Women's Bowling
last updated 10/22/09 04:08 PM

KUTZTOWN, PA (October 22, 2009) – Kutztown University women’s bowling head coach, Joseph Ambrose, has announced his 2009-2010 schedule. (LINK TO SCHEDULE)

It’s an action-packed schedule with trips as far south as Nashville (Tn.) and as far north as Staten Island for the New Years Knockdown Tournament. In addition, Kutztown will also host three events beginning with Saturday’s fall Baker Tournament at the Berks Lanes in Reading.

Overall, the Golden Bears, who are entering their third season of existence, will be looking to better last season’s effort when they won 98 games and finished ranked 11^th in the final National Tenpins Coaches Association (NTCA) poll.

Kutztown will again participate as members of the Northeast Conference (NEC) for a second season. Last year, Kutztown won the NEC regular season title. The conference is loaded again with several teams including Kutztown ranked in the preseason Top 20. Kutztown is ranked 10^th in the preseason NTCA poll.

“Joining the NEC was the best thing for this program,” Ambrose said. “It provides our girls the opportunity to play among the best in the country. We look forward to participating in it again.” 

The 2009 season will consist of 125 matches, beginning in October and ending in April. The Golden Bears became avid travelers last season, spending consecutive weekends on the road in Alabama, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.

“The days were long, just one match after another” Ambrose said, “And of course, we’re not just sitting there. Our girls are screaming and jumping up and down, cheering for each other. You’re exhausted by Sunday, just to turn around and do it all over again the following weekend.” 

Instead of spending a lot of time on the road this season, the team will host three tournaments. The season begins on October 24, at the Kutztown Fall Baker Invitational Tournament. The Golden Bears will also be hosting the first section of the NEC Meets, on Nov. 14^th. Before the team concludes its first half of the season at winter break, the Golden Bears will compete in Delaware and Maryland. 

“The thing about joining the NEC is that we can now play baker-style," Ambrose said. "It’s a very hard form of bowling to accomplish. But it is entirely team-oriented, not individual based."

Resuming play after winter break, the team will travel to Staten Island, NY for the New Years Kickoff, hosted by St. Francis College on Jan. 16-18.  The Golden Bears return home to host their last competition of the season, the Kutztown Invitational, at the end of the month, on Jan. 30-31^st. Twenty-seven schools are scheduled to partake in the event.

“This is our biggest tournament we will host,” Ambrose said. “It provides fans an opportunity to watch the best teams in the nation play against each other.”

The Golden Bears will spend all February and March out of state. On February13-14^th they compete at the second section of the NEC Meet, in Long Island New York. They then travel to the Morgan State Invitational in Towson, Maryland for the February 20-22 matchup. 

In March, the team will spend the first few days of spring break in Howell, NJ at the ECAC championships. They conclude spring break with a trip to Nashville, Tennessee for the Music City Tournament, from March 12-14. 

The team wraps up the regular season in Elmwood, New Jersey at the NEC Championship Meet 2 from March 19-22. 

“We’re lucky the championship is closer to home this year, and on a lane we’re familiar with,” Ambrose said. “It gives us an advantage.” 

If qualified, the team will compete in the NCAA Championship, slated for April 7-10 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

--KU--