Action set to start at 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens
May 20, 2026
ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 250 of the nation’s top young bowlers have traveled to sunny Florida to compete in the 2026 editions of the United States Bowling Congress U22 Masters and U22 Queens, which kick off on Friday and run through Memorial Day at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando.
Each event’s official practice session will take place on Friday morning starting at 7 a.m. Eastern with tournament competition at both the Masters and Queens getting underway shortly thereafter with seven games of A Squad qualifying starting at 9 a.m. Eastern and B Squad following with their own seven-game blocks at 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
All competitors in both fields will return for a second seven-game qualifying block on Saturday with B Squad hitting the lanes at 10 a.m. Eastern and A Squad wrapping things up at 4 p.m. Eastern.
After the completion of 14 games of qualifying, the U22 Masters field will be pared down to just 32 competitors while the U22 Queens will cut to the top 24. Those bowlers will advance to the bracket-match-play portion of their respective events.
U22 Masters and U22 Queens match play will begin Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern. All matches in both tournaments will be two games with total pinfall determining the winner. A player will be eliminated from the competition upon losing his or her second match.
Five rounds of matches will be contested on Sunday with just the top eight players in each event surviving and advancing to the final day of competition on Monday.
Three additional rounds of matches will take place on Monday morning beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern, after which just three players in each field will remain in contention for the 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens titles.
Those bowlers will advance to the finals, which will be streamed live on BowlTV from Boardwalk Bowl on Memorial Day starting at 2 p.m. Eastern. The U22 Queens title will be awarded first with the U22 Masters finals set to begin approximately 45 minutes thereafter.
Because the finals will not be broadcast live on national television, each event’s top seed will have to be defeated twice during the finals in order to be denied the title.
All athletes competing in this year’s tournaments will be hoping to walk away with their event’s title and first-place trophy.
Brandon Bohn of Jackson, New Jersey, currently holds the distinction of being the only U22 Masters champion in tournament history. That’s because the former Team USA member and collegiate standout won the inaugural U22 Masters in 2024 and then successfully defended his title at last year’s event at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan.
Bohn will be looking to stay perfect and go 3 for 3 by making another run to the winner’s circle in Orlando this week.
Two athletes will attempt to make it two in a row in U22 Queens action.
Aleesha Oden of Council Bluffs, Iowa, won the 2025 event and will thus by vying for her second U22 Queens title in as many years.
Dannielle Henderson of Florissant, Missouri, was crowned champion at the inaugural U22 Queens in 2024 but was forced to miss last year’s tournament due to time constraints brought about by a collegiate internship opportunity.
The powerful two-hander, who bowls for Vanderbilt and won the 2026 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships women’s national title, is back in the U22 Queens mix this year, however, and she’ll be looking to collect her second victory in as many tries.
However, while winning will be top priority for all competitors, titles and trophies won’t be the only thing on the line during the U22 Masters and U22 Queens.
Athletes competing in Orlando this week have extra incentive to author their best performances as the USBC Team USA Athlete Advisory Council has approved a total of eight spots on Junior Team USA to top finishers at the 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens.
The AAC, which is made up of current or former tenured Team USA athletes, supported that berths on Junior Team USA 2027 will go to the top three age-eligible finishers after the qualifying rounds at both the U22 Masters and U22 Queens and to each tournament’s champion.
If the champion has already acquired a spot or is not age eligible, the fourth and final Junior Team USA position up for grabs at each event will be given to the next-highest age-eligible finisher after the qualifying rounds.
Age-eligible athletes will be those who have not reached their 21st birthday by Jan. 1, 2027.
All rounds of competition at both the U22 Masters and Queens will be streamed live exclusively on BowlTV.
CLICK HERE for more information on the 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens.
Each event’s official practice session will take place on Friday morning starting at 7 a.m. Eastern with tournament competition at both the Masters and Queens getting underway shortly thereafter with seven games of A Squad qualifying starting at 9 a.m. Eastern and B Squad following with their own seven-game blocks at 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
All competitors in both fields will return for a second seven-game qualifying block on Saturday with B Squad hitting the lanes at 10 a.m. Eastern and A Squad wrapping things up at 4 p.m. Eastern.
After the completion of 14 games of qualifying, the U22 Masters field will be pared down to just 32 competitors while the U22 Queens will cut to the top 24. Those bowlers will advance to the bracket-match-play portion of their respective events.
U22 Masters and U22 Queens match play will begin Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern. All matches in both tournaments will be two games with total pinfall determining the winner. A player will be eliminated from the competition upon losing his or her second match.
Five rounds of matches will be contested on Sunday with just the top eight players in each event surviving and advancing to the final day of competition on Monday.
Three additional rounds of matches will take place on Monday morning beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern, after which just three players in each field will remain in contention for the 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens titles.
Those bowlers will advance to the finals, which will be streamed live on BowlTV from Boardwalk Bowl on Memorial Day starting at 2 p.m. Eastern. The U22 Queens title will be awarded first with the U22 Masters finals set to begin approximately 45 minutes thereafter.
Because the finals will not be broadcast live on national television, each event’s top seed will have to be defeated twice during the finals in order to be denied the title.
All athletes competing in this year’s tournaments will be hoping to walk away with their event’s title and first-place trophy.
Brandon Bohn of Jackson, New Jersey, currently holds the distinction of being the only U22 Masters champion in tournament history. That’s because the former Team USA member and collegiate standout won the inaugural U22 Masters in 2024 and then successfully defended his title at last year’s event at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan.
Bohn will be looking to stay perfect and go 3 for 3 by making another run to the winner’s circle in Orlando this week.
Two athletes will attempt to make it two in a row in U22 Queens action.
Aleesha Oden of Council Bluffs, Iowa, won the 2025 event and will thus by vying for her second U22 Queens title in as many years.
Dannielle Henderson of Florissant, Missouri, was crowned champion at the inaugural U22 Queens in 2024 but was forced to miss last year’s tournament due to time constraints brought about by a collegiate internship opportunity.
The powerful two-hander, who bowls for Vanderbilt and won the 2026 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships women’s national title, is back in the U22 Queens mix this year, however, and she’ll be looking to collect her second victory in as many tries.
However, while winning will be top priority for all competitors, titles and trophies won’t be the only thing on the line during the U22 Masters and U22 Queens.
Athletes competing in Orlando this week have extra incentive to author their best performances as the USBC Team USA Athlete Advisory Council has approved a total of eight spots on Junior Team USA to top finishers at the 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens.
The AAC, which is made up of current or former tenured Team USA athletes, supported that berths on Junior Team USA 2027 will go to the top three age-eligible finishers after the qualifying rounds at both the U22 Masters and U22 Queens and to each tournament’s champion.
If the champion has already acquired a spot or is not age eligible, the fourth and final Junior Team USA position up for grabs at each event will be given to the next-highest age-eligible finisher after the qualifying rounds.
Age-eligible athletes will be those who have not reached their 21st birthday by Jan. 1, 2027.
All rounds of competition at both the U22 Masters and Queens will be streamed live exclusively on BowlTV.
CLICK HERE for more information on the 2026 U22 Masters and U22 Queens.