Crimson Wave Men's Bowling Places Ninth at ITC Nationals
Jefferson Town, KY – The Calumet College of St. Joseph men's bowling team competed at the Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC) National Tournament last week at the Kingpin Lanes in Jefferson, Kentucky. On Thursday, CCSJ competed in 24 baker games to determine the seeding of the tournament.
The Wave totaled 4,901 pins for an average of 204.2, earning a No. 8-seed out of the 16-team field. Representing CCSJ was junior Taylor Haines (New Paris, Ind.), sophomore Edward Olszewski (Griffith, Ind.), sophomore Alex Linnenbrink(Fairport, N.Y.), junior Joseph Ocello (Neptune, N.J.), graduate student Stefano Cittadino (Fairport, N.Y.), junior Ian Dobran (Centerville, Ohio), freshman Mason Doan (Royersford, P.A.), junior Nick Dudeck (Manhattan, Ill.), sophomore Connor Pula (Evergreen Park, Ill.) and junior Patrick McLetchie (Clarkston, Mich.).
CCSJ took on No. 9-seed Midland in the first round of the double-elimination tournament Thursday evening in the red bracket. Calumet College managed to beat Midland 4-1.
Following that win, the Crimson Wave went into a match against No. 16-seed Muskingum that evening, who just upset No. 1-seed Webber International in the first round. The matchup between the Wave and Muskingum went back and forth, with one game resulting in a draw. Muskingum would eventually come out victorious in the second round, winning four of seven games.
Friday morning, CCSJ squared up with No. 12-seed Pikeville and came up just short in a 4-3 loss, effectively ending they great postseason run.
Head coach Mike Kubacki and the team stayed at the national tournament even after being eliminated, to see who would come out on top. Kubacki said his core group has so much potential and thought it was wise for them to sit, watch and observe the teams that are currently above them in the national rankings.
"We finished the season 8th in the country and even though we didn't bowl our best to end nationals, it was a very good year," Kubacki said. "Winning a sectional is very difficult and it was impressive that we did that. … After watching the rest of the tournament with the team, I liked what they were talking about and what they already know to do to improve."
This year's Crimson Wave men's bowling team had a first-place finish at the Storm Baker Challenge and won the team portion of the USBC Intercollegiate Sectional for the first time since 2021.
Stefano Cittadino and Joseph Ocello were impactful bowlers for the Wave in their final collegiate season and Kubacki said next year, some individuals will have to step up and find a lot of strikes to make up for that absence.