Huskers Look for Third Straight Title

Lincoln -- The Nebraska bowling team looks to claim its third straight tournament title this weekend, as the Huskers travel to Greenboro, N.C., for the Women’s Triad Classic.

According to Coach Bill Straub, this weekend’s field should be toughest field the Huskers have faced to date, including Sacred Heart, Fairleigh Dickinson and Central Missouri State.

"This should be one of the best NCAA fields we will see all year," Bill Straub said. "We have seen some of the teams already, but Sacred Heart and FDU are two programs who have always been successful at the club level and have made the jump to NCAA competition."

Once again, the Huskers are juggling their lineup, with juniors Shannon Pluhowsky and Melissa Stewart, sophomore Alice Foley and Jamie Martin and freshmen Amanda Burgoyne and Adrienne Miller making the trip this week. With this weekend’s tournament, and the National Collegiate Team Match Games in two weeks, Straub believes it is important to find a consistent lineup.

"We have eight bowlers vying for the top six spots right now. We have tried to use the first two tournaments to give people an opportunity to compete in tournaments, but we are hoping to settle on a top six before too much longer."

The Huskers, who have won both of their tournaments in convincing fashion, have received exceptional performances from Pluhowsky. The Phoenix, Ariz., native redshirted last season to work on her game and compete in several international tournaments, but has come back to college bowling better than ever. She is averaging a 237.824 through 18 games and set an NCAA record with her 254 average at Wisconsin-Whitewater last weekend.

"It is something that no female bowler has ever done in compeition so it is still a little amazing," Straub said Wednesday. "We have believed all along that Shannon is the best female in college bowling history, and she has the resume to prove it with all of her success in college and at the national level. As you watch her play, you see that she is more in control now and she is bowling at an exceptionally high level.

According to Straub, one highlight of the early season has been the play of Martin, as the former walk-on is second on the team with a 215.50 average and was third overall at Wisconsin-Whitewater last weekend. Her finish in Wisconsin was the best of her brief Husker career.

"This is her third year in the program, and she has shown a lot of patience and diligence," Straub said. "When she came into the program as a walk-on, she was 11th or 12th in our lineup and now she is competing as one of our best bowlers behind Shannon. It shows what hard work and dediciation can do."

Pluhowsky Sets Record in Tournament Win
Led by a record-setting performance by junior Shannon Pluhowsky, the Huskers recorded their second straight tournament title Nov. 8-9 at the UW-Whitewater Invitational. NU won the three-team tournament with an 8-2 record, easily topping defending IBC Champion Central Missouri State (4-6) and UW-Whitewater (2-8). Pluhowsky rolled an antonishing 10-game total of 2,540 - an average of 254 - to place first for the second straight tournament and win her eighth career collegiate title. It marked the first time in college bowling history that a female bowler had averaged a 250 or better in a collegiate tournament. She shattered her previous career high and Nebraska school record of 242.18 set at the 2000 National Team Match Game Championships

Pluhowsky was one of three Huskers to turn in solid performances over the weekend, as sophomore Jamie Martin was third overall with a 216 average, while sophomore Jennifer Schultz also averaged better than 200 on the weekend to place ninth.