By The Keystone Newspaper The Golden Bears made history by claiming its first-ever East Coast Conference (ECC) Championship, defeating Roberts Wesleyan in a 2–1 match victory
By Gianna Failla
The Golden Bears made history by claiming its first-ever East Coast Conference (ECC) Championship, defeating Roberts Wesleyan in a 2–1 match victory. Roberts Wesleyan entered the championship after securing a 972–919 win in the traditional matchup but fell short against KU in the five-game baker total pinfall, 1021–923.
Photo Credit: Guy Frick
This set the stage for a baker best-of-seven series. Roberts Wesleyan started strong, winning the first game 174–146. However, KU quickly responded with back-to-back wins, 236–155 and 214–189, to take a 2–1 lead. The two teams tied 192–192 in the fourth game, giving the Golden Bears a slight edge heading into the fifth game. Kutztown won the fifth game 175–152, extending their lead to 3.5–1.5. Roberts Wesleyan then earned a 212–191 win in the sixth game, narrowing the gap to 3.5–2.5.
Chloe Sromovski, named ECC Bowler of the Year, sealed the victory with her final shot, giving KU a two-pin win and securing the team’s first ECC Championship and second trip to the NCAA Bowling Championship. This marks their second conference championship in team history.
The 2025 NCAA Bowling Championship selections were announced on Wednesday, March 25, ahead of regional matches in early April. The championship will take place on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 at Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Golden Bears will compete in a double-elimination bracket against the region’s top seed, Nebraska, ranked No. 1 in the nation according to the latest rankings from the National Tenpin Coaches Association. Also in the competition are back-to-back NCAA Championship runners-up Arkansas State, ranked No. 6, and No. 10 Maryville, the two-time champion of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.