Bearkats open season this weekend in Kansas

The Bearkat bowlers will get their season started this weekend, when they head to Wichita State for the 2021 Mid States USBC event.

The squad features a host of veteran bowlers, including graduate seniors Hayley Connelly and Syasya Ismail who both return with four years of experience.

Also back are a pair of All-Americans with Bea Hernandez and Elise Chambers. Hernandez is a two-time NTCA All-American and the 2019 National Rookie of the Year. Chambers won her first All-American award in the spring of 2020.

The 2021 NTCA National Rookie of the year Denise Blankenzee also returns to the squad after a decorated freshman campaign where she became the first Bearkat to earn first-team All-American honors. Blankenzee was also the first bowler to win Southland Bowling League Rookie of the Year and Player of the year in the same season.

With the addition of Kaia Gray, a transfer from Jackson State, the Bearkat roster will feature six bowlers who have Division I experience. Gray was a SWAC first team all-conference selection and was also named to the all-tournament team.

Sofiia Druchyna and Taylor Lucas are the other two newcomers to the squad.

This past weekend, head coach Brad Hagen got his first look at the team in action in an exhibition match against Texas Southern in the Kat Klub on campus.

The Kats won the modified mega match, including a 4-0 sweep in the best-of-7 baker match.

"We started the day utilizing the new ladies on the team and ended the day using them exclusively," Hagen said. "The returners handled most of the work load in the middle set. It was important for us to get the new ladies as many reps as possible as soon as possible and they proved overall they were up for the task."

This season will be the first full slate of action for the Bearkats since the 2018-19 season, so Hagen said depth is going to be important with 12 events scheduled as well as two rounds of NCAA Championship play.

"Overall extremely pleased with our poise and discipline," Hagen said. "We showed we have some serious potential depth and that's big through the longevity of the season."

Action at the Mid States USBC event will begin on Saturday and will be streamed by BowlTV.

Bearkats open season this weekend in Kansas

Players Mentioned

Denise Blankenzee

Elise Chambers

Hayley Connelly

Bea Hernandez

Syasya Ismail

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