Two Baker Sweeps Earn NU A Third-Place Finish

Jonesboro, Ark. – The Nebraska bowling team went 9-4, with two 4-0 sweeps in bracket play on Sunday, to claim third place at the 2023 Mid-Winter Invitational. The Huskers finished the tournament, which featured eight of the top 10 collegiate bowling teams in the country, with a total pinfall of 13,476 and are now 74-31 on the year.     

After 10 games of qualifying baker and traditional matches, the Big Red had secured the fifth-place seed leading into the final bracket play.  

The Huskers first faced the No. 6 seed of the tournament, Maryville, in round one on Sunday morning. NU began the best-of-seven play with a win (226-198) before Maryville answered back with a victory in game two (202-195). NU and Maryville then went back and forth with Maryville (203-197) winning game three and Nebraska taking game four (245-185). The Big Red then sealed the first-round victory with a pair of wins in game five and six (223-213) (236-182) to advance to round two against No. 9 Sam Houston.  

Sam Houston received the No. 3 overall seed in the tournament. The Huskers dominated against the Bearkats with a strong performance in all four games. Nebraska won games one and two (234-205), (231-211) before winning game three by a single pin (199-198). The Big Red then sealed the win against the Bearkats in game four (255-236) to face host team No. 4 Arkansas State for third place.  

The Huskers continued to bring the heat in final round of bracket play with a second sweep against the Red Wolves. Nebraska won all four games, each with scores above 200 (208-200), (277-195), (214-159) and (257-188) to defeat the Redwolves and lock up third place.  

Four Huskers sat in the top 25 individual standings overall. Redshirt Junior Kayla Verstraete lead the Huskers in 10th with a total pinfall of 1,094, good for a place on the second All-Tournament Team. Freshman Jillian Martin followed behind Verstraete in 11th with a total pinfall of 1,082. Senior Kendyl Hofmeister tied for 16th with Megan George from Stephen F. Austin University with a pinfall of 1,069, and senior Crystal Elliott rounded out the Huskers with 1,043 pins. 

Up next, Nebraska returns home for its final tournament of the regular season as it hosts the 2023 Big Red Invitational on March 3-5 in Lincoln, Neb. at Hollywood Bowl.  

Mid-Winter Invitational Final Standings:

No. 1 McKendree: (9-2) 12,878 

No. 12 Louisiana Tech: (8-4) 14,086 

No. 3 Nebraska: (9-4) 13,582

No. 4 Arkansas State: (7-5) 13,963 

No. 9 Sam Houston: (7-5) 14,013 

No. 5 Stephen F. Austin: (8-5) 13,888  

No. 8 Maryville: (9-4) 13,745 

No. 7 Youngstown State: (8-4) 14,206 

No. 20 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater: (5-8) 12,943 

No. 21 Lincoln Memorial: (6-6) 13,707 

No. 17 University of Central Missouri: (6-7) 12,142

Tusculum: (3-10) 12,247 

Kentucky Wesleyan: (6-7) 11,909    

Alabama State: (4-8) 11,800 

Jackson State: (6-6) 11,494 

Alabama A&M: (3-10) 11,269

Grambling: (0-9) 8,492