LAS VEGAS – Dana Ausec of Colorado Springs, Colorado, knows that as the defending champion of the United States Bowling Congress Senior Queens, she’ll have more eyes on her than when she started her quest last year in her first-ever showing at the event.

But when competition begins Saturday in Las Vegas at Gold Coast Bowling Center inside Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, her only focus will be on what’s in front of her on the lanes.

Ausec defeated USBC and Professional Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Famer Tish Johnson, also from Colorado Springs, in the final match twice, 211-157 and 190-184, to claim the 2023 Senior Queens title, tiara and $8,000 top prize. 

“It was nice to just fly under the radar last year and come in as more of an unknown bowler as well as not worrying about anything outside of my own game,” said Ausec. “Now more people know who I am and there’s a little bit of a target on my back, but I’m still going to go into the event and focus on what I can do.”

Later in 2023, Ausec was chosen to represent Senior Team USA at the International Bowling Federation’s World Senior Championships in Cali, Colombia, helping clinch four total medals (three gold, one bronze) for the United States. That was her first experience with international competition and has helped boost her confidence heading into this year’s Senior Queens.

“I feel like the opportunities I’ve had this past year have really helped me with the confidence,” Ausec said. “I’ve worked even harder on my mental game, and I’m really excited to go in and try to defend the title.” 

This year’s field features over 90 of the top female USBC members age 50 and older, including past Senior Queens champions Jodi Woessner (2022), Tish Johnson (2018), Lucy Sandelin of Tampa, Florida (2007, 2013 and 2017), Paula Vidad of Sun City, California (2011), and Char Hammel of Las Vegas (2010). Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, will be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame later this month in the Outstanding USBC Performance category  

Competition begins Saturday at noon Eastern with the first of three five-game qualifying blocks, and the top 31 players will join Ausec in the double-elimination match-play bracket starting Sunday at 5 p.m. Eastern.

All matches will be three games with total pinfall determining who advances. Once a player loses a match, they will be sent to the Elimination Bracket to continue their chase for the title. The final two undefeated bowlers in the Winners Bracket will bowl for the No. 1 seed in the stepladder finals while the final four remaining in the Elimination Bracket will bowl for seeds No. 3-5.  

For Ausec, automatically qualifying for the match-play bracket as defending champion takes a weight off her shoulders, but she made it clear she wasn’t looking to coast in as the final seed.

“Having the luxury to know that I’m in the bracket no matter what helps take some of that pressure off. I can try more things on fill shots and not worry about those few extra pins. I’m still going to go in and try to qualify on my own like I don’t have that automatic spot, though,” said Ausec.

The event will be streamed live from start to finish on BowlTV. As a true double-elimination format event, the No. 1 seed will have to be beaten twice in the championship match, just as Ausec did last year to win.

For more information on the USBC Senior Queens, visit BOWL.com/SeniorQueens.