Huskers Begin Quest for Third NCAA Title

The 2005-2006 Nebraska bowling team begins pursuing its third straight NCAA title at the Minnesota State Invitational in Mankato, Minn. this Friday, Nov. 11. The three-day tournament will be held in the Minnesota State Student Union Bowling Center and is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. this Friday and conclude Sunday afternoon.

The Huskers posted six first-place finishes and two second-place finishes in the 2004-05 regular season. NU also claimed the NCAA Championship last April in Orlando, Fla. This title was the seventh national title in school history and the second since the sport earned NCAA Championship status in April of 2003.

NU welcomes back five members of last season’s NCAA championship team. Seniors Karla Engh and Jamie Martin, juniors Amanda Burgoyne and Adrienne Miller and sophomore Lindsay Baker eagerly look to defend the national title. The talented freshmen class includes Cassandra Leuthold, Sarah Koch, Kalyn Washburn, Kelle Valenzuela, and Jill Kurbyun.

Head Coach Bill Straub enters his ninth year as the Husker’s head coach. Straub said that the team is "chomping at the bit" to get the season underway.

"This event should give us a real good idea of our current level of development," Straub said. "Every other team entered has already had competitions."

This Week’s Lineup

Leading the team this season is junior Amanda Burgoyne, a National Tenpin Coaches Association first-team All-American. In 17 career events, Burgoyne has claimed nine top-five finishes, including four individual titles. She was also named last year’s NCAA tournament Most Valuable Player with a career-high average of 251.75

Joining Burgoyne in the lineup is sophomore Lindsay Baker, who was the 2004-05 Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-American. She competed in all nine tournaments last season and claimed one title at the Mankato Invitational. Baker also held nine top-ten finishes.

Senior Jamie Martin and junior Adrienne Miller, both National Tenpin Coaches Association second-team All-Americans, look to add even more skill to the team. Martin captured her first career crown last season at the Coca-Cola Invitational and had four top-five finishes on the year. Miller finished an outstanding sophomore season, claiming tournament titles at the Bayside Collegiate Classic and the Collegiate Holiday Classic. She also posted six top-ten finishes.

Adding experience and leadership to the team is senior Karla Engh. Last season, Engh competed in four events and held an average of 203.176. Her best finish came at the Mankato Invitational where she placed second.

Finishing out the Husker’s lineup is newcomer Kelle Valenzuela from Brown Summit, N.C. Valenzuela was recruited last July after an impressive performance in the Junior Olympic trials. Straub looks for Valenzuela to be a star eventually.