LANSING, MI – The Carroll University Bowling Program made history over the weekend, capturing the first tournament championship in program history with a commanding performance at the 2026 DIII National Invitational. The Pioneers topped the 10-team field with a tournament-best 8,757 total pins, showcasing depth, confidence, and sustained excellence across both Baker and traditional formats.
Carroll opened the event with strong Baker play on day one, rolling four games over 940, including a tournament-leading 1,046 in the opening match. Despite a 3–2 record in the day-one Baker matches, the Pioneers remained just a dozen pins behind first-place Marian. Additional Baker scores of 979, 944, and 911 demonstrated the lineup's ability to stay clean and make consistent adjustments as lanes transitioned. Their Baker total of 4,770 led all teams entering Saturday.
The Pioneers elevated their performance even further during Saturday's traditional block. Carroll went a perfect 4–0 in head-to-head traditional matches, posting team games of 1,035, 1,017, 971, and 964—all among the top scores of the tournament. The traditional block total of 3,987 once again ranked first, allowing Carroll to surge past Marian and seize a commanding 190-plus pin lead to secure the No. 1 seed for the championship.
In the best-of-seven Baker championship match, Carroll faced a talented William Smith College squad. The Pioneers delivered their most focused stretch of Baker bowling all weekend, sweeping the match 4–0 behind clutch shot-making and timely fills. The game-by-game victories—193–192, 173–156, 185–178, and 235–158—reflected Carroll's confidence and control from start to finish as they closed out the program's first tournament title in decisive fashion.
Individually, Carroll placed all five starters inside the top 14 of the 90+ bowler field. Ava Butt claimed the tournament's individual championship and MVP honors with a stellar 870 series, highlighted by games of 258, 237, and 188. Natalie Hirsch and Allyson Will both delivered matching 799 sets, tying for fourth and earning All-Tournament Team selections. Miley Brooks contributed a strong 768, while Samantha Sciortino added a 751 to give Carroll five bowlers over the 750 mark—one of the most dominant team scoring spreads of the entire event.
With elite Baker execution, a tournament-best traditional block, and multiple top-tier individual performances, Carroll's historic weekend in Lansing marks a defining moment for the program. The Pioneers not only claimed their first championship but did so with authority, establishing themselves as one of the rising forces in Division III women's bowling.Their next event comes February 6-8 as they take part in the Flyer Invational in Lockport, IL.
