USBC INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP SECTIONALS
Friday, March 13 - Sunday, March 15 
Stratford, N.J. | 30 Strikes Bowling Center 

** - UPDATE - DUE TO THE CONCERNS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND PER NORTHEAST CONFERENCE POLICY, MOUNT ST. MARY'S IS CANCELLING ALL TEAM SPORTS UNTIL MARCH 29TH. THE TEAM WILL COMPETE IN THE SINGLES MATCHES ON FRIDAY AND WILL CANCEL THEIR APPEARANCES AT THE SECTIONALS AND THE NEC CHAMPIONSHIPS - **

EMMITSBURG, Md. (March 12, 2020) - Postseason play kicks off for the Mount St. Mary's bowling team, as they head to the United States Bowling Congress' (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC) Sectionals in New Jersey this weekend. 

SETTING THE SCENE

The Mountaineers are one of 64 teams in the tournament nationwide, and one of 16 in the sectional in New Jersey. It's the second straight year the Mount has qualified. They finished fifth in the inaugural season, missing out on nationals by 42 pins. 

Mount earned the qualification in large part to a huge month of February, where the team went 22-5 en route to a 73-33 season. The National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) rose the Mount's ranking to No. 12, which is the highest in program history. 

FORMAT

The event starts Friday with individual competions. All bowlers play on their own, bowling six games starting at 3:30 in the afternoon. A group of qualifiers will make it to nationals, to be determined after the tournament. 

Competition for the team begins Saturday following Singles play on Friday, March 13th. The weekend consists of four sessions of Baker play, beginning with morning sessions at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and 7:45 a.m. Sunday. After a lunch break and some additional practice, afternoon sessions will pick up. The final block will be a position round to determine standings, and the top four will advance to the National Championship in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

THE FIELD 

Mount St. Mary's will be joined in the Stratford sectional by Emmanuel, Indiana Tech, Lourdes, Maryland Eastern Shore, Molloy, Muskingum, Notre Dame-Ohio, Pikeville, Roberts Wesleyan, St. Vincent, Urbana, Walsh and Webber International. The Mount has faced four of the teams so far, going 5-1 combined. They are 2-0 against Molloy, 1-1 against Maryland Eastern Shore and 1-0 versus both Roberts Wesleyan and Walsh. 

The other three sectionals will take place in Smyrna, Tennessee, Addison, Illinois and Dallas, Texas. 

LOOKING AHEAD

Next on the schedule for the Mount is the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championships from March 20th-22nd.