The 2016 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships wrapped up at the South Point Bowling Plaza on Monday as the final competitors hit the lanes and helped bring the 97th edition of the world’s largest participatory sporting event for women to a close.
The 2016 tournament kicked off April 9 and it saw 6,123 four-player teams make their way to the new $35-million venue over the course of the 94-day event.
The 2016 USBC Women’s Championships was the first major USBC tournament to be held at the 60-lane facility, which will host the 2017 USBC Open Championships.
The 2016 event also marked the tournament’s first visit to Las Vegas in more than 30 years and third trip to southern Nevada. The Women’s Championships also was held in Las Vegas in 1973 and 1983.
Some of the biggest names in the sport made their presence felt at the top of the leaderboard during the 2016 event. All standings are unofficial and pending final verification.
Team USA member Shannon O’Keefe of O’Fallon, Illinois, averaged nearly 250 during her doubles and singles sets May 20 to set the pace in Diamond Doubles and Diamond All-Events.
O’Keefe teamed with three-time Women’s Championships titlist Kendra Gaines of Orlando, Florida, to lead Diamond Doubles with a 1,413 total. O’Keefe led the way with games of 258, 256 and 238 for a 752 series, while Gaines added 253, 197 and 211 to finish with 661.
O’Keefe, a 2011 Scratch Team and 2014 Diamond Team champion, had sets of 746 in singles and 631 in team for a 2,129 all-events tally.
USBC Hall of Famer Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, put herself in position to become just the sixth player in tournament history to win a title in each event after taking the lead in Diamond Singles on May 28 with games of 212, 278 and 267 for a 757 series.
Johnson, who already has two team (2010 Diamond and Scratch Team), two Classic All-Events (1998 and 2008) and one Classic Doubles (2007) title to her credit, is looking to match fellow hall of famers Marie Warmbier, Dorothy Fothergill, Leanne Hulsenberg and Aleta Sill, along with Michelle Feldman, as the only players with wins in team, doubles, singles and all-events at the Women’s Championships.
In Diamond Team, Logo Infusion of Oregon, Ohio, put together a consistent effort on the way to games of 888, 866 and 902 for a 2,656 total May 19.
Logo Infusion was led by 2013 Scratch All-Events champion Rocio Restrepo’s 699 series, and she was joined by Terysa Wojnar (678), 2008 Classic Team champion Kristin Nieter (674) and two-time Women’s Championships titlist Michelle Sterner (605).
Two other competitors are looking to match O’Keefe’s dual effort as they finished the 2016 event with the lead in multiple events.
Sabrina Gunn of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is at the top of the standings in Amethyst Doubles (1,014 with Ashlea Gunn of Columbia, Missouri) and Amethyst All-Events (1,579), while Sue Browne of Garden City, Michigan, leads Topaz Singles (518) and Topaz All-Events (1,502).
Participation also highlighted some of the excitement during the 2016 event as five competitors celebrated their 50th tournament appearances on the championship lanes.
Joining the 50-Year Club in 2016 was Alyce Hansen of Port Ludlow, Washington; Martha Johnson of Johnson City, Tennessee; Linda Prattini of New Orleans; Jelemia Sanders of Richmond, Kentucky; and Alicia Straka of Bridgewater, New Jersey.
In 2017, the Women’s Championships will head to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the first time since 1993 and take place at the Baton Rouge River Center from April 23-July 10.
The Women’s Championships will return to Las Vegas and South Point in 2020 as part of a multi-year agreement between the USBC, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The tournament also is scheduled to be held at the Bowling Plaza in 2023 and 2026.
For more information on the Women’s Championships, visit BOWL.com/WomensChamp.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2016 USBC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
At South Point Bowling Plaza, Las Vegas
(Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfall)
As of July 11, 2016
NOTE: All standings are unofficial and pending final verification.
TEAM
Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with combined averages of 725 and above)
1, Logo Infusion (Kristin Nieter, Rocio Restrepo, Michelle Sterner, Terysa Wojnar), Oregon, Ohio, 2,656. 2, Golden Approach 2, Dayton, Ohio, 2,642. 3, 3 Webbers And An Outcast, Omaha, Neb., 2,629. 4, Edgy Bowlers, West Seneca, N.Y., 2,607. 5, Strike Out Diabetes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,601.
Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with combined averages of 650-724)
1, Canucks (Judy Hansen, Karen MacNeil, Debbie Sims, Jill Friis), London, Ontario, Canada, 2,334. 2, VA Wildcards, Stafford, Va., 2,215. 3, Garden Center Lanes, Alexandria, Minn., 2,206. 4, Peter’s Bowlers, Warner Robins, Ga., 2,178. 5, Crazy Vegas Chicks, Henderson, Nev., 2,177.
Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with combined averages of 575-649)
1, Toooo Hot!!!! (Crystal Espinosa, Cynthia Martinez, Margaret Romero, Betty Veitch), Rio Rancho, N.M., 2,115. 2, A Chance With The Pope, Windsor, Colo., 2,095. 3, The Bowling Stones, North Platte, Neb., 2,085. 4, We Got This!, Aberdeen, Md., 2,051. 5, Brookings Electronic Service, Brookings, Ore., 2,050.
Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with combined averages of 574 and below)
1, Wyoming Wild Bunch (Hope Gebes, Shawna Baumeister, Jessica Slagle, Ella Parker), Thermopolis, Wyo., 1,902. 2(tie), Tubbs Racing, Gem, Kan., and McGuire Construction, Esbon, Kan., 1,890. 4, Women Who Wine 5, Chino, Calif., 1,845. 5, Prairie Pals, Bennett, Colo., 1,830.
DOUBLES
Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with combined averages of 380 and above)
1, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill./Kendra Gaines, Orlando, Fla., 1,413. 2, Astrid Valiente, Streamwood, Ill./Ingellimar Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 1,384. 3, Jolene Walker Akau, Kaneohe, Hawaii/Jordeen Koizumi, Waipahu, Hawaii, 1,381. 4, Charly Boelter, Oshkosh, Wis./Samantha Kelly, Waukesha, Wis., 1,369. 5, Linda Wilson, Moore, Okla./Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Okla., 1,361.
Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with combined averages of 350-379)
1, Andrea Sharp, Stafford, Va./RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Berryton, Kan., 1,234. 2, Bete Krause, Bartlett, Ill./Cynthia Taylor, Belvidere, Ill., 1,199. 3, Kimberly Tulo, San Clemente, Calif./Nemia Moore, Fort Smith, Ark., 1,183. 4, Shanice Brown/Doreen Antrombrown, Platte City, Mo., 1,177. 5, Ari Bulthuis/Denise Bulthuis, Chicago, 1,176.
Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with combined averages of 320-349)
1, Clara Lyall/Rhonda Ybarra, Chicago, 1,187. 2, Linda Mayette/Jessica Tuggle-Prades, Sierra Vista, Ariz., 1,178. 3, Kitty Cody, Citrus Heights, Calif./Chris Mahana, Eagle, Idaho, 1,167. 4, Teisha Hatch/Trayce Maxze-Davis, Lynwood, Ill., 1,162. 5, Cynthia Brown, Bahama, N.C./Cynthia McMillin, Durham, N.C., 1,156.
Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with combined averages of 290-319)
1, Pua Edayan, Waimanalo, Hawaii/Tatiana Montez, Kapolei, Hawaii, 1,100. 2, LaTonya Russell/Sonia Russell, Sauk Village, Ill., 1,095. 3, Maureen Aranda, Norwalk, Calif./Yolanda Williams, Long Beach, Calif., 1,091. 4, Marge Vieira, Ripon, Calif./Suzanne Ruiz, Delhi, Calif., 1,085. 5(tie), Janet Sward/Arianne Sward, Grasston, Minn., and Tracey Avery, Dameron, Md./Ginger Baker, Abbeville, S.C., 1,073.
Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with combined averages of 260-289)
1(tie), Nancy Jette, Beaverton, Ore./Pamala Conrad, Hillsboro, Ore., and Sabrina Gunn, Lee’s Summit, Mo./Ashlea Gunn, Columbia, Mo., 1,014. 3, Jean Gilbert, Richmond, Va./Barbara Poe, Glen Allen, Va., 1,004. 4, Linda Armbrister, Soland, Maine/Barbara Clark, Rockville, Md., 998. 5(tie), Barbara Travis, Havelock, N.C./Delia Hibbs, New Bern, N.C., and Lillie Harris, Richmond, Va./Sandie Capelouto, San Pedro, Calif., 990.
Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with combined averages of 259 and below)
1, Selena Fabricius, Burlington, Wyo./Debbie Smith, Emmett, Idaho, 920. 2, Judy Moreman/Rosalinda Walker, Danville, Ill., 914. 3, Debra Headrick, Franklin, Neb./Cheryl Vap, Riverton, Neb., 912. 4, Anne Watson/Debbie Apodaca, Casa Grande, Ariz., 895. 5, Dolores Dombkowski/Melissa Kunow, Michigan City, Ind., 893.
SINGLES
Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with averages of 190 and above)
1, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 757. 2, Brenda Mack, Indianapolis, 751. 3, Carol Norman, Houston, 750. 4, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 749. 5, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 746.
Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with averages from 175-189)
1, Daphne Williams, Mount Vernon, N.Y., 678. 2, Billie Roberts, Rockford, Ill., 673. 3, Lindsey Szachta, Charlotte, N.C., 657. 4, Sharon Westerhold, La Habra, Calif., 655. 5, Rhonda Greenhalgh, West Valley City, Utah, 653.
Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with averages from 160-174)
1, Faith Nealon, Dallas, 642. 2, Alyssa Keyser, Bridger, Mont., 638. 3, Patsy Northey, Cambridge, Wis., 631. 4(tie), Teresa Person, Tigard, Ore., and Catherine Macari, Islandia, N.Y., 630.
Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with averages from 145-159)
1, Carolyn Fleming, Trenton, Ill., 619. 2, Marcella Hull, Camdenton, Mo., 595. 3, Judy Mason, Greer, S.C., 591. 4, Adella Williams, Anchorage, Alaska, 590. 5, Mary Jane Shelton, San Antonio, 584.
Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with averages from 130-144)
1, Anne Watson, Casa Grande, Ariz., 565. 2, Carol Schimke, Wind Lake, Wis., 560. 3(tie), Marlana Ayers, Plymouth, Minn., and Deborah Johnson-Nicks, Fayetteville, Ga., 552. 5, Rosan Hallstrom, Tillamook, Ore., 548.
Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with averages of 129 and below)
1, Sue Browne, Garden City, Mich., 518. 2(tie), Joann Schneider, Spearman, Texas, and Carla Houston, San Antonio, 507. 4(tie), Judy Moreman, Danville, Ill., Rachel Ruiz, Montebello, Calif., and Carolyn Kahlich, Cuero, Texas, 503.
ALL-EVENTS
Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with averages of 190 and above)
1, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 2,129. 2, Kristin Nieter, Homewood, Ill., 2,098. 3, Jordeen Koizumi, Waipahu, Hawaii, 2,092. 4, Samantha Kelly, Waukesha, Wis., 2,085. 5, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,079.
Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with averages from 175-189)
1, Rhonda Greenhalgh, West Valley City, Utah, 1,879. 2, Julie Jaques, Henderson, Nev., 1,862. 3, Rhonda Ybarra, Chicago, 1,834. 4, Sharon Westerhold, La Habra, Calif., 1,824. 5, Daphne Williams, Mount Vernon, N.Y., 1,806.
Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with averages from 160-174)
1, Kathi Finley, New Bern, N.C., 1,788. 2, Esther Ah Yo, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,719. 3, Mari Gallegos, Chicago, 1,708. 4, Caroline Tossi, Skokie, Ill., 1,696. 5(tie), Rexiene Smith, Tampa, Fla., and June Dill, Bermuda, 1,690.
Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with averages from 145-159)
1, Cindy Combs, Chicago, 1,673. 2, Erin Bright, Chicago, 1,636. 3, Diana Yu, Monterey Park, Calif., 1,609. 4, Denise Caldwell, Ostrander, Minn., 1,605. 5, Elsie Cooper, Clinton, Md., 1,604.
Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with averages from 130-144)
1, Sabrina Gunn, Lee’s Summit, Mo., 1,579. 2, Nancy Jette, Beaverton, Ore., 1,518. 3, Dolores DelaCruz, Chicago, 1,515. 4, Anne Watson, Casa Grande, Ariz., 1,513. 5, Kim Grams, Campbell, Neb., 1,510.
Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with averages of 129 and below)
1, Sue Browne, Garden City, Mich., 1,502. 2, Sandy Miller, Strasburg, Colo., 1,444. 3, Judy Moreman, Danville, Ill., 1,430. 4, Rachel Ruiz, Montebello, Calif., 1,424. 5, Stephanie Miller, Craig, Colo., 1,402.