Youngstown State's bowling team is driven to end this era in the program's history with a National Championship, and the Penguins are three wins away from their ultimate goal of claiming the sport's top team honor.
YSU is one of four teams remaining that can win the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, and it will continue its quest for the national title on Friday at noon Eastern against Nebraska in the opening round of the Final Four. The championship is being contested at the Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas, and Jacksonville State and Wichita State will join the Penguins and Huskers as the teams at the final site.
This is Youngstown State's third trip to the national semifinals in the last five years, and the program led by head coach Doug Kuberski and fifth-year seniors Madyson Marx and Kirsten Moore are hopeful that their third time could be the charm. Marx and Moore were true freshmen on the 2020-21 team that finished fourth at the national tournament, and this is their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. Jade Cote, Madison Doseck, Ellie Drescher and Lyndsay Ennis are fourth-year seniors to give the Penguins perhaps the most-experienced squad in the country.
YSU took another step forward by making it to Championship Saturday in 2024 at Thunerbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich., and the group of six seniors is hoping to finish its final tournament together at the top of college bowling. Junior Hannah Miller gives the Penguins seven upperclassmen on the nine-member roster, and YSU has talented underclassmen in sophomore Amanda Granata and freshman Kara Beissel.
After their opening match against Nebraska, the Penguins will bowl again at 6 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. in either a winners' bracket match or an elimination contest against Jacksonville State or Wichita State. If YSU wins either of its matches on Friday, its season will continue on Saturday. The losers bracket final will be at noon Eastern/9 a.m. Pacific on Saturday, and the championship match will be at 9 p.m./6 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
Live video of the first three rounds will be streamed on NCAA.com, and regular updates will be provided on YSU's social media channels. Saturday's Championship final will be broadcast live on ESPNU and ESPN+.
Tournament Preview
Format
Matches in the first three rounds of the Final Four will be contested using the mega-match format. Teams will bowl one standard five-person game for total pinfall, then five Baker games for total pinfall. If one team wins both the traditional and Baker portions of the mega match, they will advance to the next round. If the teams split the standard and Baker points, they will move on to a best-of-seven series of Baker games to determine the winner.
The championship final will be a winner-take-all best-of-seven Baker match, and the victor will be the national champion regardless of whether it came through the winners bracket or the elimination bracket.
Schedule
Friday, April 11
- Round 1: Matches 1-2 | Noon Eastern / 9 a.m. Pacific
- Match 1: No. 1 Jacksonville State vs. No. 4 Wichita St.
- Match 2: No. 2 Nebraska vs. No. 3 Youngstown St.
- Round 2: Matches 3-4 | 6 p.m. Eastern / 3 p.m. Pacific
- Match 3: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2
- Match 4: Loser of Match 1 vs. Loser of Match 2
Saturday, April 12
- Round 3: Match 5 | Noon Eastern / 9 a.m. Pacific
- Winner of Match 4 vs. Loser of Match 3
- Championship final | 9 p.m. Eastern / 6 p.m. Pacific
- Winner of Match 3 vs. Winner of Match 5
Final Four Field
Jacksonville State: Jacksonville State is the top overall seed in the tournament after ranking second in the RPI and finishing as the runners-up at the Conference USA Championship. The Gamecocks are the defending national champions, and they are in the Final Four after going unbeaten at the Arlington Regional. Jax State ranked second in the country in overall scoring average and strike percentage during the regular season, and the Gamecocks have the most head-to-head wins in the country with 91. Annalise OBryant was the Conference USA Bowler of the Year, Erin Klemencic was the conference's Freshman of the Year, and Danielle Henderson and Anna Warkel were both all-conference selections.
Nebraska: Nebraska is the second overall seed in the tournament while posting the highest RPI in the country and ranking first in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 poll. The Huskers were tested but prevailed twice in close battles against Maryville to win the Pittsburgh Regional last weekend, which was their first competition since Feb. 23. Nebraska, which competes as an independent, leads the country in overall scoring average and strike percentage. Jillian Martin leads the country in scoring average, fill frame percentage and strike percentage, and Kayla Verstraete and Kayla Starr are both in the top 13 in scoring average.
Wichita State: Wichita State is the fourth overall seed in its first season of NCAA bowling. The Shockers were previously a power in the USBC and won the Intercollegiate Team Championships event in 2024 over Jacksonville State. The Shockers jumped up to a top-four seed by winning the Conference USA Championship, and they stayed hot by not dropping a point in three matches at the Lansing Regional last week. Wichita State is third in the country in overall scoring average, and they are the top squad in terms of fill percentage and spare percentage. Individually, Sara Duque is fifth nationally in scoring average, and she and Ashtyn Woods were named to the All-CUSA First Team.
This Season Against Regional Teams???
6-1 vs. Jacksonville State
0-1 in traditional, 3-0 in Baker pinfall, 3-0 in best-of-seven Baker
- W: 1,122-991 in Baker pinfall at Destination Orlando on Oct. 18, 2024
- W: 1,000-925 in Baker pinfall at the SFA Ladyjack Classic on Nov. 8, 2024
- W: 4-1 in best-of-seven Baker at the Garden State Classic on Nov. 24, 2024
- W: 4-0 in best-of-seven Baker at the Northeast Classic on Jan. 19, 2025
- L: 1,042-1,000 in traditional pinfall at the PVAMU Invitational on Jan. 26, 2025
- W: 1,112-1,048 in Baker pinfall at the Music City Classic on March 14, 2025
- W: 4-3 in best-of-seven Baker at the Music City Classic on March 16, 2025
3-7 vs. Nebraska
1-1 in traditional, 0-2 in Baker pinfall, 2-4 in best-of-seven Baker
- L: 1,139-1,114 in Baker pinfall at Destination Orlando on Oct. 19, 2024
- L: 1-4 in best-of-seven Baker at the SFA Ladyjack Classic on Nov. 10, 2024
- W: 4-1 in best-of-seven Baker at the Garden State Classic on Nov. 24, 2024
- L: 4-0 in best-of-seven Baker at the Northeast Classic on Jan. 19, 2025
- L: 1,032-1,010 in Baker pinfall at the PVAMU Invitational on Jan. 24, 2025
- L: 4-1 in best-of-seven Baker at the PVAMU Invitational on Jan. 26, 2025
- L: 1,028-903 in Baker pinfall at the Flyer Classic on Feb. 7, 2025
- L: 4-2 in best-of-seven Baker at the Flyer Classic on Feb. 9, 2025
- W: 1,111-1,061 in traditional pinfall at the Mid-Winter Invitational on Feb. 15, 2025
- W: 4-3 in best-of-seven Baker at the Mid-Winter Invitational on Feb. 16, 2025
2-2 vs. Wichita State
1-0 in traditional, 1-1 in Baker pinfall, 0-1 in best-of-seven Baker
- W: 1,157-992 in Baker pinfall at the Penguin Classic on Oct. 11, 2024
- L: 4-2 in best-of-seven Baker at the Penguin Classic on Oct. 13, 2024
- L: 1,060-990 in Baker pinfall at the SFA Ladyjack Classic on Nov. 8, 2024
- W: 984-931 in traditional pinfall at the Music City Classic on March 15, 2025
YSU's NCAA Tournament History
2020-21: National Semifinalists (North Kansas City, Mo.)
- W: 2-0 vs. Louisiana Tech
- W: 2-0 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
- W: 2-1 vs. Sam Houston
- L: 0-2 vs. McKendree
- L: 1-2 vs. Arkansas State
2021-22: Third Place at Lansing Regional
- L: 1-2 vs. Arkansas State
- W: 2-0 vs. Alabama State
- L: 1-2 vs. Arkansas State
2022-23: Runners-Up at Lansing Regional
- W: 2-0 vs. Maryville
- L: 0-2 vs. Vanderbilt
- W: 2-1 vs. Maryville
- W: 2-0 vs. Vanderbilt
- L: 0-1 vs. Vanderbilt
2023-24: Lansing Regional Champions, National Semifinalists
- W: 2-0 vs. Marian
- W: 2-0 vs. Maryville
- L: 0-2 vs. Nebraska
- W: 1-0 vs. Nebraska
Allen Park, Mich. - Final Four
- L: 0-2 vs. Arkansas State
- W: 2-1 vs. Sam Houston
- L: 0-2 vs. Arkansas State
2024-25: Rochester Regional Champions
- W: 2-0 vs. Marian
- W: 2-1 vs. North Carolina A&T
- L: 1-2 vs. North Carolina A&T
- W: 1-0 vs. North Carolina A&T
A Glimpse at the Guins
Team Overview: Youngstown State has high aspirations of securing the university's first National Championship in a women's sport, its fifth overall and the first since 1997. The Penguins are in the Final Four for the third time in the last five years, and eight bowlers return from last year's team that finished third overall at the NCAA Championship held in Allen Park, Mich. This is the third Final Four for fifth-year seniors Madyson Marx and Kirsten Moore, and it is YSU's third in six full seasons under head coach Doug Kuberski. A trio of 2023-24 All-Americans, fourth-year senior Jade Cote, Marx and Moore,, headline the veteran returning group that includes seven upperclassmen. Madison Doseck, Ellie Drescher and Lyndsay Ennis are fourth-year seniors, Hannah Miller is a junior, Amanda Granata is a sophomore, and Kara Beissel is the lone freshman. Kuberski is a two-time National Coach of the Year and a two-time Coach of the Year in the Southland Conference.
Team Notes
- Youngstown State is an at-large team in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season, and it is the third overall season for the second straight season. YSU and Jacksonville State are the only two programs to be one of the top four seeds in each of the past two seasons, and they are the only teams to be in the Final Four in each of the past two seasons.
- The Penguins earned their spot at the national semifinals by winning the five-team Rochester Regional at Bowl-A-Roll in New York last weekend. YSU topped Marian 2-0 on Friday, and it went toe-to-toe three times with North Carolina A&T before emerging in a best-of-seven, winner-take-all Baker match against the Aggies on Saturday. It was the second straight year that YSU had to go to the best-of-seven portion. YSU beat North Carolina A&T this season in Rochester, and it prevailed against Nebraska 4-2 at the Lansing Regional in 2024.
- At the 2024 Final Four at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich., YSU beat Sam Houston 2-1 for its first win in program history at the national semifinals, but a pair of 2-0 losses to eventual National Runner-Up Arkansas State ended the Penguins' season. Youngstown State dropped its opening match to the Red Wolves, and the win over the Bearkats came in an elimination match.
- Youngstown State was ranked fourth in the most recent National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 Poll, and the Penguins are third in the NCAA's RPI. Youngstown State was fourth in the metric heading into the Music City Classic in mid-March but was able to move up one spot by going 12-1 at the tournament to conclude the regular season. That 12-1 record included an 8-0 mark against teams ranked in the top 10 of the NTCA poll.
- The Penguins are 90-33 overall in head-to-head matches against the third-hardest schedule in the country. YSU's winning percentage is .732, ahead of last season's school-record pace of .690.
- YSU had six top-four finishes at tournaments during the regular season, and it won the 20-team Garden State Classic in November and the 31-team Music City Classic in March. YSU also placed second at the 38-team Northeast Classic in January, and it has won 12 matches at three different tournaments.
- YSU was the second seed at the Conference USA Championship, which was the highest in program history, but it went 0-2 at the event. The Penguins lost 2-0 to Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin.
- The Penguins have their best average in school history in the Baker format (20.47) and their second-highest average in traditional play (202.7). They are on a record pace for fill percentage and single-pin spare percentage.
- At the end of the regular season, YSU ranked fifth in the country in overall scoring average, and it was fifth in the traditional format and third in Baker. The Penguins were third in strike percentage.
- Youngstown State announced its full group of high school commitments from the 2025 class in February. The six Penguins joining the program for the 2025-26 season include Alivia Baskin (Elk Mound, Wis.), Kaitlyn Greenaway (Boardman, Ohio), Leyna Kratzer (Bangor, Pa.), Amber Mason (Woodbridge, Va.), Amber Spicer (Canton, Mich.) and Gianna Varano (Stony Point, N.Y.).
Individual Notes
- In March, Drescher, Granata, Marx and Moore competed as individuals in the section round of the USBC Intercollage Singles Championships, and Granata earned a spot in the finals for her performance at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich.
- Three Penguins have been named MVPs at tournaments this season. Doseck was the Most Valuable Player at the Garden State Classic by winning her first individual title. Cote was then the MVP at the Mid-Winter Invitational on Feb. 14-16 for her second career individual title and second MVP award, and Marx earned her third career MVP award at the Music City Classic.
- Cote was named the Conference USA Co-Bowler of the Month in both January and February. It was the second straight January that she earned the monthly award from the conference office.
- Cote leads the Penguins in overall scoring average at 21.39 pins per frame, and she is averaging an impressive 21.67 in Baker play. Both of those are ahead of the single-season school records that she set in 2023-24 (21.08 overall, 21.31 in Baker). At the end of the regular season, she ranked third in the country in individual scoring average, and she was fourth in the Player Composite Performance Index (PCPI).
- Marx is averaging 20.90 pins per frame overall, Doseck is averaging 20.43, and Moore is at 20.23. Marx was 10th nationally at the end of the regular season in overall scoring average, and that trio ranked sixth, 32nd and 40th, respectively, in the PCPI.
- Cote earned positions on the 2025 Team Canada and 2025 Youth Team Canada at her home country's trials earlier this year. She was named the 2024 Adult Canadian Bowler of the Year by the Canadian Tenpin Federation in March.
- Moore became the first Penguin in program history to be invited to Team USA after her performance at the USBC Team USA Trials.
- Moore was voted to the 2025 Conference USA All-Academic Team for her combined excellence on the lanes and in the classroom. She was also on the team in 2024, and she earned the NCAA's Elite 90 Award for bowling last April.
All-Tournament Team Selections
Recapping the Rochester Regional
- Youngstown State went 3-1 at the Rochester Regional last weekend at Bowl-A-Roll in Rochester New York, beating Marian once and North Carolina A&T twice. The Penguins topped both teams on the opening day to advance to the championship match, and the Aggies forced a winner-take-all round by winning the mega match on Saturday. YSU won all four games of the best-of-seven Baker to punch its ticket to Las Vegas.
- Jade Cote led the Penguins in overall scoring average at the Regional with 21.78 pins per frame, and YSU's anchor averaged 22.48 in the Baker format. Madyson Marx topped the field in traditional average at 232.67 per game, and she was right behind Cote in average at 21.62. Kirsten Moore joined Cote and Marx in bowling all 91 frames at the Regional, and she averaged 20.79 overall and 21.45 in Baker.
