Wikipedia

Nebraska Cornhuskers bowling

The Nebraska Cornhuskers bowling team represents the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, competing as an independent in NCAA Division I. The program began as a club team, becoming a varsity sport in 1996 and an official NCAA sport in 2003. The Cornhuskers have since established themselves as the NCAA's premier bowling program. Nebraska has won eleven national championships, finished runner-up four times, and is the only program to qualify for every NCAA Bowling Championship.[2]

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Founded1990; 34 years ago (1990)
UniversityUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln
Athletic directorTroy Dannen
Head coachPaul Klempa (6th season)
ConferenceIndependent
LocationLincoln, Nebraska
Home arenaSun Valley Lanes
NicknameCornhuskers
ColorsScarlet and cream[1]
   
National championships
WIBC: 1991, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001
NCAA: 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2021
NCAA Tournament appearances
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

History

edit

Nebraska's bowling program began in 1990 as a club sport, coached by Bill Straub, who led the team to WIBC national titles in 1991 and 1995. Bowling became an official varsity sport at NU in 1996, and Straub was hired as the full-time head coach, winning additional national titles in 1997, 1999, and 2001. In 2003, the NCAA sanctioned its first women's bowling tournament, which Nebraska won. The Cornhuskers won the following year as well, and have since won three more titles and finished runner-up four times. The program has never been ranked lower than seventh.[3] In 2019, Straub retired and longtime assistant Paul Klempa was named head coach.

Straub also led Nebraska's men's club bowling program through 1996, winning national titles in 1990 and 1996.

Coaches

edit

Coaching history

edit
No. Coach Tenure Accomplishments
1 Bill Straub 1990–2019 WIBC champion (1991,1995,1997,1999,2001)
NCAA champion (2004,2005,2009,2013,2015)
NTCA National Coach of the Year (2005,2013,2017)
2 Paul Klempa 2019– NCAA champion (2021)

Coaching staff

edit
Name Position First year Alma mater
Paul Klempa Head coach 2019 Nebraska
Julia Bond Assistant coach 2021 Nebraska

Awards

edit

All-Americans

edit

Nebraska has had thirty-seven players combine for eighty ATCA All-America honors.[4]

  • Kim Berke – 1989–92
  • Jennifer Wilson – 1991
  • Carrie Machuga – 1993
  • Shelly Machuga – 1993
  • Andrea Rigby – 1993–96
  • Brenda Edwards – 1995,1997
  • Brenda Norman – 1996
  • Jennifer Daugherty – 1996–99
  • Jennifer Davis – 1998
  • Kimberly Claus – 1998
  • Diandra Hyman – 1999–2001
  • Shannon Pluhowsky – 2001,2002,2004,2005
  • Kari Schwager – 2002
  • Paola Gomez – 2003
  • Amanda Burgoyne – 2004–07
  • Lindsay Baker – 2005–08
  • Jamie Martin – 2005,2006
  • Adrienne Miller – 2005,2007
  • Cassandra Leuthold – 2007–10
  • Katie Ann Sopp – 2008
  • Valerie Calberry – 2009,2012
  • Danielle van der Meer – 2009,2011
  • Kayla Johnson – 2012
  • Kristina Mickelson – 2012
  • Elise Bolton – 2013
  • Lizabeth Kuhlkin – 2013–15
  • Julia Bond – 2015–18
  • Gazmine Mason – 2015–17
  • Briana Zabierek – 2016
  • Kelly Belzeski – 2017,2018
  • Meghan Straub – 2017–19
  • Raquel Orozco – 2018–20
  • Allison Morris – 2019
  • Cassidy Ray – 2020,2021
  • Crystal Elliot – 2021,2022
  • Kayla Verstraete – 2021,2022
  • Kendyl Hofmeister – 2022

National Bowler of the Year

edit
  • Kim Berke – 1992
  • Diandra Hyman – 2000
  • Shannon Pluhowsky – 2001, 2004, 2005
  • Lindsay Baker – 2006
  • Amanda Burgoyne – 2007
  • Cassandra Leuthold – 2010
  • Lizabeth Kuhlkin – 2015
  • Raquel Orozco – 2020
  • Crystal Elliot – 2021

Season-by-season results

edit
National champion
Year[a] Coach Postseason
Independent (1991–present)
1997–98 Bill Straub WIBC 4th
1998–99 WIBC Champion
1999–00 WIBC 3rd
2000–01 WIBC Champion
2001–02 WIBC 9th
2002–03 WIBC 7th
2003–04 NCAA Champion
2004–05 NCAA Champion
2005–06 NCAA 3rd
2006–07 NCAA T–3rd
2007–08 NCAA T–7th
2008–09 NCAA Champion
2009–10 NCAA Runner-up
2010–11 NCAA T–3rd
2011–12 NCAA 3rd
2012–13 NCAA Champion
2013–14 NCAA Runner-up
2014–15 NCAA Champion
2015–16 NCAA Runner-up
2016–17 NCAA Runner-up
2017–18 NCAA 4th
2018–19 NCAA T–3rd
2019–20 Paul Klempa Canceled[b]
2020–21 NCAA Champion
2021–22 NCAA T–5th
2022–23 NCAA 3rd
2023–24 NCAA Regional

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Year-by-year records unavailable prior to 1997
  2. ^ Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

References

edit
  1. ^ "The Power of Color" (PDF). Nebraska Athletics Brand Guide. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Huskers Qualify for NCAA National Championship". Huskers.com. Retrieved 2019-03-28.
  3. ^ "BILL STRAUB". Huskers.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  4. ^ "Nebraska Bowling All-Americans". Huskers.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nebraska_Cornhuskers_bowling&oldid=1223660706"