Thanks to their 2nd-place finish at ITC Sectionals, the Lopes have secured a bid to the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) ITC National Championships for the first time since 2019. The event will take place in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, and will feature the top 16 men's teams from across the country.
"It's very affirming that the work we have been putting in - both this year and in recent years - has paid off," said GCU Head Bowling Coach Ben Canfield. "We're excited to represent GCU and the west coast at such a large event as this."
The last (and first) appearance the Lopes made at ITC Nationals ended with a 9th-place finish but featured a massive upset as 16th-seeded GCU took out top-seeded Wichita State in the first round of match play. On Thursday, the Lopes will bowl 24 Baker games in hopes of earning a higher initial seed this time around.
The Lopes' pool of competition features 16 teams, but only two others are club programs: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Muskingum University (Ohio), the latter of which is making its first appearance ever.
"The chance to compete at nationals is not something that we take for granted as a club program," said Canfield. "We're looking forward to the opportunities that this provides for us - both in the moment and in future seasons."
The Lopes will follow up the 24 Baker games with a shot at the double elimination bracket that takes place Thursday and Friday. The top two teams after Friday's action will compete on Saturday, bowling in the championship match that will be aired on CBS Sports Network.
The full tournament schedule can be found here.
