Collegiate bowlers gain experience at 2017 U.S. Open
October 27, 2017
LIVERPOOL, N.Y. - For most college students, a Wednesday night in the middle of the semester doesn't offer much excitement outside of the normal class schedule and homework load.
For Daniel Hanson, a junior at Robert Morris-Illinois, this past Wednesday night included an after-class flight from Chicago to Liverpool, New York, to compete at the 2017 U.S. Open.
The 20-year-old right-hander earned his spot into the 144-player field at Flamingo Bowl by virtue of his performance at one of four sectional events held to determine the competitors at the 2016 Intercollegiate Singles Championships.
Hanson, from Tacoma, Washington, made the most of his ISC debut, navigating his way through a bracket of talented players to claim the ISC title on CBS Sports Network, and he hopes that experience leads to similar results this week at the U.S. Open. The finals of the 2017 U.S. Open will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
When the invitational field for the 2017 U.S. Open was announced earlier this year, Hanson knew he had to jump at the opportunity to compete alongside the best players in the world.
"It was a really big surprise, and I couldn't put it into words at the time," said Hanson, who won the ISC as a freshman. "At first, I wondered if I was really going to go out and compete with them since I was so young, but this event is so prestigious, so I had to do it. I'm a little nervous, but it's going to be a learning experience."
While focusing on executing quality shots and making the right equipment selections on the challenging 43-foot oil pattern being used at the U.S. Open is part of Hanson's responsibilities on the lanes, his off-lane responsibilities in the classroom also are a big part of the week.
"My teachers weren't too upset with me," Hanson said. "They gave me some homework that I need to finish before I get back, and I'm actually going to start typing a paper when I get back to the hotel. It's pretty similar to when we're on the road for college bowling and working to finish projects Saturday at the hotel."
The collegiate bowling experience will play a part, as student-athletes are put to the test week in and out on challenging conditions in hopes of helping their team advance to the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Hanson made a return visit to the ISC in 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but was unable to successfully defend his title.
His overall placement during his sectional qualifier in 2017 already has his name on the invitation list for the 2018 U.S. Open, and he believes having the opportunity to lace up against the top players will serve as another motivating factor to other student-athletes to put in the extra work on and off the lanes.
"This opportunity is a steppingstone to the next level," said Hanson, who finished his first round of qualifying with a 1,608 eight-game total. "I see it as motivation, and I think a lot of others are going to work twice as hard to try and get here, too."
Also earning spots in this week's field based on their performances at sectionals in 2016 are Joshua Anderson of Muscatine, Iowa; Zachary Doty of Nassau, New York; Michael Kissel of East Islip, New York; Dallas Leong of Las Vegas; Ashton Maxwell of Babson Park, Florida; Brandon Runk of Enola, Pennsylvania; James Rutledge of Lincoln, Nebraska; Collin Smith of Huron, South Dakota; Darren Tang of San Francisco; and Jacob Yazell of Lexington, Kentucky.
For Daniel Hanson, a junior at Robert Morris-Illinois, this past Wednesday night included an after-class flight from Chicago to Liverpool, New York, to compete at the 2017 U.S. Open.
The 20-year-old right-hander earned his spot into the 144-player field at Flamingo Bowl by virtue of his performance at one of four sectional events held to determine the competitors at the 2016 Intercollegiate Singles Championships.
Hanson, from Tacoma, Washington, made the most of his ISC debut, navigating his way through a bracket of talented players to claim the ISC title on CBS Sports Network, and he hopes that experience leads to similar results this week at the U.S. Open. The finals of the 2017 U.S. Open will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
When the invitational field for the 2017 U.S. Open was announced earlier this year, Hanson knew he had to jump at the opportunity to compete alongside the best players in the world.
"It was a really big surprise, and I couldn't put it into words at the time," said Hanson, who won the ISC as a freshman. "At first, I wondered if I was really going to go out and compete with them since I was so young, but this event is so prestigious, so I had to do it. I'm a little nervous, but it's going to be a learning experience."
While focusing on executing quality shots and making the right equipment selections on the challenging 43-foot oil pattern being used at the U.S. Open is part of Hanson's responsibilities on the lanes, his off-lane responsibilities in the classroom also are a big part of the week.
"My teachers weren't too upset with me," Hanson said. "They gave me some homework that I need to finish before I get back, and I'm actually going to start typing a paper when I get back to the hotel. It's pretty similar to when we're on the road for college bowling and working to finish projects Saturday at the hotel."
The collegiate bowling experience will play a part, as student-athletes are put to the test week in and out on challenging conditions in hopes of helping their team advance to the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Hanson made a return visit to the ISC in 2017 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but was unable to successfully defend his title.
His overall placement during his sectional qualifier in 2017 already has his name on the invitation list for the 2018 U.S. Open, and he believes having the opportunity to lace up against the top players will serve as another motivating factor to other student-athletes to put in the extra work on and off the lanes.
"This opportunity is a steppingstone to the next level," said Hanson, who finished his first round of qualifying with a 1,608 eight-game total. "I see it as motivation, and I think a lot of others are going to work twice as hard to try and get here, too."
Also earning spots in this week's field based on their performances at sectionals in 2016 are Joshua Anderson of Muscatine, Iowa; Zachary Doty of Nassau, New York; Michael Kissel of East Islip, New York; Dallas Leong of Las Vegas; Ashton Maxwell of Babson Park, Florida; Brandon Runk of Enola, Pennsylvania; James Rutledge of Lincoln, Nebraska; Collin Smith of Huron, South Dakota; Darren Tang of San Francisco; and Jacob Yazell of Lexington, Kentucky.