NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt ends its winter break competing in the Stormin’ Blue & White Vegas Classic at the South Point Bowling Center, the same facility that hosted the NCAA Championship last April.
Competing Teams (National rank)
Adelphi, Duquesne (8), Jackson State, Jacksonville State (1), Louisiana Tech (4), Maryland-Eastern Shore (14), Maryville (10), Merrimack (13), Mount St. Mary’s (15), Nebraska (7), Newman (18), Oklahoma Christian (20), Prairie View, St. Anslem, Southern, Stephen F. Austin (9), Texas Southern, Tulane (12), Valparaiso (19), Vanderbilt (2)
Format
Monday: Five Baker Matches starting at 12:55 p.m. CST
Tuesday: Five traditional team matches at 11:55 a.m. CST
Wednesday: Three best of seven Baker Matches at 10 a.m. CST
Vandy’s Matches
Here are the teams the Commodores will face, in order, Monday and Tuesday:
Monday – Oklahoma Christian, Merrimack, Mount St. Mary’s, Duquesne, Adelphi
Tuesday – Maryville, Jacksonville State, Southern, Stephen F. Austin, St. Anslem
Following the Action
Matches will be streamed by BowlTV.
Tournament History
This marks the fourth year Mount St. Mary’s has hosted the tournament, and Vanderbilt typically has performed well here. The Dores won the inaugural event in 2020 and were second last year with Paige Peters finishing fourth and Caroline Thesier eighth. Last year’s tournament also marked a key milestone when Mabel Cummins was moved back into the anchor spot after spending the fall as leadoff. Cummins would go on to earn NTCA Player of the Year honors.
Tired or Just Warming Up?
The tournament is placed to take advantage of a host of top college bowlers competing right after New Year’s Day in the U.S. Bowling Commission Team USA Trials. Vanderbilt has five student-athletes—Alyssa Ballard, Kaylee Hitt, Haley Lindley, Thesier and Victoria Varano—among the 153 competitors that will bowl five long afternoons/evenings before the collegiate tournament begins. This timing annually begs the question midway through the event, are the bowlers that have been competing for so many consecutive days getting tired and losing focus or are they running on autopilot?
