Sept. 14, 2016
Vanderbilt has released its 2016-17 bowling schedule, which offers a blend of traditional tournaments mixed with several new twists and additions.
Coach John Williamson has opted to open the season Nov. 4 – several weeks later than recent years – at Sam Houston’s Track Kat Clash in Houston. A week later the Commodores travel to Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Warhawk Classic, an event Vanderbilt hasn’t entered in recent years. Tulane’s Invitational Dec. 2-4 completes the abbreviated fall schedule.
The schedule heats up in mid-January starting with the Mid-Winter Invitational in Jonesboro, Ark., and followed on successive weeks with the Kutztown and Prairie View Invitationals. Vandy heads back to Texas Feb. 10-12 for the SFA Jacks Invitational and then competes at Valparaiso’s tournament to round out February.
It’s a busy March starting with Monmouth’s Hawk Flight March 2 before concluding the regular season with its own Columbia 300 Music City Classic at the Smyrna Bowling Center.
Post-season play moves to the Southland Bowling League championship, which occurs this year at Arkansas State’s home lanes March 25-26. If the Commodores are able to reach the NCAA Championship for the 12th consecutive year, it will be held in Baton Rouge, La., April 13-15.
“We are always striving to construct a schedule that challenges our team against the best programs in the NCAA,” Williamson said. “Sometimes this is like putting together a puzzle as all the pieces do not necessarily fit perfectly so we have to make some choices as to where we go and which events we might need a raincheck. We think this is a very good schedule that will test us every time out and we look forward to getting started.”