New Jersey Jamboree Features 19 Ranked Teams
10/29/2015 6:26:00 PM | Women's Bowling
For the fifth time in the six-year history of the Sam Houston women's bowling program, the Bearkats head to the New Jersey Jamboree hosted by Fairleigh-Dickson this weekend.
With 19 ranked squads among the 29 universities entered, the Jersey Jamboree stands as one of the most talent-laden tournaments of the year. The three-day event is being played at the Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick, NJ.
Top 10 teams included in the field No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. 9 McKendree, No. 10 North Carolina A&T, No. 6-ranked Bearkats and host No. 4 FDU.
Other ranked squads include No. 11 Maryland Eastern Shore, No. 12 Saint Francis (Penn), No. 13 Sacred Heart, No. 14 LIU-Brooklyn, No. 15 Valparaiso, No. 18 Kutztown, No. 19 Tulane, No. 22 Adelphi and No. 23 Monmouth.
Sam Houston started its season October 18 with its third championship in the last four years at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic hosted by Tulane. The Kats defeated No. 2 Arkansas State in six games in the finals. The squad completed the tournament with a 10-4 dual match record.
"We the season off to a great start down in Louisiana," Sam Houston head coach Brad Hagen said. "Now we need to keep the momentum going. With six players back off last year's team that reached the NCAA semifinals plus two outstanding newcomers, we're excited about getting another opportunity to compete agianst top ranked teams."
Heather Penatzer was named as “Most Valuable Player” at the Tulane event and Janine Kuwahara and Penatzer both earned all-tournament honors.
Sam Houston has had the Jersey Jamboree on its schedule each of the program's five seasons. In 2012, snow and bad travel conditions forced cancelation of the event. In their other four visits to New Jersey the Bearkats place third in both 2010 and 2011, seventh in 2013 and were runners-up last year.
This weekend's schedule calls for five team matches on both Friday and Saturday with best of seven bracket play on Sunday. The seeding for bracket play will be decided by total pins from the first two rounds.
