Becoming a Student—Athlete at Central Missouri 2013-14 ~ UCM Jennies Bowling Media Guide ~ 13 Bowling at Central Missouri The 2013-14 season begins the 12th year for women’s bowling as a varsity athletic team at UCM. Throughout this period, Central Missouri has annually been recognized as one of the nation’s best among all National Collegiate Athletics Association schools. Due to post-season requirements, Central is limited in playing against women’s collegiate squads outside the NCAA system. However, UCM maintains membership with the sport’s governing body and uses select events against USBC teams to provide elite- caliber competition and experience during the year. Student-athletes come to Central from all over the world, bringing with them a wealth of talent and knowledge to share on and off the lanes. The ladies learn immediately that academics must be the first priority and life as a UCM student-athlete must be build around the balance of working and giving to your teammates, school and community. The women serve as tremendous ambassadors for UCM and learn a great deal about themselves during their time here. Bowling student-athletes compete at an NCAA Division I level in this National Collegiate championship sport. Although the program is relatively young compared to others on campus, several teams and individuals have left lasting impressions. Amber Gazverde became the first bowling athlete to be become National Player of the Year and inductee in the UCM Athletics Hall of Fame. Four ladies (Wells, Jimenez, Caldwell and Peak) have earned spots on the U.S. National Teams. The 2012-13 Bryanna Caldwell, Sara Cox and Tina Peak on the road squad was the first to be ranked #1 in the nation during the season. Bryanna Caldwell became the first alumni of Photo taken by Kim Wirth the varsity era to earn national event title in 2010. Before varsity level play . The women’s bowling program began on Central’s campus in 1971 and functioned as a club-sport until 2001. Throughout it’s years as a member of the United States Bowling Congress collegiate program, UCM competed against over 100 other junior college, AIAW, NAIA, NCAA and club-sport teams in an effort to win the women’s Intercollegiate Bowling Championships and Individual national titles of their era. Central Missouri earned numerous tournament and conference titles in addition to qualifying for the national championships twelve times in the final twenty years of club-level play. Included as part of these years were a 2nd place finish at the 1998 Intercollegiate Championships, 4th place at the 1999 Championships and 5th place honors at both the 1990 and 2000 Championships. Two Central Missouri women also won collegiate Individual titles. Multiple teams and elite-level players helped lay the foundation for the standard of success maintained today, including women such as Terry Eddy, Michelle Day, Cheryl Gibson, Jana Ohlendorf and Lisa Stack. These are just a few representatives of the women who earned the top conference and national awards of 1990 women’s team at the national championships in Portland, OR Photo taken by USBC their time, including Player of the Year and All-American honors. Ms. Stack was Central’s first four-year All-American. Lisa was also the first player to earn a spot on the U.S. National Team and first to win an international gold medal. Ms. Olhendorf and Amber Gazverde won collegiate individual titles. Michelle Day has the honor of the highest women’s professional finish, just missing out on two different Women’s Professional Bowler’s Tour regional titles with 2nd place honors. Women’s bowling is not the only game . UCM continues to support a bowling program for men on campus as a club sport through the Office of Campus Activities. Their program was also established in the early 1970’s and is one of over 200 in the United States who annually compete to earn the USBC Collegiate men’s national title. Most men’s program in the U.S. function at this level. The men have competed at the highest levels of collegiate play and were the #1 ranked team in the nation for a portion of the 1998 season. Their teams have won numerous top-5 awards in the regular and post- season, highlighted by winning the 1996 ACUI Team Championships and 3rd (1998) and 5th (2001) place finishes at the Men’s Intercollegiate Championships. Accomplishments of alumni male players include a Professional Bowler’s Association title (’85), PBA Rookie of the Year honors (’85), a Team USA member and multiple collegiate All-Americans. Art Brown is the most recent Central male alumni who has come close winning a another PBA title, finishing 3rd at the U.S. Master’s Championships in 2006. The 1998 Central Missouri teams at Intercollegiate Bowling Championships Eight players are now or recently have been equipment staff members with where they earned 2nd place (women) and 3rd place (men) honors. Columbia 300, Ebonite, Brunswick, Storm and Hammer. Photo taken by USBC 2013-14 ~ UCM Jennies Bowling Media Guide ~ 14 UCM Athletic Facilities The University of Central Missouri is not only proud of its excellent athletics programs, but it is equally proud of its many outstanding athletics facilities. Below is a brief description of UCM’s additional training and competition sites for varsity sports. Audrey J. Walton Stadium at Vernon Kennedy Field Home of Mules’ Football and the Mules’ and Jennies’ outdoor Track and Field teams, Walton Stadium at Vernon field is currently the largest football facility in the MIAA with a seating capacity of approximately 10,000. The three-level tower in the center of the grandstand contains luxury box suites available for use by UCM donors. Reserved seating is available at mid-level and lower level areas, with general admission seating available on the west, north and east sides of the stadium. The press box is located on the top level of the tower. James R. Crane Stadium at Robert N. Tompkins Field One of the top baseball facilities in NCAA Division II, Crane Stadium at Tompkins Field is the home of the Mules’ Baseball team. Field improvements in the late 1990s added a locker room and coaches' offices for the Mules, an umpires' dressing room, new dugouts, permanent seats, a concession stand, a press box and lights to the already existing playing field. A new indoor weight training and workout facility was added to the site in 2004-05. The South Recreation Athletic Complex One of newest varsity field facilities at Central Missouri , the complex opened for use in the spring of 2001 and is located south of the main campus. It is the home for Jennies' Softball and Soccer programs and includes locker rooms and coaches’ offices. The facility also has three additional softball fields and three multi-use lighted fields for various events, including intramural contests. Keth Memorial Golf Course (at Pertle Springs) Keth Memorial Course is the home for the Mules’ and Jennies Golf teams, as well as Mules’ and Jennies’ cross country. Central Missouri’s 18-hole course is complete with a fully-equipped pro shop and the newly built Audrey J. Walton Clubhouse. Recent course renovations have added a heated, indoor hitting station, new driving ranges, putting greens and a short game area. The facility will be the future home to the Golf Course Management program when it becomes available at UCM. 2013-14 ~ UCM Jennies Bowling Media Guide ~ 15 Home of Jennies Bowling Bowling Training Facilities Multipurpose Building The “Multi” serves as the primary building for off-lane conditioning and classroom activities for the team. The facility offers a variety of services for all athletic teams, from a six-lane indoor track, six basketball / volleyball courts, a Olympic-size swimming pool, racquetball courts and three workout equipment rooms. The facility also The Multipurpose Building is located on the west side of th e UCM Campus Photo by UCM Media Services houses all primary Athletic Department offices, including the office of Coach Ron Holmes. UCM’s Department of Athletics and the sports of Basketball (Men’s, Women’s), Now in it’s 36th year of operation, the Multi Volleyball, Cross Country, Track & Field and Wrestling all has an athletic seating capacity of 6,000, function from the Multi. the largest in the conference. The facility is also equipped with locker rooms and storage areas for multiple teams, including Barnes Weight Women’s Bowling. The latest renovations to the arena were made in 2009, with the Training Facility installation of new bleachers. The first competition was played at the Multi on November 27, 1976 and currently the “Roaring Red” spirit group helps provide teams with a distinctive home court advantage when completing in the building. In addition to being the site for UCM athletic events, it also is an annual site for the University’s commencement activities, as well as NCAA post-season contests, high school basketball and volleyball tournament games. The MIAA Indoor Track & Field Championships are held here every other year. Major concerts held on campus can provide seating for up to 11,000 patrons. The Millie Barnes Athletic Weight Training Facility within the Multi is designed solely for use by UCM Van Dam Athletic Training Facility female student-athletes to prepare for competition. (in the Student Recreation & Wellness Center) The space offers stationary bikes, treadmills, stair machines, circuit weight equipment, free weights, and The Ron Van Dam Athletic other state-of-the-art cardiovascular and weight Training Facility is used by our training apparatus to build strength and endurance. female athletes for general physical health but also for injury care and rehabilitation.