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The ASU men's bowling team looks to improve on their performance at sectionals as they prepare for next month's Intercollegiate Bowling Championships.

"These guys came together in the last tournament," said Carl Ong, ASU head coach. "If these guys bowl the way they bowled at sectionals, we will win nationals."

On March 20-21 the team qualified for nationals by finishing second to West Texas A&M University in the sectional tournament in Tempe. There were four sectionals, with the top four in each section advancing to the national championships in Tulsa, OK on April 14-18.

ASU's last bowling national championship came in 1981.

This year is Senior Tyson Branagan's third and final year on the team. He said he liked the competitive atmosphere the sport provided.

"It's a fun sport to play and it can be very intense," the economics major from Chandler, AZ said. "My goal is to win nationals and this is my last chance."

Ong said he would like the program to be funded by the university in the next couple of years.

"It's not a big sport compared to football and basketball, but these guys work so hard, just like other athletes," the first-year coach said. "They have to raise their own money to travel.

"It would be nice if the university recognized them."

Ong added that each player had to pay or raise $1,500 for travel expenses and $300 for tryouts.

Junior Jeff Robertson has been bowling competitively for six years. He said the team was long overdue for the national title.

"I want the title," the kinesiology major from Iowa said. "We want to put ASU on the map and help establish recruiting prospects across the country."

The team is currently ranked No. 14 nationally. They have been ranked as high as No. 4 this year.

Ong said the team had so far accomplished all of their goals for the season.

"We wanted to build rapport amongst ourselves," the Tempe, AZ native said. "We wanted to do well in all of the tournaments and qualify for nationals."

Branagan said the team had to work together.

"You've got to work as a team, be there when you're struggling and root on each other," he said.

During the national championships the teams play a game known as Baker's format. Five players on a team bowl two frames each, with the teams competing in a best of seven series.

The tournament is double elimination.

For much of the regular season the players have played individual games, with victory being determined by adding up the total number of pins each team knocked down.

Ong said that while the first and second All-America teams had yet to be announced, Freshmen Brandon Temple and Stacey Wetmore, the lone female on the team, were named Academic All-Americans.

Robertson said he was excited for the tournament to begin.

"The finals are on ESPN-a live, televised show," he said. "Who doesn't want to be on ESPN?"

Reach the reporter at jeremy.a.cluff@asu.edu


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