National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

With all the recent hoopla surrounding college bowling due to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s addition of women’s bowling as a NCAA championship sport in the 2003-04 season, it would be easy to overlook the growth of college bowling at another varsity level.

Thirteen schools falling under the auspices of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics have emerged over the last few years, nearly 20 years since bowling ceased to exist at the NAIA ranks.  

Not only have they emerged, two programs have become national champions while another is on the verge.

In only its second appearance at the national finals, Lindenwood University, located in St. Charles, Mo., captured the men’s national title in 2005. The Lindenwood women followed up by winning the women’s national title at the 2006 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships. One month later, Lindenwood’s Brian Valenta won the men’s national title at the 2006 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships, avenging his runner-up finish from 2004.

Lindenwood’s success comes on the heels of Pikeville College, in just its third year of existence, upending national powerhouse Wichita State to win the 2004 Intercollegiate Bowling Championships women’s national crown in Tulsa, Okla.

It was first team national championship title for Pikeville in any sport in the school’s 115-year history.

In 2005, Lindenwood University, Newman University and Pikeville College each advanced both its men’s and women’s teams to the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships, joining the McKendree College and Missouri Baptist University women’s teams as NAIA representatives at the national finals.

Lindenwood and Pikeville haven’t been the only programs to produce national champions recently. Newman University, located in Wichita, Kan., has had a member of its institution crowned an individual national titlist in the first two years of the USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships – Bianca Montagnino won the women’s crown in 2005 and Cory Simmons captured the men’s title in 2004.

Simmons, an All-American selection along with Valenta in 2005-06, led the Jets to the men’s national title match at the 2006 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships.

NAIA member institutions primarily fit the profile of smaller, private schools known more for academic excellence than athletic prowess. Since 1937, the NAIA has administered programs and championships in proper balance with the overall educational experience, placing academic achievement above athletic excellence. The organization also places importance on providing equal opportunities for all student-athletes.

The NAIA currently has 11 championship sports for men and 10 for women. Men’s championship sports are: cross country, football, soccer, basketball (two divisions), swimming and diving, indoor track and field, wrestling, baseball, golf, tennis and outdoor track and field. Women’s championship sports are: cross country, tennis, soccer, volleyball, basketball (two divisions), swimming and diving, indoor track and field, golf, softball and outdoor track and field.

NAIA bowling has begun to rise again – and has the opportunity to once again be a bowling pioneer. The popularity of collegiate bowling is increasing nationwide, with varsity bowling a reality at the NCAA level for women and a growing possibility at the NAIA level.

Visit the NAIA Web site at naia.org.

NAIA institutions with certified bowling programs

The schools rely on the strong high school bowling programs located throughout the region. Due to this strong feeder system, the ability to create competitive programs and attract top talent in a short amount of time has been accomplished, even when competing against bowling’s elite college programs.