INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference and Conference Carolinas have introduced a partnership to offer a men’s and women’s bowling championship event during the 2021-22 academic year.
The inaugural Great Midwest/Conference Carolinas Bowling Championships are scheduled for the spring of 2022 at a site yet to be determined. More information will be made available in the future.
The Great Midwest and Conference Carolinas will work together for the bowling championships but operate independently during the regular season in governance and with awards (except during the championships).
Conference commissioners Tom Daeger (Great Midwest) and Chris Colvin (Conference Carolinas) sparked productive conversations to offer joint sport sponsorship between the two leagues.
“The Great Midwest is excited to join Conference Carolinas in this bowling partnership,” said Daeger. “Our goal is to provide quality championship experiences for the student-athletes of our league and this endeavor fulfills that goal for our bowling members. We look forward to continuing to grow both women's and men's bowling programs within the league. I am thankful for Commissioner Colvin and his willingness to partner on this initiative and appreciative of the work he and his staff have put forth to develop this championship.”
This is the second collaboration for a conference championship the Great Midwest is affiliated with in Division II, adding to the swimming & diving partnership with the Mountain East Conference for a combined championship offering. The 2021 Great Midwest/Mountain East Swimming & Diving Championships start next week from Canton, Ohio.
The Great Midwest bowling membership will include full members Kentucky Wesleyan College, Ursuline College and Walsh University.
Conference Carolinas participating institutions will feature Belmont Abbey College, Chowan University, Emmanuel College and associate member Lincoln Memorial University.
“When we first started discussing this idea, Commissioner Daeger, and all involved in the Great Midwest, have worked hard behind the scenes to determine what worked best for our two conferences,” said Colvin. “I think this collaboration is perfect for both conferences and I am already looking forward to our inaugural men’s and women’s bowling championships next year.”
Based on current NCAA rules, the joint women’s bowling championship will receive automatic qualification to the sport’s national championship in 2024. Men’s bowling is not currently sponsored by the NCAA, but the collaboration between the Great Midwest and Conference Carolinas marks the first time an NCAA multi-sport conference will host a championship in the sport of men’s bowling.
The Great Midwest is in its ninth year of membership as an active Division II conference and currently offers 23 different championship offerings between the fall, winter and spring playing segments. The Great Midwest includes 12 full member institutions between the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, and will add Ashland University to full membership during the league’s 10th anniversary for the 2021-22 academic year.