ROCKFORD, Ill. – Carroll University women's bowling opened its season with three days of intense competition at the Warhawk Classic, hosted at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford, Illinois. Facing a strong field that included nationally ranked programs, the Pioneers demonstrated resilience and improvement across Baker and traditional formats.

Carroll battled through five Baker matches on Friday, gaining valuable experience against top-tier opponents. Saturday's traditional team games highlighted the Pioneers' growth, as they posted competitive scores and earned wins over regional rivals. Carroll recorded an 879-pin performance against Newman and an 877-pin effort versus Quincy, narrowly missing additional victories. The team also faced host UW-Whitewater twice, falling in close contests (977-861 and 866-832) but showing consistency in shot-making and spare conversions.

Bracket play on Sunday capped the event with a dramatic best-of-seven Baker series against UW-Whitewater. Carroll captured game three with a 195-176 win and nearly forced a deciding game before dropping the match by a single pin in game five (169-168). The Pioneers finished the tournament with a strong competitive presence, signaling promise for the rest of the season.

Individually, Carroll's lineup featured balanced contributions, with multiple bowlers surpassing the 800-pin mark over five traditional games. The team's ability to stay within striking distance against experienced programs reflects its upward trajectory. 

The standouts of the invite for Carroll were Ava Butt who finished 3rd and Miley Brooks who finished 6th. This is the second consecutive near-top finish for Brooks as she is flourishing as a freshman right out of the gate. As for Butt, she posted a very high mark in her first invite of the year, building on last year's impressive season. 

Carroll will return to action at the Windy City Halloween Classic in Des Plaines, Illinois, Oct. 31–Nov. 2, looking to build on the momentum from Rockford.