BOWLING

Huntington University bowling opened its 2026-27 campaign at the Columbia 300 Western Shootout on October 10-11, with both the Forester men’s and women’s teams earning 14th-place finishes against competitive early-season fields.

The tournament featured six traditional team games on Saturday followed by 16 Baker games on Sunday. HU’s opening-weekend results showed encouraging progress for both squads as they look to build momentum throughout the season.

The Forester men knocked down 9,305 pins to finish 14th out of 30 teams. Senior Leland Jones led the way in Saturday’s individual competition, recording a six-game total of 1,132. After finishing last at the same tournament a year ago, the Foresters showed significant growth, with team chemistry and commitment standing out as key areas of improvement.

“I was really proud of the progress the guys made this weekend,” said head coach Mike Shockey. “We finished last at this tournament a year ago, so seeing the growth in this group has been exciting. The biggest improvement has been our commitment to being a team and working together.”

On the women’s side, HU knocked down 7,920 pins to finish 14th in a 24-team field. Senior Amanda Turner paced the Foresters on Saturday with a six-game total of 1,197, placing 15th individually. The result marked a notable step forward from last season, when HU finished 22nd.

“The women have already shown tremendous improvement this season, and I’m excited about what this team can accomplish,” Shockey said. “They work as hard as any team we’ve had in many years, and I’m confident we’ll continue to see improvement every week as the season progresses.”

Up Next
HU returns to action October 31-November 1 at the Boilermaker Classic in Lafayette, Ind.