SFA Announces 2015-16 Bowling Schedule
9/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Coming off their NCAA national runner-up showing in 2015, Stephen F. Austin today unveiled its 2015-16 schedule as the Ladyjacks look to make another run at national title.
“We’re very excited about this year’s schedule and know it will be another challenging one for us,” said head coach Amber Lemke. “We have experience at the majority of the tournaments we’re competing in and will get to go head-to-head with some of the top teams in the nation, which will hopefully prepare to compete at nationals again next spring.”
SFA opens the season in New Orleans, competing once again in the All State Sugar Bowl Collegiate Bowling Invitational, hosted by Tulane on October 16-18. The Ladyjacks then head east to North Brunswick, New Jersey, taking part in the Fairleigh Dickinson Jersey Jamboree October 30th through November 1st.
Following a month-long hiatus, SFA returns to action in Houston on December 4-6, competing in the Sam Houston State Track Kat Klash.
Following the winter break, the Ladyjacks open up 2016 with three challenging tournaments in three consecutive weekends. SFA heads to Jonesboro, Arkansas, for the Arkansas State Mid Winter Classic January 15-17, then travels to Reading, Pennsylvania for the Kutztown Invitational January 22-24. The Ladyjacks close out a busy three-week stretch up in Arlington, competing in the Prairie View A&M Invitational January 29-31.
For the second-straight year, SFA will then play host to its own event, holding the second installment of the SFA Stormin’ Ladyjack Classic at Palace Lanes in Houston. The Ladyjacks finished fourth in its first host event last season as 17 teams competed as Lemke expects a similar number of participants this season.
The following weekend, SFA heads to Kenosha, Wisconsin, for the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawk Classic February 19-21, serving as a tune-up for the 2016 USBC Sectionals being held March 12-13. A trip to Nashville, Tennessee for the Music City Classic, hosted by Vanderbilt, on March 18-20 serves as the final tournament before entering the challenge of postseason play.
The second Southland Bowling League Championship will be held March 26-27 at the All Star Lanes in Kenner, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. In just its second year of existence, the SBL has already emerged as one of the top bowling leagues in the nation as four of the eight NCAA participants from 2015 (SFA, Sam Houston State, Arkansas State and Vanderbilt) all compete in the newly-formed league.
SFA hopes to do enough to once again earn a spot in the NCAA Championships, being held this season at the Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick, New Jersey, on April 14-16. The Ladyjacks will then close out the 2015-16 campaign at the USBC Team Intercollegiate Championships, being held in Wichita, Kansas, April 21st through the 23rd.
Lemke and the Ladyjacks are eager to get the 2015-16 season underway as the Ladyjacks return nearly their entire lineup from last year’s national runner-up squad, highlighted by first team All-American and National Newcomer of the Year Stephanie Schwartz and honorable mention All-American Paige Kraushaar.
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