kayci Sommer (Waukesha/Waukesha West), ninty-fourth with 940.

In order to compete at the intercollegiate team sectional competition, an intercollegiate bowling team must be one of the top 64 men's or top 64 women's schools during the regular season to advance into post-season competition and participate in the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships' Sectional Qualifying events. The first way a team advances to a sectional is by winning its conference. The remainder of the field is determined by the teams ranking in the Team Ranking System (TRS).

The top four teams, in four regionals, will make up the field in the USBC Collegiate Team Championship.

For additional information:  Amber Griffin (Kenosha/Tremper), UW-W coach