Huskers Travel to Wisconsin

Lincoln -- The Nebraska bowling team looks for its second straight tournament title this weekend, as the Huskers head to Wisconsin for the Whitewater Invitational. The Huskers will be joined by the host Warhawks and defending IBC champion Central Missouri State in a two-day event which begins at 9 a.m. each morning.

"This weekend’s event was intended to coordinate some of the programs in the western part of the country," Head Coach Bill Straub said. "It is a mini western regional for us."

The Huskers, who turned in an impressive opening weekend effort at the Brunswick Southern Classic, will have their first opportunity to see Central Missouri State, the team that upset the Huskers at the 2003 IBC Tournament en route to winning the national title.

"Central Missouri State will be one of the primary contenders for a national title this year, so we want to see how we match up against them." Straub said.

Straub said that this weekend’s lineup will consist of senior Christina Perez, juniors Shannon Pluhowsky and Melissa Stewart, sophomores Jamie Martin and Nicole Aleo and freshman Amanda Burgoyne. Pluhowsky, who took first in Atlanta last weekend, was the tournament MVP with an average of 214.286 over seven games. According to Straub, it took awhile for Pluhowsky, who redshirted last season, to get back into the swing of collegiate competition.

"I thought she was nervous to start," Straub said. She’s typically someone who doesn’t get nervous in competition, but she had some butterflies, especially on Saturday. There were times where she tried too hard because of all the awards and honors she has won, but I think she will bowl better this weekend."

Huskers Roll to Tournament Title
The Huskers opened the 2003-04 campaign in impressive fashion, winning the Brunswick Southern Classic over the weekend. NU posted a 5-0 record, posting wins over Southern University, North Carolina A&T, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Maryland-Eastern Shore and Florida A&M.

Individually, two Huskers were named to the all-tournament team, including junior Shannon Pluhowsky, who was chosen as the tournament MVP after placing first with a 214.286 average in seven games. Freshman Adrienne Miller also was chosen to the all-tournament team, as she placed third with an average of 207. In addition to Pluhowsky and Miller, sophomore Jamie Martin turned in the best performance of her career, averaging a career-high 217 in the final six games.

Freshman Earns National Honor
Freshman Amanda Burgoyne was presented with one of the nation’s top junior bowler honors last week, as she was chosen as the recipient of the 2004 WIBC Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award. This award, presented by the Women’s International Bowling Congress, is given to a U.S. or Canadian female high school or college student who has excelled in local and national competitions while demonstrating high academic achievement.

Burgoyne is currently a two-year member of Junior Team USA and earned two gold medals at the 2003 F.I.Q. Tournament of the Americas earlier this summer. A two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier and Minnesota state amateur champion, Burgoyme placed seventh at the 2003 national championships. She becomes the second Husker bowler to earn this prestigious honor, joining 1999 recipient Diandra Hyman, who bowled at Nebraska from 1999 to 2002.