Women's Bowling | 4/9/2025 6:07:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Wichita State prepared for the NCAA bowling tournament with markers and colored pencils. Coach Holly Harris handed out white paper and asked the bowlers to draw their house last week.
 
"Some of us had two-story houses, pool parties, ping pong tables," said junior Paige Wagner. "Mine had a volleyball pool party with all the cold drinks you could want and speakers. Sunny day. Having a good time."
 
The Shockers drew those houses before the NCAA's Lansing (Mich.) Regional to expand on the motto that defines their postseason run – "Stay in our house." Harris used the phrase before the Conference USA Tournament, and it stuck with the team.

 

"The concept started from not letting outside things affect us," senior Piper Reams said. "We can only control so much. We say, 'Everybody stay in your house.' It's helped all of us stay level and focus on what we can control."
 
Wichita State defeated Vanderbilt to win the regional and advance to the Final Four in its first season as an NCAA member. The fourth-seeded Shockers meet top-seeded Jacksonville State at 11 a.m. Friday in Las Vegas in a semifinal. Nebraska faces Youngstown State in the other semifinal. The championship final is Saturday.
 
Harris' phrase has its roots in long-time Shocker bowling philosophies, such as "managing our energy" from former coach Gordon Vadakin. If a bowler misses a spare, the team can leave that negative behind quickly with a reminder to stay in our house.
 
"We talked about trying to keep our energy with us and not giving it to other people, or letting other people take it," Harris said. "Stay in our house. We took that and ran with it. Then it was the doors are locked. The windows are locked. It kept growing. Now our house is pretty cool."
 
As in any sport, it's best when athletes focus on their performance and their mentality. Shocker bowlers stay in their house so they don't get distracted by an opponent striking or lane conditions. Last weekend, the Shockers endured weather-related travel delays on their way to Lansing, Michigan, for the regional. They spent a night in Chicago's O'Hare Airport on the way.
 
"Other teams may trip a 10-pin or trip a 4, and we can't control that," Reams said. "The weather. Our traveling situation. We can't really control that."
 
Harris used the art project to expand on the phrase and let the athletes see what was important to each other.
 
"It gave us a peek into what Ashtyn (Woods) really thinks of when we say 'house' or what Mary thinks of," Harris said. "It was crazy how different they all were, but then they were all the same, too. We talked about having a guard dog, and just about every house had a guard dog. Every house had a pool."
 
Graduate student Chloe Ciecko is the team's most skilled artist. Graduate student Mary Orf used Canva graphic design software for her house.

"Chloe's was really descriptive," Reams said. "She had a lot of color. She had the pool. She had people. Music. Really creative."
 
The artwork also reminds the Shockers to enjoy their sport.
 
"It's another way to keep it light," Harris said. "We're in there for 10 hours a day. You can't grind on bowling for 10 hours."
 
The Shockers decorated their houses with pools, window treatments and drink coolers. By Saturday night, they may be able to add a championship trophy on the mantle.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.