Bowling to NCAA tournament

[okinawatyphoon]

The Valparaiso Bowling team is one of 8 teams selected to be in the NCAA tournament this year. Congrats ladies!

http://www.ncaa.com/news/bowling/article/2012-03-28/field-set-national-championship

[vu72]

With a shot at Valpo's first national championship!  Terrific news!!  Wonder what the coach will demand now!  Probably four lanes added to the union!!  (we used to have those in the old union back in the day...!!)

[okinawatyphoon]

I can't think of a better chance to get a national championship -- 1 in 8!

[valpo84]

THIS IS HUGGGGGGEEEEEE!!!! This is, what, the 3d year as a competing sport. CONGRATULATIONS!!! to the team and coach. Also congrats to AD Mark for having the foresight and planning to add this sport. This was an aggressive move by the athletic administration to add sports during a recession. Instead of cutting programs or costs, we pounced on an opportuinity to add students to new programs at relatively modest costs for the programs. 

[agibson]

Fantastic!

I was always surprised at the uncertainty as to whether they'd get a bid.  I didn't realize it was only eight teams.

[agibson]

A slightly motley crew, but these things obviously vary by sport

Arkansas State

Central Missouri

Farleigh Dickinson

Maryland-Eastern Shore*

Nebraska

Sacred Heart

Valparaiso

Vanderbilt

[vuweathernerd]

A slightly motley crew, but these things obviously vary by sport

Arkansas State

Central Missouri

Farleigh Dickinson

Maryland-Eastern Shore*

Nebraska

Sacred Heart

Valparaiso

Vanderbilt

only 2 schools from bcs conferences. there's parity. (and yes, i know bowling doesn't use conferences like the other major sports.)

[historyman]

Something unique to bowling invitationals that I hadn't noticed before. Maybe Valpo doesn't compete in these bowling tournaments but it is unique in college sports:

The reporting of NCAA only events presents a unique challenge here. Only a small percentage of the NCAA women's bowling programs both certify their members AND verify their athlete eligibility with the USBC Collegiate Division. As a result, NCAA only events often have 1-4 certified/verified NCAA schools in an event field with between 6-20 total schools.

http://www.collegebowling.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=8919

[valpotx]

This will probably be the best chance we ever get to win a national championship in a sport.  As women's bowling gets more recognition each year, more and more programs will add the sport, making it much harder in the future to get to the final 8.  With title IX, it is an easy sport to add $-wise.

Congrats to the team, and let's win it!!

[agibson]

Where _do_ they play, in the Valpo area?

I once saw it reported as Inman's, but I think that's not correct?

[historyman]

Where _do_ they play, in the Valpo area?

I once saw it reported as Inman's, but I think that's not correct?

They used to have a bowling alley in one of my former churches' basements. Maybe they could figure out someway to include 6 lanes in that chapel renovation? I kid you not!

I think I have figured out the way to do athletic facilities more cheaply and with the money meant for other university projects. Locker rooms in the Fites Engineering wing, volleyball practice courts in the new dorm, Why not have the Welcome Center with seating for 7,000 and a basketball court in there too? 

[okinawatyphoon]

They do play at Inman's.

[agibson]

volleyball practice courts in the new dorm

They've already got a sand court in front of Brandt!

[agibson]

They do play at Inman's.

Huh.  My memory's hazy, but I thought I remembered some discussion here about how that was an obvious choice geographically, but for other reasons (lane quality? scheduling?) they played somewhere else... like the Stardust in Merillville or some such.

Ah.. there's at least this:
http://www.valpoathletics.com/wbowling/news/2011-12/11201/valpo-rolls-to-crusader-classic-title/

Their "Classic" this year was held at the Stardust.  Do they practice at Inman's, but sometimes hold their "home" tournaments elsewhere?

[okinawatyphoon]

They do play at Inman's.

Huh.  My memory's hazy, but I thought I remembered some discussion here about how that was an obvious choice geographically, but for other reasons (lane quality? scheduling?) they played somewhere else... like the Stardust in Merillville or some such.

Ah.. there's at least this:
http://www.valpoathletics.com/wbowling/news/2011-12/11201/valpo-rolls-to-crusader-classic-title/

Their "Classic" this year was held at the Stardust.  Do they practice at Inman's, but sometimes hold their "home" tournaments elsewhere?

Maybe this season, they didn't renew their contract with Inman's or something? I could have swore that's where our home tournaments were in previous seasons. From the arcticle that initially announced the creation of the bowling team, this was said: "Home course for the golf teams will be The Course at Aberdeen and home for the bowling team will be Inman's Recreation Center, both in Valparaiso."

[jetz]

These girls took time out in Nashville at one of their tournaments to come as a group to the Belmont baseball game.  Because of that, I am a fan of the women's bowling team.  Good luck and GO VALPO!

[StlVUFan]

I spied one of the twins working the basketball tournament, so count me in too!

[vu72]

Tourney starts tomorrow at 8 central.  All matches on the net!!  Go Valpo!!

[okinawatyphoon]

a picture from the Valpo Athletics Facebook page:

[agibson]

8 _AM_ apparently?

Looks like a full round robin today, and then a double elimination tournament starting tomorrow?

Is there a schedule?

[agibson]

Sounds like Valpo's fourth match, and last of the morning, is going on now.  We're apparently 1-2, winning against Sacred Heart.

From the live commentary at valpoathletics.com

This is the last match of the morning session - Valpo lost tight matches (playing well) against Central Missouri and Nebraska before defeating Sacred Heart. The afternoon session will start around 2:30 p.m. CT, where the Crusaders face Maryland Eastern Shore, Fairleigh Dickinson and Vanderbilt in order.

I'll make sure on here before the start of each match to tell you what video link we are on on the NCAA.com streaming.

Just to show how much schedule can affect wins and losses - Valpo sits at 1-2 despite having the 2nd best total pinfall through 3 matches so far today.

[agibson]

From the NCAA preview

No. 6 Valparaiso makes its ffirst NCAA tournament appearance in just its program's third year of existance and in just its first year with head coach Matt Nantais at the helm.

"When I interviewed for the coaching position last summer, I told the team that we were going to go to the national championship this year," Nantais said.  "After we started practicing and bowled our first tournament of the year and the bowlers saw how they were able to bowl together as a true team, I think it changed the team's outlook and made them believe that they could get to the championship.

"They've bought into the system and have worked hard to get to this point, and we look forward to focusing and taking this tournament just like every other one this season."

[agibson]

Valpo finishes the morning session 2-2.

Natalie finishes with a spare and a 233, Crusaders with the win over the nation's top-ranked team, 897-880!

[agibson]

They dropped all three afternoon matches.  8th in win-loss (which is what counts for seeding).  Fifth in total pin count.

On the bright side,

Senior Natalie Cortese (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates [Central Missouri]) led the entire tournament field in average on Thursday, posting an average of 218.4 over the seven matches.

Valparaiso (83-42) begins the best-of-seven baker double elimination bracket on Friday morning at approximately 8:45 a.m. CDT against top-seeded Vanderbilt.  Live video can be found through www.valpoathletics.com, which will also have a live interactive chat for the duration of the Crusaders' matches.

[agibson]

Valpo falls into the losers bracket, losing to top-seeded Vanderbilt, 4 games to 1.  Not out of the game, just taking the back door.  Next game (this time it's play or go home, presumably) in 15 minutes or so.