Defending champion Bulthuis leads three events at 2018 Women's Championships
April 24, 2018
By Christian Seaborn and Aaron Smith
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Taylor Bulthuis of Coral Springs, Florida, returned to the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships this week as the defending champion in Diamond Singles.
The 24-year-old right-hander fell short of a repeat performance in singles Tuesday at the National Bowling Stadium, finishing with a 595 total, but that didn't stop her from having a successful trip to Reno.
Bulthuis finished her 2018 campaign with the lead in three events - Diamond Team, Diamond Doubles and Diamond All-Events - to cap off her fourth USBC Women's Championships appearance.
She used a 676 series to help Bowlieve of Orlando, Florida, into the team lead Monday with a 2,471 total and posted a 681 set to join Orlando's Kendra Gaines (595) at the top of the leaderboard in doubles with 1,276.
Bulthuis settled into the top spot in all-events with a 1,952 nine-game total.
Nicole Haffely of Hillsboro, North Dakota, leads Diamond Singles at the 2018 Women's Championships with 632, while Marie Niess of Bismarck, North Dakota, previously held the lead in Diamond All-Events with 1,823.
The excitement for Bulthuis started prior to her team event at the NBS, as she was presented with her championship trophy for her 2017 performance at the Raising Cane's River Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Bulthuis used games of 278, 226 and 242 to win the Diamond Singles title in 2017 with a 746 series.
"It was exciting to get the trophy," said Bulthuis, who helped Webber International win the 2016 Intercollegiate Team Championships. "It was a very cool moment. It had not hit me until I was really here in Reno. I wanted to stay humble about the whole thing."
Bulthuis wished her singles event this year, which included game of 219, 185 and 191, had gone better, but she was happy to save her best efforts to help her doubles partner back to a familiar spot.
Gaines, a four-time Women's Championships titlist, will be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame on Wednesday in the Outstanding USBC Performance category across town at the Grand Sierra Resort.
"I set the bar really high for myself, and I was very disappointed with how singles went," Bulthuis said. "But this year, I was there for doubles. I wanted that for my partner, because it's an honor to bowl with a hall of famer."
After graduating last year from Webber International, Bulthuis quickly found a job in the hospitality industry with a major hotel.
She's glad to have employers who appreciate her passion for the sport, and she now will set her sights on heading to Las Vegas for the first event of the 2018 Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour season, the PWBA Las Vegas Open, which starts Thursday at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
"I work for a great, understanding company that knows I'll be gone for a few days here and there to bowl," Bulthuis said. "This whole experience has been really great, and I look forward to competing with the best. It's a rollercoaster ride."
Diamond Team features four-player teams with combined entering averages of 725 and above, and Diamond Doubles includes pairs with entering averages of 380 and above. Diamond Singles and Diamond All-Events are made up of bowlers with averages of 190 and higher.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - Taylor Bulthuis of Coral Springs, Florida, returned to the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships this week as the defending champion in Diamond Singles.
The 24-year-old right-hander fell short of a repeat performance in singles Tuesday at the National Bowling Stadium, finishing with a 595 total, but that didn't stop her from having a successful trip to Reno.
Bulthuis finished her 2018 campaign with the lead in three events - Diamond Team, Diamond Doubles and Diamond All-Events - to cap off her fourth USBC Women's Championships appearance.
She used a 676 series to help Bowlieve of Orlando, Florida, into the team lead Monday with a 2,471 total and posted a 681 set to join Orlando's Kendra Gaines (595) at the top of the leaderboard in doubles with 1,276.
Bulthuis settled into the top spot in all-events with a 1,952 nine-game total.
Nicole Haffely of Hillsboro, North Dakota, leads Diamond Singles at the 2018 Women's Championships with 632, while Marie Niess of Bismarck, North Dakota, previously held the lead in Diamond All-Events with 1,823.
The excitement for Bulthuis started prior to her team event at the NBS, as she was presented with her championship trophy for her 2017 performance at the Raising Cane's River Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Bulthuis used games of 278, 226 and 242 to win the Diamond Singles title in 2017 with a 746 series.
"It was exciting to get the trophy," said Bulthuis, who helped Webber International win the 2016 Intercollegiate Team Championships. "It was a very cool moment. It had not hit me until I was really here in Reno. I wanted to stay humble about the whole thing."
Bulthuis wished her singles event this year, which included game of 219, 185 and 191, had gone better, but she was happy to save her best efforts to help her doubles partner back to a familiar spot.Gaines, a four-time Women's Championships titlist, will be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame on Wednesday in the Outstanding USBC Performance category across town at the Grand Sierra Resort.
"I set the bar really high for myself, and I was very disappointed with how singles went," Bulthuis said. "But this year, I was there for doubles. I wanted that for my partner, because it's an honor to bowl with a hall of famer."
After graduating last year from Webber International, Bulthuis quickly found a job in the hospitality industry with a major hotel.
She's glad to have employers who appreciate her passion for the sport, and she now will set her sights on heading to Las Vegas for the first event of the 2018 Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour season, the PWBA Las Vegas Open, which starts Thursday at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
"I work for a great, understanding company that knows I'll be gone for a few days here and there to bowl," Bulthuis said. "This whole experience has been really great, and I look forward to competing with the best. It's a rollercoaster ride."
Diamond Team features four-player teams with combined entering averages of 725 and above, and Diamond Doubles includes pairs with entering averages of 380 and above. Diamond Singles and Diamond All-Events are made up of bowlers with averages of 190 and higher.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.