WICHITA, Kan. -- The Wichita State women's bowling program officially became an NCAA Division 1 program on Monday, joining Conference USA as an affiliate member for the 2024-25 season.

The NCAA does not sponsor men's bowling as a sport, so the Wichita State men's bowling program will continue to compete as normal with support from the Rhatigan Student Center.

The addition of Wichita State increases current league membership to 10 schools, as the Shockers join Arkansas State, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, Tulane, Valparaiso, Vanderbilt and Youngstown State as members of Conference USA.

Though only officially joining the NCAA ranks in 2024, the Wichita State women's bowling program has been a national powerhouse in collegiate bowling for more than four decades. The Shockers have won a record 11 Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC) national titles, most recently in 2024 when WSU defeated NCAA champion Jacksonville State. Wichita State also won national titles in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2021. As part of the transition to an NCAA sport, Wichita State will no longer take part in ITC competition. The WSU women's team is the only squad in intercollegiate bowling history to be ranked in the International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) top 10 in every poll since the poll's inception.

Individually, six Shockers have won Intercollegiate Singles Championships: Sara Duque (2024), Paige Wagner (2023), Sydney Brummett (2017), Daniela Alvarado (2009), Elysia Current (2007) and Olivia Sandham (2006).

The Shockers also boast a long list of alums who have gone on to professional success internationally and on the PWBA circuit, including Dasha Kovalova, Rocio Restrepo, Clara Guerrero, Elysia Current, Sandara Gongora and Jazreel Tan.

Former Shocker All-American Holly Harris will continue as head coach of the program as she transitions it into NCAA Division I. She has served as head coach of the club program since June of 2019 and is a four-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Coach of the Year finalist. Before becoming head coach, Harris served as assistant coach of the program from August of 2016-June of 2019 and helped lead the team to a third-place finish at the 2017 National Tournament and a ninth-place finish in 2018.

Harris competed for the Shockers from 2010-14, including three collegiate national championship appearances and two final four finishes. She was a two-time NCBCA All-American, two-time member of Junior Team USA, a 2014 Team USA member and earned four gold medals at the 2012 Tournament of Americas.

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