Back-to-back champs prepare for post-season success

The University of St. Francis (USF) men’s bowling team has proven it can compete and outlast other teams throughout the regular season. However, as post-season lingers within arms length, the team will have to work to secure their spot at the Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC). 

Dylan Holtz, a senior who was named second team WHAC All-Conference for the 2025-2026 season, described the season as a success. The men’s varsity team has consistently finished in the top five in WHAC Conference tournaments as well as numerous tier one tournaments, which boosted their rankings over the course of the regular season. Moreover, the teams’ success in their annual Las Vegas tournaments sparked great momentum. 

Every December, the men’s and women’s varsity team travel to Las Vegas to compete in the Glenn Carlson Invitational and the Collegiate Shootout. Both are tier one tournaments where the competitive field is bigger and the conditions are tougher. Holtz explained that the team’s annual trip to Las Vegas was a turning point for their season and that this year it was even better qualifying for matchplay in both Vegas tournaments and coming out on top in the Collegiate Shootout. Securing the champion title at a tier one tournament showed that USF can compete with the best coming post-season.

A main contributor to the team’s overall success is their team chemistry. 

“As a team we have been able to all fill in where we are needed. When someone gets subbed in the team has their back and knows that that person will be able to succeed. I do not believe that was the same vibe in previous years,” Holtz expressed. 

Even with their great chemistry the team has still experienced their fair share of rough times. 

 “This team has struggled with a few things throughout the season. Most of the problems are off the lanes with simple relationship issues,” Holtz said.  “While on the lanes we have had some trouble with playing all together.” 

Nevertheless, Holtz remains aspirational about post-season.

 “A lot of hard work on and off the lanes has gone into this season and we are ready to finish the year strong,” Holtz stated. 

The team is anticipating an at-large bid to NAIA Nationals.

 “[The team has] to hope on a committee vote in order to put us in,” Holtz explained, “This is a position that we put ourselves in, and fortunately, I believe that we are sitting in a good position to make it.” 

However, making ITC Nationals is a different story. 

“Sectionals is a very long tournament. It is two long days of 32 baker games each,” Holtz said. 

The team will have to finish in the top four of their sectional to punch their ticket to ITC Nationals. On Feb. 18, the team found out that they would be travelling to Fort Worth, Texas to compete and the team is taking full advantage of this unexpected news.

“The whole team was super excited to be bowling sectionals in Fort Worth, Texas this year. Traveling is what brings the team together. Being able to travel for the majority of our final years of college bowling instead of bowling locally is a huge mentality booster for us as a team,” Holtz said. 

Additionally, he believes that the prospects for ITC’s are favorable.

 “We were given a good group of teams to bowl against and I think we have a very good chance to make it out,” Holtz said. “The team just needs to be together and trust in each other. It won’t be an easy road but it is definitely a very possible one.”