Striking Spotlight

WYOMING, Mich. – The 2021 Intercollegiate Team Championships kicked off Thursday, and eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams still are undefeated in their respective brackets.

The 2021 ITC, which is taking place at the Spectrum Entertainment Complex, features the top 16 men’s and women’s bowling programs coming together for the premier event of the United States Bowling Congress Collegiate season.

All teams bowled 12 Baker games Thursday to determine seeding for the double-elimination bracket, which features best-of-seven Baker matches leading into the finals. The first round of bracket matches also took place Thursday, with half the field getting one step closer to advancing to the televised finals on CBS Sports Network.

The finals, which will be taped Saturday, will air on Tuesdays in May and June. The women’s ITC show will air May 25 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern, while the men’s ITC final will air June 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

In the men’s division, Wichita State recorded a first-round victory over Pikeville, 4-1, after earning the top seed in qualifying with a 2,672 total, a 222.66 average. The Shockers will face Wisconsin-Whitewater in the second round Friday.

The other winners-bracket matches in the men’s division Friday will feature Calumet versus Emmanuel, St. Ambrose against St. Francis-Illinois and defending ITC champion Webber International taking on Mount Mercy.

The opening round in the women’s division featured six of the eight matches going the distance, with Mount St. Mary’s, Mount Mercy, McKendree, Louisiana Tech, Wichita State and Monmouth each winning the deciding game.

Mount St. Mary’s victory was over Stephen F. Austin, which led qualifying with a 2,493 total, a 207.75 average. Mount St. Mary’s will take on Mount Mercy in the second round.

The other second-round matches in the winners bracket will include North Carolina A&T against McKendree, Louisiana Tech taking on Wichita State and Wisconsin-Whitewater versus Monmouth.

Friday’s competition will begin at 7 a.m. Eastern with the men’s second round, featuring both winners- and elimination-bracket matches. The women’s second round will get underway at 10 a.m. Eastern.

Match play will continue through Friday to determine the winner of each side of the bracket. If a team in the elimination bracket is able to defeat a team that previously was undefeated, a second match will be held Saturday at 7 a.m. Eastern.

Teams qualified for the ITC through four sectional qualifiers held throughout the country in April. Teams had to place in the top four in their respective sectional over 40 Baker games to advance.

For more information on Intercollegiate Team Championships, visit BOWL.com/ITC.

INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Spectrum Entertainment Complex, Wyoming, Mich.
Thursday’s Results

MEN’S RESULTS
First Round (winner advances, loser goes to elimination bracket)
Wichita State def. Pikeville, 4-1
Wisconsin-Whitewater def. Indiana Tech, 4-0
Calumet def. William Penn, 4-3
Emmanuel def. Lindenwood, 4-1

Webber International def. McKendree, 4-1
Mount Mercy def. Martin Methodist, 4-3
St. Ambrose def. Lawrence Tech, 4-2
St. Francis-Ill. def. Midland, 4-2

WOMEN’S RESULTS
First Round (winner advances, loser goes to elimination bracket)
Mount St. Mary’s def. Stephen F. Austin, 4-3
Mount Mercy def. Delaware State, 4-3
North Carolina A&T def. St. Ambrose, 4-2
McKendree def. Newman, 4-3

Louisiana Tech def. Lawrence Tech, 4-3
Wichita State def. Baker, 4-3
Wisconsin-Whitewater def. Maryville, 4-1
Monmouth def. Lincoln Memorial, 4-3

About International Bowling Campus
The International Bowling Campus (IBC) is the headquarters for the bowling industry and directly serves the more than 69 million bowlers in the United States. The IBC houses the resources of the United States Bowling Congress, the governing body and membership organization for the sport; the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, representing the business interests of bowling centers; IBC Youth Development; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the International Bowling Media Association; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; Bowlers Journal International and Bowling Center Management, the industry’s premier magazines; and the International Training and Research Center.

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