History of NAIA Bowling
Bowling has a rich history with National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics schools as it was a men’s championship sport from 1962-78. The NAIA was a college bowling pioneer – the NAIA Bowling National Championship came before the debuts of the Intercollegiate Team Championships(1975) and the National Junior College Athletic Association Championships(1971).
Bowling officially became the 11th sport on the NAIA program with the staging of the first national finals in Kansas City, Mo., in 1962. The format for the first three years provided for a 12-game total pinfall for the 32 teams participating.
Beginning in 1965, the field was reduced to eight teams, each the champion of a geographical area. The format was changed from total pinfall to head-to-head, round-robin match play. Individual and doubles were crowned in one- and two-game matches, following the position round. Each team in the tournament bowled each of the other seven in a two-game match, with each game won worth an extra 250 bonus pins. The tournament, which was held in Kansas City, Mo., each year, was certified by the American Bowling Congress Collegiate Division and the Women’s International Bowling Congress.
A continuing decline in participation followed by the National Bowling Council’s decision to withdraw its financial support led to the demise of the NAIA Bowling National Championship following the 1978 event after 17 years of existence.
In thanking the National Bowling Council for its 13 years of support, NAIA executive director Harry Fritz said, “It enabled the NAIA to pioneer in collegiate championship bowling and served a need in member institutions while providing stimulation and motivation for the development of collegiate bowling programs nationwide by other agencies and organizations.”
Team Champions |
1962 |
Gannon (Pa.) |
1963 |
Southwestern Louisiana |
1964 |
Kearney State (Neb.) |
1965 |
Nebraska-Omaha |
1966 |
Nebraska-Omaha |
1967 |
Wisconsin -La Crosse |
1968 |
Wisconsin -La Crosse |
1969 |
Wisconsin -La Crosse |
1970 |
Harding (Ark.) |
1971 |
Harding (Ark.) |
1972 |
Harding (Ark.) |
1973 |
College of Great Falls (Mont.) |
1974 |
Clarion State (Pa.) |
1975 |
Harding (Ark.) |
1976 |
Glenville State (W.Va.) |
1977 |
West Liberty State( W.Va.) |
1978 |
St. Vincent ’s (Pa.) |
Individual Champions |
1962 |
Bob Johnson |
Detroit Tech |
1963 |
Lowell French |
Indiana State |
1964 |
Jon Headrick |
Kearney State (Neb.) |
1965 |
Ken Thompson |
Central Washington State |
1966 |
Zan Sneed |
Concord (W.Va.) |
1967 |
Charles Burt |
Harding (Ark.) |
1968 |
Jack Connaughton |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
1969 |
Bob Bush |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
1970 |
Charles Burt |
Harding (Ark.) |
1971 |
John Younger |
Claremont-Mudd (Calif.) |
1972 |
George Yadrich |
Rockhurst (Mo.) |
1973 |
Dave Hudson |
Harding (Ark.) |
1974 |
Dale Gockley |
Clarion State (Pa.) |
1975 |
Gary Beck |
Harding (Ark.) |
1976 |
Sam Ferrell |
Glenville State (W.Va.) |
1977 |
Mark Hill |
Southwest Baptist (Mo.) |
1978 |
Bob Clark |
College of Great Falls (Mont.) |
Doubles Champions |
1965 |
A.J. Berkeley/John DeLage |
Southwestern Louisiana |
1966 |
Paul Petersen/Tim Urbanek |
Rider (N.J.) |
1967 |
Jack Connaughton/Ron Hedrich |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
1968 |
Jack Connaughton/Glen Mueller |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
1969 |
Ron Herold/Bob Bush |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
1970 |
Al Malone/Steve Poling |
Glenville State (W.Va.) |
1971 |
Dave Hudson/Glen Hanmer |
Harding (Ark.) |
1972 |
George Yadrich/Jay Schultenhenrich |
Rockhurst (Mo.) |
1973 |
Bob Aleksinski/Myron Olson |
College of Great Falls (Mont.) |
1974 |
Ken McKenzie/Joe Kubiskey |
Bryant (R.I.) |
1975 |
Gary Beck/Zearl Watson |
Harding (Ark.) |
1976 |
Doug Tuskey/Bernard Lilley |
West Liberty State (W.Va.) |
1977 |
Mark Hill/Gary White |
Southwest Baptist (Mo.) |
1978 |
Mark Hill/John White |
Southwest Baptist (Mo.) |
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