Competition underway in Reno for 2024 USBC Women’s Championships
April 27, 2024
RENO, Nev. – The 104th edition of the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships kicked off Saturday at the National Bowling Stadium, with 53 teams taking part in the opening festivities from The Biggest Little City in the World.
The 2024 event will run across 65 days and conclude June 30. The tournament is expected to welcome more than 3,600 teams and nearly 15,000 bowlers to Reno to compete for titles across four average-based divisions (Diamond, Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire) in team, doubles, singles and all-events.
It marks the tournament’s 13th visit to Reno and 10th trip to the 78-lane National Bowling Stadium.
THE ROW Reno is the presenting sponsor of the 2024 USBC Women’s Championships.
An opening ceremony took place prior to the start of the first squad, which featured local and bowling dignitaries welcoming the tournament to Reno.
Speakers for the ceremony included THE ROW Reno Vice President of Casino Marketing Peggy Selvey and Vice President of Casino Operations and Community Relations Tony Marini, Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority Board Chair Charlene Bybee and President and CEO Mike Larragueta, City of Reno Vice Mayor Naomi Duerr and USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy.
“It’s always an exciting time when the United States Bowling Congress returns to Reno Tahoe,” Larragueta said. “This decades-long partnership continues to flourish, and we’re grateful to the USBC and to all the bowlers who’ve been a part of this journey.”
The excitement from the ceremony also featured a ribbon-cutting, the Mass Ball Shot and the ceremonial first ball by Patricia Wilson of Senoia, Georgia. Wilson and her teammates – Erika Ciminnisi, Candace Ciminnisi and Alicia Jackson – were selected as the honorary grand marshals to lead the first squad of the 2024 Women’s Championships to the lanes.
Wilson knocked down six pins on the ceremonial delivery to officially usher in the 2024 tournament.
“I was honored to do it, even if I was extremely nervous,” Wilson said. “It was nerve-wracking, but it’s a sport that I love so I enjoyed doing it.”
There were some early fireworks to kick off the event in Reno, too, as a team in the Emerald Division lived up to its name – Untouchables of Grantville, Georgia. The team posted the early lead with a 2,081 total.
Joni Janssen led Untouchables with a 584 series and was joined by Sheri Pepper (522), Brenda Joiner (517) and Linda Nichols (458). The team had games of 617, 749 and 715.
The group was surprised and jubilant to see their team at the top of the leaderboard.
“It’s only the first day, but that’s still really cool for us,” Nichols said.
At the 2023 Women’s Championships in Las Vegas, the team that took the lead on the opening squad in the Emerald Division ended up leading the rest of the way to take home the victory.
The members of Iowa 7 of Waterloo, Iowa – Teri Jennings, Shirley Bloodsworth, Kristi Reidy and Teresa Carriere – secured the win at the South Point Bowling Plaza with a score of 2,056, and the teammates returned for the opening ceremony this year and were presented with their gemstone trophy.
In addition to the excitement on the lanes this year in Reno, two bowlers – Sandra Jones of Burleson, Texas, and Rilla Yeater of Akron, Ohio – are scheduled to make their 50th appearance at the Women’s Championships, while Jacquelyn Nelson of Siler City, North Carolina, is scheduled to become the sixth bowler in tournament history to reach 60 years of participation.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.
The 2024 event will run across 65 days and conclude June 30. The tournament is expected to welcome more than 3,600 teams and nearly 15,000 bowlers to Reno to compete for titles across four average-based divisions (Diamond, Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire) in team, doubles, singles and all-events.
It marks the tournament’s 13th visit to Reno and 10th trip to the 78-lane National Bowling Stadium.
THE ROW Reno is the presenting sponsor of the 2024 USBC Women’s Championships.
An opening ceremony took place prior to the start of the first squad, which featured local and bowling dignitaries welcoming the tournament to Reno.
Speakers for the ceremony included THE ROW Reno Vice President of Casino Marketing Peggy Selvey and Vice President of Casino Operations and Community Relations Tony Marini, Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority Board Chair Charlene Bybee and President and CEO Mike Larragueta, City of Reno Vice Mayor Naomi Duerr and USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy.
“It’s always an exciting time when the United States Bowling Congress returns to Reno Tahoe,” Larragueta said. “This decades-long partnership continues to flourish, and we’re grateful to the USBC and to all the bowlers who’ve been a part of this journey.”
The excitement from the ceremony also featured a ribbon-cutting, the Mass Ball Shot and the ceremonial first ball by Patricia Wilson of Senoia, Georgia. Wilson and her teammates – Erika Ciminnisi, Candace Ciminnisi and Alicia Jackson – were selected as the honorary grand marshals to lead the first squad of the 2024 Women’s Championships to the lanes.
Wilson knocked down six pins on the ceremonial delivery to officially usher in the 2024 tournament.
“I was honored to do it, even if I was extremely nervous,” Wilson said. “It was nerve-wracking, but it’s a sport that I love so I enjoyed doing it.”
There were some early fireworks to kick off the event in Reno, too, as a team in the Emerald Division lived up to its name – Untouchables of Grantville, Georgia. The team posted the early lead with a 2,081 total.
Joni Janssen led Untouchables with a 584 series and was joined by Sheri Pepper (522), Brenda Joiner (517) and Linda Nichols (458). The team had games of 617, 749 and 715.
The group was surprised and jubilant to see their team at the top of the leaderboard.
“It’s only the first day, but that’s still really cool for us,” Nichols said.
At the 2023 Women’s Championships in Las Vegas, the team that took the lead on the opening squad in the Emerald Division ended up leading the rest of the way to take home the victory.
The members of Iowa 7 of Waterloo, Iowa – Teri Jennings, Shirley Bloodsworth, Kristi Reidy and Teresa Carriere – secured the win at the South Point Bowling Plaza with a score of 2,056, and the teammates returned for the opening ceremony this year and were presented with their gemstone trophy.
In addition to the excitement on the lanes this year in Reno, two bowlers – Sandra Jones of Burleson, Texas, and Rilla Yeater of Akron, Ohio – are scheduled to make their 50th appearance at the Women’s Championships, while Jacquelyn Nelson of Siler City, North Carolina, is scheduled to become the sixth bowler in tournament history to reach 60 years of participation.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.