HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston bowling team will kick off the season on Sunday as the Bearkats will take part in an inter-squad scrimmage in Huntsville.
 
The KAT Klub Invite will be held at the alley in the Lowman Student Center beginning at 10 a.m. As the preseason begins with this exhibition before the opener at the Mid States Championships in Wichita, Kansas, on Oct. 18, SHSU head coach Brad Hagen is optimistic about the mixture of new and returning players and the past success of the team going into this year. 
 
"Year after year, we hold ourselves to the highest standards — and the results speak for themselves. To be ranked in the top eight or better for 15 consecutive seasons is a testament to our consistency, focus and commitment to excellence," Hagen said. "No matter how many new faces join us, the goal remains the same, even as the path to get there continues to evolve."
 
This year's roster has multiple talented pieces that Hagen believes can unify this team and exceed the standards expected. First being the returnees, who have had success in the past. 
 
Breana Chewens, Miya Greene, Noey Sarntong and Ana Gonzales give the Kats a strong nucleus following a season that saw the squad qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the 12th straight time.
 
 "I believe deeply in the promise of our current women's bowling roster," Hagen added. "Breana Chewens is a senior whose veteran leadership experience and disciplined growth has helped anchor our key performances. Noey Sarntong has already shown tremendous poise, placing second in the Fort Worth Regional with 1,349 pins (out of over 180 competitors) to qualify for the Intercollegiate Singles Championships last season and was a key part of the lineup. 
 
"Ana Gonzales continues to impress with her consistency and composure in tournaments, sharpening as fast as we hoped. Then there's Miya Greene, wrapping up our returnees who was a top 10 rookie with endless growth potential.  The work she put in behind the scenes will certainly make her one to watch this season as an impact player."
 
Sartong is coming off her best season where she was in the top 45 in the nation in PCPI (Players Performance Index). Chewens had a career year with a top 10 traditional scoring average in the nation. Coming from Peru, Gonzales medaled five different times in two different countries this off-season. Greene, who led the team to a third-place finish at the Conference USA Championships, was in the top 10 in the nation for first-year competitors.
 
With every successful team comes dominant freshman. Coach Hagen believes in the incoming class and how they can keep the tradition of the program alive.
 
"The freshmen — Abigail Burke, Jessica Sillis and Emily Hart — bring raw talent, fearlessness, and a hunger we've seen translate into what we hope will be rapid growth in early matches and practice metrics. Together, this group blends experience and youth, poise and energy, and I'm confident they'll continue propelling us toward greatness," Hagen said.
 
Joining the coaching staff this season is a Bearkat bowling legend fresh off her collegiate playing career. Denise Blankenzee, now in her new role as assistant coach, is what Coach Hagen stated will be a mentor for the team going into year. 
 
Blankenzee, a former All-American selection, had 30 percent of her traditional games over 220 this past year, with a high game of 269. The girls are getting someone who has been there, has done that, and can be the piece these girls need for mentorship going forward, Hagen said.