Milligan’s men’s Bowling placed fourth at NAIA National Championships, which took place from March 20-22 in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The women’s team lost their first game against Morningside 4-3, as well as their elimination game against Saint Xavier.
“We had a great experience,” said sophomore Nate Trentler. ”It was a lot of bowling and took every ounce of energy we had to compete multiple times for the entire day, but we all knew that’s what it would take.”
In the first round of the men’s competition, Milligan defeated Culver-Stockton 4-1. The Buffs won their second game as well, before losing the third to SCAD Savannah. In the elimination bracket, Milligan defeated Pikeville 4-2 but lost their next game against Concordia, marking the end of their tournament.
“We finished 4th, losing 3-4 in the contender’s bracket, but we all know it could’ve gone our way, and we could’ve been in the title match,” said Trentler. “It’s a good showing at nationals, but we all wanted to bring home the win.”
Shortly following the tournament, the NAIA also announced their All-Tournament Team, which featured Milligan’s Alex Evans. Next up are the ITC National Championships in Las Vegas, starting on April 14.
“Coming close is only going to motivate us more when we bowl USBC nationals in Vegas next month,” Trentler said.
Photo: Buffs at NAIA National Championships by Nate Trentler
About The Author:
Emily Haas is a freshman from Hildesheim, Germany. She is a journalism major and a member of Milligan’s swim team. She enjoys traveling, reading, and finding geocaches.