The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced October 14 that Roberts Wesleyan Athletics has been chosen to host the National Collegiate Women’s Bowling Championship Regionals from 2022 through 2026 and the NCAA DII East Regionals for Men’s and Women’s Cross Country in 2024.
These were among 450 host sites announced for 86 sport championships from over 3,000 bids.
“It’s a great honor to be chosen by the NCAA to host the Bowling Regionals here in Rochester and at Roberts Wesleyan College,” Athletic Director Bob Segave said. “We know Rochester knows how to do big sporting events and we also know that Rochester is one of the bowling capitals of the world. As we are building our NCAA Division II Program here, the ability to host over this period of time will certainly assist us in continuing the growth we have already experienced.”
Roberts partnered with the Rochester Sports Commission and Visit Rochester in assembling their bids. The Redhawks added women’s bowling as an NCAA-sponsored sport in 2016.
“Working with the Rochester Sports Commission and Visit Rochester is very important in landing these bids. We partner with Rich Mackey, Sports Sales Manager with Visit Rochester for his hard work. Rich and Libby Craig both assist us in these bids and annually travel to the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis to stay current on the bid process and what championships are open each year.
“The process was a collaborative effort. I want to thank our (head bowling) coach Marion Singleton, our Assistant Athletic Director of Communication and Events, and our entire staff for their work. We had guidance from local bowling legend Bill Fortino as well as partnership with Visit Rochester.”
Bowling will take place at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Henrietta while cross country is at Matt St. James Cross Country Trails on the north side of campus. The trails are named for the Churchville-Chili High School (2003) and Roberts Wesleyan (2007) graduate.
Roberts Wesleyan was scheduled to host Men’s and Women’s Cross Country regional and the bowling regional in this academic year, but the COVID pandemic caused them to cancel both.
“We are working on a bid for the 2021 Cross Country regional and hope the NCAA will consider the fact that we lost our opportunity in 2020,” Segave added.
