2016 USBC Women's Championships Concludes in Las Vegas
8/22/2016LAS VEGAS - The 2016 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships wrapped up at the South Point Bowling Plaza 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 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.
Article was posted with permission from Stars & Strikes, America's Bowling Newsmagazine. www.starsandstrikesbowling.com
