The Saint Xavier Men’s Bowling team flew to Las Vegas on April 19, 2023 to make the run for an Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC) title. It is the first time in program history that the men have made it to nationals. So what did they do differently to get to this point, what will be done to ensure future success, and what does the class of 2023 plan to do after graduation?
To recap how ITCs went, each team started by bowling 24 baker games on Thursday. Baker games allow five players to each bowl two frames; one would also bowl six, two would also bowl seven, and so on.
The men were 14th out of 16th going into the last two sets for the seeding round. They put things together to go +200 for these last sets to claim the eighth seed spot. After seeding, there were double elimination matches formatted best of seven bakers.
Saint Xavier first bowled Ottawa University, ninth seed, and were defeated 4-2. They competed in their second match Friday against Trine University, 16th seed, but faced a close 4-3 loss. While the tournament was cut shorter than the Cougars would have liked, their first appearance at ITCs marks a new beginning for the ambitious program.
Michael Kay, the head bowling coach, says, “The team developed a way to keep everyone engaged and those conversations about each shot sparked our postseason run to nationals.”
In fact, each athlete on the Vegas-bound roster agreed that team bonding and a greater understanding of each other played a major role in their success. Timothy Novak, a sophomore player, says, “More team bonding allowed more trustworthiness between each other. We all trust each other and know we will do the right thing. Trust in each other allowed us to excel at what we already knew how to do.”
Daniel Esguerra, a freshman player, adds that some of the most important parts are, “teamwork and communication, regardless of what role you play for the team.”
The team saw benefit in other areas too: the vibe in the competition pit and the overall mental game of each player.
Nick Miller, senior player, states, “Everyone locked in on the winning mentality. Everyone was on the same page during the regular season, but everything clicked during sectionals. We were scary.”
Assistant Coach Isaac Torres added on, “Having a high energy in the pit is essential seeing as competition is over the span of multiple days. I try to keep the energy up for the guys even when we are not performing well so we can push through the rough games.”
How a team handles these challenges can determine whether they advance or pack up early. As much as it can come down to executing a shot, bowling has continuously proven to be fueled by the mental game.
For that reason, what is chosen to be worked on at practice is crucial to maintain the right level of confidence and experience improvement.
Edward Burgos, current junior, says, “I practice the things I need to work on and do so consistently. Practicing what I lacked in a tournament setting allowed me to do better.”
All of these factors will be key parts to future success in the rebuilding process.
Regarding the team making ITCs and the future, Nicholas Sternes, current sophomore, says, “It feels great; it was a goal we had all year and it felt really great to accomplish it. Focus on teamwork and being team players helped us grow a lot. I plan on bringing that energy with me next year as an upperclassman.”
Kay touched on the recently mentioned system the team worked on putting together. He says, “The systems put in place at the end of the year will help future teams develop faster and continue the program’s success.”
Among this talented team is a senior class that is sure to do great things in the future. Alex Acosta, who used his fifth year of eligibility, was able to average 220.8 this season and achieve NAIA First-Team All-American.
On what led to such success and his future plans, Acosta states, “The experience I have gained over 5 years here has helped. Coach Kay has helped us a ton. Also the equipment I switched to was a crucial part. I plan to go to the PBA and hopefully compete professionally.”
Christian Moore-Randle is another senior who saw his hard work pay off this season. He received the NAIA All-American Team award at the NAIA Nationals competition this past March. This was quite an honor in one of the last postseason competitions.
Moore-Randle recalls, “Over my last four years, I didn’t win many awards. It was a lot of learning and grinding. To get this award in my last year basically confirms I am on the right track and to keep working. I plan to try for the PBA after graduating.”
Matt Devorsky, another senior, also had a season worth looking back on. He is eligible to take a fifth year of eligibility, but plans have not yet been confirmed. On his future, he notes, “Down the road, I may try for the PBA. Now I will be going for my masters and trying regional tournaments.”
Miller, the last of the graduating seniors on the ITCs team, has no plans of pursuing bowling after graduation. He will instead be heading to Penn State to get his masters degree.
With that, the Cougars are prepared to leave it all on the lanes and know they ended with a fight. The team looks like it will be flourishing for a long time in the years to come.