If you think bowling is just a casual pastime or a hobby, think again–the world of college bowling offers a competitive and exciting platform for both men and women, with a range of programs and opportunities available across the NCAA, NJCAA, and NAIA levels.The NCAA started a championship for bowling in 2004, after 40 women's programs started bowling programs. There are varsity programs for women in the NCAA and opportunities for men and women in the NJCAA and the NAIA. There are 65 bowling programs in the NCAA from Division 1 to Division 3 and with them come a bunch of opportunities for bowlers to move into colleges to continue their bowling career. 

Clubs vs varsity programs

There are many clubs and varsity bowling teams across the country and the difference between the two teams is where the funding is sourced. Clubs get their funding from the players, or funded from the student union. Club teams may have to fundraise in order to get money for tournaments. Varsity programs are funded by a college's athletic budget and should be enough to run the team. 

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How to prepare for college bowling

Unlike many of the popular collegiate sports, there are no showcases or camps for coaches to evaluate bowlers. It is important for bowlers to build a resume that includes video of their form, release, and approach. Bowling coaches want athletes to showcase picking up spares because this shows ball control and is one of the most important qualities of a bowler. It is also important to stay physically fit to be able to endure the intensive collegiate bowling schedule. Many of the DIvision one programs offer athletic scholarships for women. There are five athletic scholarships for a team of eight. Additionally, those scholarships can be split among all players meaning all players can receive at least a partial scholarship. 

The college bowling landscape today

The NCAA championship tournament was expanded to 16 teams in 2020. The 2022 tournament features eight automatic bids (teams that won their conference) and eight at-large selections. The teams are divided into four regions and compete for the championship. 34 teams have appeared in the NCAA Tournament in at least one year starting with 2004. The team that has dominated the NCAA tournament is Nebraska with six championships. Additionally, Nebraska is the only program to qualify for all 18 NCAA Bowling Championships since the NCAA started sponsoring bowling.

If you're a high school bowler who thinks your athletic career has to come to an end soon, it may be reassuring to know that's not necessarily true. With the talent and the drive, you can extend your career if you so choose.

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* Originally published on April 27, 2023, by Ryan Wiley