May 13, 2021Athleticsstudentsbowlingrhatigan student center

Roll on: Wichita State bowlers double up with national championships

By Paul Suellentrop

 
  • The Shockers updated their resume as the nation's top bowling program with men's and women's titles in the Intercollegiate Team Championships. Wichita State owns 22 national titles between the two teams.
  • The Shocker men had to come out of the losers bracket and defeated St. Ambrose (Iowa) University for the title. The women went 5-0 and beat North Carolina A&T in dramatic fashion in the final.
  • Both Wichita State teams ranked No. 1 last season when the pandemic cancelled the season.
Wichita State bowlers Holly Harris
Wichita State's women's bowling team won the program's 10th national title in 2021. Back: director of bowling Mark Lewis, Sierra Ciesiolka. Middle: Olivia Komorowski, Addie Herzberg, Sydney Hollinger, Sarah Klassen, Madison Janack. Front: coach Holly Harris, Madisyn Hansen.

Two trophies riding on a bus to Wichita. A joyful 881-mile trip. Not awkward at all.

Wichita State鈥檚 bowling teams endured a lot to get to 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic ended their 2020 season with both teams ranked No. 1 nationally and riding in vans to their sectional qualifier in Fort Worth. No bowler on either the men鈥檚 or women鈥檚 team had won a national title, which is always the expectation for Shocker bowling.

On Saturday, they turned those trials and lessons of the past into a history-making day for college bowling鈥檚 most successful program. Wichita State won the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 Intercollegiate Team Championship at Spectrum Entertainment Complex in Wyoming, Michigan.

鈥淲e knew were good enough to do this last year, as well,鈥� said senior men鈥檚 bowler Briley Haugh. 鈥淲e were bowling for more than just the team, also for the seniors last year.鈥�

The women went 5-0 and defeated North Carolina A&T 3-2 in the final. The men, bowling later that day, defeated St. Ambrose (Iowa) University 3-2 to complete their run out of the losers鈥� bracket.

鈥淜nowing that the women won, just thinking that if we lose, it will be long trip home,鈥� said senior Brandon Biondo. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be an awkward bus ride.鈥�

Instead 鈥� hugs, singing 鈥淲e Are The Champions,鈥� history, lots of texts, a FaceTime call with the program鈥檚 architect and satisfaction for the new coaching staff. The Shockers need more room for trophies.

Wichita State men's bowlers Holly Harris
Wichita State won its 12th national title in 2021. From left: director of bowling Mark Lewis, TJ Rock, Richard Paul III, Nick Sommer, Briley Haugh, Brandon Biondo, Alec Keplinger, Cameron Hurwitz, coach Rick Steelsmith.

 

鈥淭he thing that stands out is the sheer happiness and joy on their faces when they won, and watching them share that with each other,鈥� said men鈥檚 coach Rick Steelsmith. 鈥淏eing able to see that and see how happy it made them was really cool.鈥�

Due to the pandemic, there were no fall tournaments. That condensed the seven-tournament schedule into two months. The teams didn鈥檛 practice together for much of the school year in an attempt to limit COVID-19 disruptions.

Both teams, motivated by last season鈥檚 abrupt ending and the history of Shocker bowling, went to Michigan confident.

鈥淚 knew it before the season started,鈥� said senior Sierra Ciesiolka. 鈥淲hen we were bowling the whole weekend, I refused to say anything less than we were winning. There was just no way anyone was out-bowling us.鈥�

The women鈥檚 team returned all but one of its top bowlers from last season and added freshman Sydney Hollinger to a group of juniors and seniors.

鈥淭he hardships that we went through last year with our two tournaments going away, it just made us stronger this year,鈥� said junior Madison Janack, who rolled three strikes in the 10th  frame of the deciding match to clinch the victory.

The men鈥檚 team, Steelsmith said, clicked into rhythm at the sectional qualifier in April.

鈥淓verything fell into place for them and that鈥檚 the day, I think, they started their national championship run,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey just weren鈥檛 going to be denied.鈥�

That determination added another landmark to the program鈥檚 history. Wichita State now owns 22 national titles, 12 by the men. They also swept the titles in 1994 and 2009.

鈥淲e stepped into a new era,鈥� Haugh said. 鈥淭he program is in fantastic hands.鈥�

Earlier this week, director of bowling Mark Lewis looked at the trophy case in the Rhatigan Student Center and pondered the issues that come with success. He needs more shelf space to display the Helmer Cups that champions claim. The cups are bigger than in the past, which adds to the issue.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a good problem to have,鈥� he said.

The women鈥檚 team last won the Intercollegiate Team Championship in 2009. The men鈥檚 team last won in 2015 and most of the bowlers remembered early exits in 2018 and 2019.

In 2019, head coach Gordon Vadakin retired. Lewis took over as director of bowling with Holly Harris promoted to take over the women鈥檚 team. Steelsmith arrived to become men鈥檚 coach. Harris told Vadakin, who coached the Shockers to 18 national titles, the Shockers won with a FaceTime call. The final, because of TV restrictions, was not live-streamed.

鈥淚 was not about to tell him that just over the phone,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a part of this, too. None of this happens without him.鈥�

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