The Jennies celebrate their MIAA championship (photo/UCM Athletics)

Central Missouri came from the elimination bracket to win the MIAA title with a win over Drury and two wins over top seeded McKendree to win the first ever MIAA Bowling Championship.  The day started with both UCM and Drury facing elimination but the Jennies posted a top score of 219 in the second game and pulled out a close game in the fourth to move on with a 4-1 win.

The Jennies started the day taking on Drury with a spot in title match against McKendree on the line. UCM controlled the best-of-seven series, defeating Drury 4-1 to advance to the championship and set up a rematch with McKendree.

The Jennies needed to win the first series against McKendree for a chance at the MIAA title. UCM got out in front in the first series, going up 3-0 on the Bearcats. Mckendree made things interesting winning the next two matches to bring the series to 3-2. The Jennies thwarted the Bearcats comeback winning the sixth and taking the series, 4-2.

The teams will await the announcement of the teams making the NCAA tournament field on Wednesday, March 29 at 3 p.m. as the field is announced on ncaa.com.

photo/UCM Athletics

Before you laugh or snicker at the thought of bowling…ugly rental shoes, an old person’s sport, consider this.  We have a college program here in the state of Missouri that is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to the sport.  In mid-April, the Central Missouri Bowling team will be rolling for a national title.

The Jennies were selected for the NCAA Tournament, set to take place April 14-16 in North Brunswick, New Jersey. The Jennies are the No. 7 seed of eight.  The Jennies have made every NCAA Tournament since its inception in 2004. They are one of only two teams (Nebraska) to accomplish the feat. UCM has been ranked in the top 10 of every NTCA National Poll this season.

The Jennies are led by coach Ron Holmes.  Since the program’s birth in the fall of 2001, Holmes’ teams have also earned nine top-5 finishes, including three national runners-up (2004, 2005, 2009). UCM has won 36 tournament titles and its players have earned 39 regular All-American awards during his tenure.

The Jennies have seven top-five tournament finishes this season and one tournament title. They were runner-up at the UCM Invitational last week in their final tune-up before the NCAA Championships.

UCM’s Marina Stever

The Central Missouri Jennies bowling team went 2-5 on the opening day of competition at the NCAA Bowling Championships in Cleveland, OH. The Jennies will be the No. 7 seed in Friday’s bracketed match play and play second-seeded Arkansas State on Friday at 10:40 a.m.

The Jennies opened the day with a 1039-876 win over Sam Houston State. They dropped their next two matches, 1053-1019 to Nebraska and 999-854 to Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Jens rebounded with an 1131-1021 win over top-seeded Maryland-Eastern Shore, but they dropped their final three matches of the day to fall to 2-5. UCM fell 985-882 to Vanderbilt, 983-883 to Fairleigh Dickinson and 1113-982 to Arkansas State.

Marina Stever held a 215 average, appearing in two matches. Kara Richard had a 200 average and Mary Wells finished with a 198.9 average over all seven games.

The Jennies will face Arkansas State right off the bat on Friday morning. The winner will advance to face either Vanderbilt or Nebraska with the loser falling into an elimination game against the loser of the Commodores and Huskers.

The Central Missouri Jennies bowling team went 1-2 on day two of the NCAA Championships at Super Bowl Lanes and were eliminated from the tournament.  The Jennies came into the bracketed double-elimination competition on Friday as the No. 8 seed. UCM lost to top-seeded Nebraska 4-1 (171-242, 228-187, 163-172, 158-258, 170-255) in the first round.

The Jennies rebounded to win their first elimination match against Wisconsin-Whitewater by a 4-1 score (179-151, 214-190, 235-206, 191-194, 250-146). Central Missouri was then eliminated from the tournament with a 4-0 loss to the No. 6 seed Arkansas State (177-211, 156-178, 155-197, 183-215).

Kara Richard led the Jennies with a 204.1 average during the qualifying rounds of the championships on Thursday.

The Central Missouri Jennies Bowling Team is ranked third in the country in the final National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) regular season poll released today. The Jennies are 97-23 overall as they head into the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 seed.

UCM received six first place votes and tallied 689 points in the poll trailing only Maryland Eastern Shore with 15 first place votes and 724 points and Nebraska, who garnered five first place votes and 694 points. Arkansas State and Vanderbilt round out the top five.

The Jennies open the NCAA Championships on Thursday at Super Bowl Lanes in Canton, Mich.

The Central Missouri Jennies bowling squad went 3-4 in round robin play on Tuesday at the NCAA bowling championships and settle in with the seventh seed for today’s elimination round. Central Missouri will face # 2 seed Nebraska in Baker style play.

In Baker style, a team combines for one game. The leadoff bowler for each team will bowl the first and sixth frames, the second bowler bowls the second and seventh and so on. Matches are best four out of seven. If you lose twice, you go home.

Click here to follow the Jennies in their championship run.

Three Jennies bowlers were named 2012 NTCA All-Americans as announced at the NCAA Bowling Championships Banquet on Wednesday night. In addition, Gabriella Mayfield was named the Division II/III Rookie of the Year and Ron Holmes was named Division II/II Coach of the Year.

Mayfield, a native of Lake Isabella, Calif., won individual titles at the Big Red Invitational and Mid-State Invitational and finished in the top 25 in seven of 10 events this year. Mayfield was also an honorable mention All-American.  Junior Natalie Jimenez and sophomore Kara Richard were both named to the NTCA All-American Second Team. This is the third straight year that Jimenez has been named an All-American. She was the Rookie of the Year and an honorable mention pick as a freshman and first team selection last year. Richard earns her second All-American award after being named the Rookie of the Year and an honorable mention choice last year.

Holmes was named Division II/III Coach of the Year after leading the Jennies back to the NCAA Tournament. UCM is one of only two schools to qualify for the NCAA Tournament every year since its inception in 2004. This is the seventh time he has been named coach of the year.

The Jennies open play at the NCAA Championships this morning (Thursday) and competition continues through Saturday at Freeway Lanes in the Cleveland, Ohio area.

The Central Missouri Jennies bowling team went 1-6 in the qualifying competition round Thursday at the 2010 NCAA Championships in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Last year’s runner up with face defending national champion Nebraska when bracket play opens on Friday morning at 8:30 (CDT). The double-elimination tournament will continue through the finals on Saturday evening.  You can watch the tournament by following this link.