Experience the flavor of the Southwest in 2010. El Paso offers you a chance to soak up the sun and culture while bowling with your friends. While partaking in YOUR national championship, you'll also be able to explore Spanish missions, hike in the Franklin Mountains, enjoy regional cuisine and delicious margaritas, shop authentic Mexican markets, relax at luxurious spas and pools and experience the music and nightlife of El Paso.

In 2010, the USBC Women's Championships moves to an arena-like setting that will exceed your wildest expectations. Located in the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, the stadium will feature the world's largest mobile LED scoreboard (unveiled at the 2009 Open Championships), newly-installed synthetic lanes, exciting vendors, merchandise stands, great food and more!

USBC is ready to crown new champions in 2010 with division changes that are sure to make your game shine. The 2010 tournament will feature a format makeover from previous years, providing bowlers with a new tournament experience. Past tournaments featured five average-based divisions. In 2010, the tournament will move to handicap competition, new divisions and more prize money than ever before.

Important Dates to Remember

In 2010, the USBC Women's Championships moves to an arena-like setting that will exceed your wildest expectations. Located in the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, the stadium will feature the world's largest mobile LED scoreboard (unveiled at the 2009 Open Championships), newly-installed synthetic lanes, exciting vendors, merchandise stands, great food and more!

USBC is ready to crown new champions in 2010 with division changes that are sure to make your game shine. The 2010 tournament will feature a format makeover from previous years, providing bowlers with a new tournament experience. Past tournaments featured five average-based divisions. In 2010, the tournament will move to handicap competition, new divisions and more prize money than ever before.

All female USBC members are eligible to compete in one of three new divisions:

• Diamond Division:
  • 180 average and above (handicap based on 220).
• Ruby Division:
  • o 150-179 average (handicap based on 180).
• Sapphire Division:
  • 149 average and lower (handicap based on 150).

Highlighting the expanded prize funds, each division will feature a $5,000 first place prize. New prize ratios will allow more ladies to cash! As always, women can compete for titles in Team, Doubles, Singles and All-Events competition.

The dress code will be enforced by designated tournament staff members. They will make judgment calls relative to dress code questions or concerns, while any questionable items or special circumstances will be addressed by the Manager on Duty.

The Women's Championships also will recognize scratch champions in team, doubles, singles, all-events and Team All-Events. Having topped the entire field of the three jewel divisions, these bowlers will earn prominent titles as the overall tournament champions. In addition to receiving awards, the scratch winners will receive a total of $8,000 in added prize money.

To determine your division, see the following information:

Diamond Division - Bowlers with averages of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 220.

Ruby Division - Bowlers with averages from 150-179, with handicap based on 180.

Sapphire Division - Bowlers with averages of 149 and below, with handicap based on 150.

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A total of 8,330 five-player teams representing 50 states and six foreign countries competed in the event kicked off on March 28, and now 45 women can call themselves tournament champions.

Together Once Again of Keller, Texas, found itself in familiar territory, claiming the title in Classic Team (combined averages of 946 and above) for the second consecutive time in Reno. This time, the group took the title with a 3,322 team total, the third-highest in tournament history.

The team was led by Tammy Boomershine, who posted a 732 series. She was followed by Andrea Fleming (689), Cathy Dorin-Lizzi (663), USBC Hall of Famer and Team USA member Carolyn Dorin-Ballard (631) and Team USA member Lynda Barnes (607). In 2006, they won the event with a 3,350 effort, the highest team score ever rolled at the Women's Championships.

"We are pretty excited about it," said Dorin-Ballard, who now owns five titles at the Women's Championships. "We've been bowling together for so long now and have so much fun, but winning makes it that much better. We will have to bowl better next year if we want to repeat, but we are all ready to defend our title in El Paso."

Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., took home the Classic Singles title by firing the highest series in Women's Championships history. She put together games of 279, 249 and 288 for an 816 series on April 24. Kendra Gaines of Orlando, Fla., previously held the record with 812, rolled during the 2000 tournament, also in Reno.

Feldman, who won two Professional Bowlers Association Women's Series events this season, became just the fourth bowler to roll an 800 series at the Women's Championships. USBC Hall of Famer Robin Romeo of Newhall, Calif., also accomplished the feat this year, tossing an 805 series the same week to help her team to a runner-up finish with 3,286.

"It always feels nice to win, especially with the look I had earlier in the tournament," Feldman said. "We moved pairs, and all of a sudden, I couldn't miss. I wish I had that look all the time. I'm looking forward to defending in El Paso, and it should be fun since it's a city I haven't bowled in."

Romeo's momentum carried over to doubles and singles and helped her to the Classic All-Events title. She added 689 in doubles and 678 in singles and finished with a 2,172 all-events total, the second-highest in tournament history. Only Leanne Barrette-Hulsenberg of Elk Grove, Calif., has posted a higher number, shooting 2,231 at the 2005 event in Tulsa, Okla.

"It's really exciting to win a title at this stage of my career," Romeo said. "The scores were pretty high this year, so I was a bit worried to see if I would hold on. I feel that winning all-events is the toughest since you have to bowl well in every event, so I'm honored. The whole week was exciting for all of us, especially bowling so well in team and being in first place for a little bit."

Classic Doubles honors went to Clara Guerrero of Austin, Texas, and Jenifer Larson of Tupper Lake, N.Y., with a 1,404 total. Guerrero led the way with a 728 series, while Larson contributed 676. It was the second time they've bowled doubles together since meeting as substitutes on companion teams last year in Detroit.

"I'm so excited that we were able to hold on," Guerrero said. "I didn't check the scores too often, but I was getting anxious towards the end. I'm just so happy to bowl with a great team and a great partner in Jen. I can't wait until El Paso next year."

Larson, who owns her own bowling center, Lakeview Lanes, has not been a regular at the Women's Championships since acquiring the bowling center, but is grateful for the opportunity to be included.

"I am really grateful to my team captain, Brenda Mack, for inviting me back," Larson said. "This was a great pairing when Clara and I met last year in Detroit. We struggled then, but this year, it really paid off. We'd better be paired together again next year, too."

The 2009 event also saw the first perfect game on the tournament lanes since 2005 as Lindsy Bonifacini of San Diego put together 12 consecutive strikes during her doubles event on July 2. Bonifacini became just the ninth woman to roll a 300 game at the Women's Championships.

There also were two participation records set at this year's Women's Championships.

Emma Hendrickson, 100, of Morris Plains, N.J., became the oldest participant in tournament history and received national attention for her accomplishment, including the chance to bowl against television personality Regis Philbin on "Live! With Regis and Kelly" in New York. She also was a special guest at an ESPN bowling event and will make a guest appearance at the New Jersey Seniors Olympics in September.

Tournament participation leader Mini Tvaska of St. Petersburg, Fla., bested her own record by competing in her 63rd consecutive Women's Championships. The 91-year-old made her first tournament appearance at the 1947 event in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Both women are signed up for next year's tournament in El Paso, Texas, which already has nearly 4,000 teams registered.

The 2010 event will usher in a new era for the Women's Championships, including the introduction of a convention center setting and three new average-based divisions using 100 percent handicap.

Results are unofficial pending a final verification of averages.

Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Women's Championships are Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus Reno. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Atlantis Hotel and Casino, Sands Regency Casino Hotel, Harrah's Hotel and Casino, Club Cal Neva, and Storm Products Inc.

2008 - Detroit
2007 - Charlotte
2006 - Reno
2005 - Tulsa, OK
2004 - Wichita, KS
2003 - Reno, NV
2002 - Milwaukee, WI
2001 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
2000 - Reno, NV
1999 - Indianapolis, IN
1998 - Quad Cities
1997 - Reno, NV
1996 - Buffalo, NY
1995 - Tucson, AZ
1994 - Salt Lake City, UT
1993 - Baton Rouge, LA
1992 - Lansing, MI
1991 - Cedar Rapids, IA
1990 - Tampa, FL
1989 - Bismarck/Mandan, ND
1988 - Reno, NV
1987 - Hartford, CT
1986 - Orange County, CA
1985 - Toledo, OH
1984 - Niagara Falls, NY
1983 - Las Vegas, NV
1982 - St. Louis, MO
1981 - Baltimore, MD
1980 - Seattle, WA
1979 - Tucson, AZ
1978 - Miami, FL
1977 - Milwaukee, WI
1976 - Denver, CO
1975 - Indianapolis, IN
1974 - Houston, TX
1973 - Las Vegas, NV
1972 - Kansas City, MO
1971 - Atlanta, GA
1970 - Tulsa, OK
1969 - San Diego, CA
1968 - San Antonio, TX
1967 - Rochester, NY
1966 - New Orleans, LA
1965 - Portland, OR
1964 - Minneapolis, MN
1963 - Memphis, TN
1962 - Phoenix, AZ
1961 - Fort Wayne, IN
1960 - Denver, CO
1959 - Buffalo, NY
1958 - San Francisco, CA
1957 - Dayton, OH
1956 - Miami, NY
1955 - Omaha, NE
1954 - Syracuse, NY
1953 - Detroit, MI
1952 - St. Louis, MO
1951 - Seattle, WA
1950 - St. Paul, MN
1949 - Columbus, OH
1948 - Dallas, TX
1947 - Grand Rapids, MI
1946 - Kansas City, MO
1943,44,45 - NO TOURNAMENTS
1942 - Milwaukee, WI
1941 - Los Angeles, CA
1940 - Syracuse, NY
1939 - Oklahoma City, OK
1938 - Cincinnati, OH
1937 - Rochester, NY
1936 - Omaha, NE
1935 - Chicago, IL
1934 - Indianapolis, IN
1933 - Peoria, IL
1932 - St. Louis, MO
1931 - New York, NY
1930 - Louisville, KY
1929 - Buffalo, NY
1928 - Detroit, MI
1927 - Columbus, OH
1926 - Milwaukee, WI
1925 - Cleveland, OH
1924 - Indianapolis, IN
1923 - St. Louis, MO
1922 - Toledo, OH
1921 - Cleveland, OH
1920 - Chicago, IL
1919 - Toledo, OH
1918 - Cincinnati, OH
1916,17 - St. Louis, MO