The Grand Canyon University Bowling team wrapped up its year with a pair of postseason trips to the Collegiate Club Championships and United States Bowling Congress ITC Nationals tournaments. The Lopes' men finished 3rd at the Collegiate Club Championships in Anderson, Indiana, while the women finished tied for 7th. At ITC Nationals in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, the GCU men finished tied for 13th place.
Collegiate Club Championships
The Lopes' men battled hard in the first postseason tournament of the year, bowling well enough in the 'Burks' pool in group play to earn a first-round bye in the ensuing winner's bracket. They then beat the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wright State University (Ohio) before eventually falling to William Paterson University (New Jersey).
GCU then matched up with the Purdue University (Indiana) Boilermakers - who climbed all the way out of the 'Contenders' bracket - for a chance to play William Paterson again in the tournament finals, but lost 2-1. The team's 3rd-place finish ties the 2023 GCU Women's Bowling team for the program's best-ever showing at the event.
"Our goal from the start was to earn a bye and win our first bracket play match," said GCU Head Bowling Coach Ben Canfield. "By doing that, we set ourselves up nicely to have a deeper run."
"The energy that we brought to this tournament definitely showed on the lanes," said Lopes' junior Nick Barrieault, who consistently came up clutch with his 10th frame performances throughout the event. "My focus was just on staying locked in. With every shot I made, every spare, or every word I shared with my teammates and coaches, I tried to be intentional."
The GCU women, after playing in the 'Kolacek' pool, faced off with Illinois State University in their first bracket play matchup, beating them 3-0. A second-round 3-2 loss to Muskingum University (Ohio) sent the Lopes to the 'Contenders' bracket, where they beat the University of Iowa, 2-0, and lost to Kansas State University, 2-1, to tie for 7th.
"The women showed a lot of heart at the tournament," said Canfield. "I loved their energy and the way they competed throughout the whole weekend. Taking the eventual champions [Muskingum] to five games is something we can be proud of."
USBC ITC National Championships
GCU's second-ever USBC ITC Nationals tournament appearance started with 24 qualifying games. The Lopes, seeded last after the first 12 games, pushed their way up to the 14th spot by the end of play, pairing them with 3rd-seeded Indiana Tech University in the first round of the 'Blue' double elimination bracket that evening.
Falling by a score of 4-1, the Lopes then came up short against 6th-seeded Savannah College of Art and Design (Georgia) Friday, 4-1, placing them in a tie for 13th place with St. Ambrose University (Iowa).
Despite the brevity of the Lopes' ITC Nationals experience, there weren't any moments taken for granted.
"This tournament realty encapsulates what it means to be a college bowler," said Barrieault. "Seeing all of the teams and bowlers around us and the dedication that they have is something that I hope we never forget. I would love nothing more than to relive this experience next season."
"This was the most successful season we've had as a program to date," said Canfield. "Getting back to [ITC] Nationals was always one of our major goals, and it started with the work we put in during practice and at all of the West Coast and Tier 1 events. We couldn't have had a season like this without the players constantly working and pushing each other."
