Nov. 8, 2007
FORT ATKINSON, WI—Vanderbilt will compete in the first major bowling tournament of the academic year this week, traveling to Wisconsin Whitewater’s Cheeseland Invitational.
“We will get to compete against several teams that we don’t see on a regular basis,” says Coach John Williamson. “A number of good teams from the northeast are attending along with some of our Central Region rivals. It’s a good field and we are looking forward to being a part of it.”
A year ago, a Commodore team ranked fourth finished third here behind the Most Valuable Player performance of Mandy Keily, who won the individual honors in impressive style.
This was originally intended to be the team’s season debut but a late opportunity to take the team to the Central Region Jamboree had the Commodores open two weeks ago in Arkansas. They were 7-3 there.
“We have had some good work during the last two weeks,” Williamson says. “I don’t think anyone was satisfied at the jamboree, we know we are capable of more. The one good thing we took from that tournament was experience for our newcomers.”
Vanderbilt will travel with eight bowlers. They include Taka Kane, a veteran that did not bowl at the jamboree, fellow juniors Karen Grygiel and Michelle Peloquin, sophomores Josie Earnest and Ashley Belden and freshmen Brittany Garcia, Ellen Morrison and Amanda Halter.
Other participating teams are Adelphi, Arkansas State, Elmhurst, Fairleigh Dickinson, Minnesota State-Mankato, Nebraska, New Jersey City, Saint Peter’s, Southern and host Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Five of these teams are currently ranked among the Top 10. In addition to Vanderbilt’s No. 1 poll position, Nebraska is second, Fairleigh Dickinson is third, New Jersey City is sixth and Arkansas State in eighth.
The tournament will be held at the Rock River Lanes in Fort Atkinson.
The team departs late Thursday afternoon with five Baker games on Friday starting at 2:45 (CT), five team games Saturday (9:45) and five more team games Sunday (8:35).
