FINAL RESULTS

(LEBANON, Ill., March 11)—Once again, the McKendree University men's and women's bowling teams have clinched their respective spots in the field for the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
 
Both programs competed this past weekend at the ITC Dallas sectional qualifier held at USA Bowl. McKendree was among a field of 18 men's programs and 13 women's teams looking to earn a place in the field for the 2019 ITC, which will be held April 18-20 in Dayton, Ohio. The top four teams in each of four sectional qualifiers held around the country qualified for the national tournament.
 
McKendree dominated the women's field, leading after each 16-game block in the 64-game Baker qualifying format. The Bearcats closed the weekend with 12,913 pins to finish 503 pins ahead of the runner-up squad from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Wichita State University and William Penn University rounded out the list of qualifying teams from the ITC Dallas women's sectional.
 
This will mark the 15^th consecutive year that the McKendree women's squad has earned a spot in the field for the ITC Tournament. The Bearcats won the 2017 title while collecting three runner-up finishes and a pair of third-place showings during its previous 14 appearances.
 
The McKendree men's program led the Dallas field midway through qualifying and finished the weekend in second place with 12,913 pins. The Bearcats were just 137 pins behind Wichita State for the top spot in the field. William Penn and Grand Canyon University were the remaining schools to punch their ticket to the ITC national field.
 
On the men's side, McKendree will be making its eighth appearance at the ITC in the last nine years. The Bearcats have won two of the last three ITC crowns, including last April when they defeated Robert Morris University (Ill.) in the title match. McKendree also captured the 2016 championship with a victory over William Paterson University in the finals. The Bearcats have reached the championship contest of the ITC in each of the past three seasons as they posted a runner-up finish in 2017.
 
The 16 men's and 16 women's teams that qualified for the field of the 2019 ITC will compete at Poelking Lanes South in Dayton. Qualifying play will begin on Thursday, April 18 with the finals set for Saturday, April 20.