Team USA, Junior Team USA spots up for grabs at 2024 Team USA Trials in Las Vegas
January 02, 2024
Rosters: Men I Women
LAS VEGAS – Representing one’s country is an honor that many athletes hope to achieve during their careers, and this week will present several bowlers with the opportunity to do just that.
Starting Wednesday, a scheduled field of 175 men and 162 women will compete to earn the honor of representing their country when the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials and United States National Amateur Bowling Championships begins at the Gold Coast Bowling Center inside the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona, and Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, come in as the defending Team USA Trials champions while Brandon Bohn of Jackson, New Jersey, and Jillian Martin of Stow, Ohio, are returning to defend their U.S. Amateur titles.
The success that each of the four enjoyed during last year’s Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur continued throughout their 2023 bowling seasons.
Butturff used the momentum from his Team USA Trials victory to author another strong season on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, placing fourth in overall points and winning the Scorpion Championship during the 2023 PBA World Series of Bowling.
Bohn was a freshman at Mount Mercy University in the middle of his National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Rookie of the Year campaign when he won the male division at the 2023 U.S. Amateur, and Martin was doing something similar at Nebraska, ending her collegiate season as National Tenpin Coaches Association Rookie of the Year and an NTCA First-Team All American while helping Nebraska be one of the last four teams standing at the 2023 NCAA Bowling Championships.
Bohn was selected to go to the 2023 PANAM Bowling Male Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and helped Team USA collect gold medals in trios (alongside John Janawicz and Matt Russo) and team competition. That was a memorable experience for Bohn as was winning the 2023 U.S. Amateur to earn the opportunity.
“As the youngest one on the adult team, bowling with a Team USA veteran like John (Janawicz) was a great experience for me,” Bohn said. “I went into last year’s Team USA Trials with no expectations, and I leaned on my dad (USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III) for a lot.”
With a full year of adult Team USA experience under him now, he goes into this year’s event with confidence.
“I know that I can do it, and it’s just about keeping my emotions level because each day at trials is a new tournament in my mind,” said Bohn, who now competes collegiately at Webber International.
The 2023 season was also Martin’s first year on the adult team, and she too gained a lot of experience and confidence throughout the course of the year.
“I’ve learned to just trust myself and know that I can go out there and bowl good no matter the circumstances,” Martin said. “Collegiate bowling has taught me a lot on the teamwork side of things and to enjoy competing a lot.”
Like Bohn, Martin highlighted some of the differences between Junior Team USA and adult Team USA.
“Everyone has a great fundamental base, so we learn a lot from each other on the smaller things and just being around those that have been around the program for a long time,” said Martin.
Clemmer, the 2023 Team USA Trials women’s champion, is one of those veterans.
After her victory at trials, Clemmer went on to cash in 10 of the 11 events that she competed in during the 2023 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season. She also performed well internationally, collecting a doubles gold medal with Jordan Richard and a bronze medal in singles at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
Although she has been a member of Team USA in some capacity for almost a decade, Clemmer is still learning about her game in preparation for this year’s event.
“I’ve learned to be a little more patient, especially because Team Trials is a sprint and not a marathon,” Clemmer said. “I used to press early on, and that would cause me to be a little disappointed if things didn’t go the way I wanted to, so I’ve been not putting as much pressure on me as before.”
It’s easy to understand where that pressure comes from, however, as representing the team for so long has meant a lot to her.
“It’s always an honor to wear Team USA on my back, and I’ve been extremely grateful to have the opportunities I’ve had,” Clemmer said. “It’s been pretty special to be able to grow in the program with people like (Team USA Coaches) Bryan O’Keefe and Kelly Kulick.”
Tournament action at the 2024 Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur begins Wednesday with the first of five six-game qualifying blocks.
Each block will feature a different and challenging lane condition, forcing bowlers to demonstrate versatility if they hope to remain in contention throughout the five-day event.
Standings at the Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur are determined using a ranking points system specifically designed for these events.
Competitors earn ranking points based on their finishing positions during each of the five qualifying rounds - the top bowler of the round will earn one ranking point, second place will earn two points, etc. - with the lowest total of ranking points after five rounds determining the men's and women's Team USA Trials champions. Each champion will earn an automatic spot on Team USA for 2024.
In addition to the champions, the top four age-eligible men and top four age-eligible women at the 2024 Team USA Trials, based on ranking points, earn automatic spots on Team USA as well.
The final invitations awarded at the 2024 Team USA Trials will be determined by the National Selection Committee, which will name two additional men and two additional women to Team USA from the pool of players that competed at this year’s Team USA Trials.
In order to be eligible for a spot on Team USA 2024, a bowler must be at least 18 years old as of the end of the 2024 Team USA Trials.
The National Selection Committee also will select additional men and women for this year’s team based on submitted resumes. Those applicants must have been Team USA or Junior Team USA members within the last 10 years or among the top 25 in earnings during the 2023 PBA Tour season or top 25 in points during the 2023 PWBA Tour season.
At the conclusion of the fifth and final round of Team USA Trials qualifying, the top three amateur men and top three amateur women will advance to a stepladder final to determine the 2024 U.S. Amateur champions, both of whom will earn spots on Team USA as well.
If the U.S. Amateur champion already has earned a spot on the team, the spot will be awarded to the next-highest Team USA Trials qualifier based on ranking points.
To be eligible for this year's U.S. Amateur, a bowler must not hold or have held a professional membership (PBA or PWBA) in 2023. Also, anyone who has won a professional title (regional, national or senior) as a professional is not eligible to compete as an amateur.
For youth competitors, the top four age-eligible boys and top four age-eligible girls, based on ranking points, automatically earn spots on Junior Team USA 2024. Two additional boys and two additional girls also will be selected by the National Selection Committee based on performances from either the 2024 Team USA Trials or 2023 Junior Gold Championships.
They will join the youth competitors who already earned their spots on Junior Team USA 2024 during the 2023 Junior Gold Championships.
All rounds of Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur competition will be broadcast live at BowlTV.com beginning Wednesday at 11 a.m. Eastern and will continue daily through Sunday when competition ends and the announcement and introduction of Team USA and Junior Team USA 2024 takes place.
For more information on the 2024 Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur, CLICK HERE.
LAS VEGAS – Representing one’s country is an honor that many athletes hope to achieve during their careers, and this week will present several bowlers with the opportunity to do just that.
Starting Wednesday, a scheduled field of 175 men and 162 women will compete to earn the honor of representing their country when the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials and United States National Amateur Bowling Championships begins at the Gold Coast Bowling Center inside the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona, and Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, come in as the defending Team USA Trials champions while Brandon Bohn of Jackson, New Jersey, and Jillian Martin of Stow, Ohio, are returning to defend their U.S. Amateur titles.
The success that each of the four enjoyed during last year’s Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur continued throughout their 2023 bowling seasons.
Butturff used the momentum from his Team USA Trials victory to author another strong season on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, placing fourth in overall points and winning the Scorpion Championship during the 2023 PBA World Series of Bowling.
Bohn was a freshman at Mount Mercy University in the middle of his National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Rookie of the Year campaign when he won the male division at the 2023 U.S. Amateur, and Martin was doing something similar at Nebraska, ending her collegiate season as National Tenpin Coaches Association Rookie of the Year and an NTCA First-Team All American while helping Nebraska be one of the last four teams standing at the 2023 NCAA Bowling Championships.
Bohn was selected to go to the 2023 PANAM Bowling Male Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and helped Team USA collect gold medals in trios (alongside John Janawicz and Matt Russo) and team competition. That was a memorable experience for Bohn as was winning the 2023 U.S. Amateur to earn the opportunity.
“As the youngest one on the adult team, bowling with a Team USA veteran like John (Janawicz) was a great experience for me,” Bohn said. “I went into last year’s Team USA Trials with no expectations, and I leaned on my dad (USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III) for a lot.”
With a full year of adult Team USA experience under him now, he goes into this year’s event with confidence.
“I know that I can do it, and it’s just about keeping my emotions level because each day at trials is a new tournament in my mind,” said Bohn, who now competes collegiately at Webber International.
The 2023 season was also Martin’s first year on the adult team, and she too gained a lot of experience and confidence throughout the course of the year.
“I’ve learned to just trust myself and know that I can go out there and bowl good no matter the circumstances,” Martin said. “Collegiate bowling has taught me a lot on the teamwork side of things and to enjoy competing a lot.”
Like Bohn, Martin highlighted some of the differences between Junior Team USA and adult Team USA.
“Everyone has a great fundamental base, so we learn a lot from each other on the smaller things and just being around those that have been around the program for a long time,” said Martin.
Clemmer, the 2023 Team USA Trials women’s champion, is one of those veterans.
After her victory at trials, Clemmer went on to cash in 10 of the 11 events that she competed in during the 2023 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season. She also performed well internationally, collecting a doubles gold medal with Jordan Richard and a bronze medal in singles at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
Although she has been a member of Team USA in some capacity for almost a decade, Clemmer is still learning about her game in preparation for this year’s event.
“I’ve learned to be a little more patient, especially because Team Trials is a sprint and not a marathon,” Clemmer said. “I used to press early on, and that would cause me to be a little disappointed if things didn’t go the way I wanted to, so I’ve been not putting as much pressure on me as before.”
It’s easy to understand where that pressure comes from, however, as representing the team for so long has meant a lot to her.
“It’s always an honor to wear Team USA on my back, and I’ve been extremely grateful to have the opportunities I’ve had,” Clemmer said. “It’s been pretty special to be able to grow in the program with people like (Team USA Coaches) Bryan O’Keefe and Kelly Kulick.”
Tournament action at the 2024 Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur begins Wednesday with the first of five six-game qualifying blocks.
Each block will feature a different and challenging lane condition, forcing bowlers to demonstrate versatility if they hope to remain in contention throughout the five-day event.
Standings at the Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur are determined using a ranking points system specifically designed for these events.
Competitors earn ranking points based on their finishing positions during each of the five qualifying rounds - the top bowler of the round will earn one ranking point, second place will earn two points, etc. - with the lowest total of ranking points after five rounds determining the men's and women's Team USA Trials champions. Each champion will earn an automatic spot on Team USA for 2024.
In addition to the champions, the top four age-eligible men and top four age-eligible women at the 2024 Team USA Trials, based on ranking points, earn automatic spots on Team USA as well.
The final invitations awarded at the 2024 Team USA Trials will be determined by the National Selection Committee, which will name two additional men and two additional women to Team USA from the pool of players that competed at this year’s Team USA Trials.
In order to be eligible for a spot on Team USA 2024, a bowler must be at least 18 years old as of the end of the 2024 Team USA Trials.
The National Selection Committee also will select additional men and women for this year’s team based on submitted resumes. Those applicants must have been Team USA or Junior Team USA members within the last 10 years or among the top 25 in earnings during the 2023 PBA Tour season or top 25 in points during the 2023 PWBA Tour season.
At the conclusion of the fifth and final round of Team USA Trials qualifying, the top three amateur men and top three amateur women will advance to a stepladder final to determine the 2024 U.S. Amateur champions, both of whom will earn spots on Team USA as well.
If the U.S. Amateur champion already has earned a spot on the team, the spot will be awarded to the next-highest Team USA Trials qualifier based on ranking points.
To be eligible for this year's U.S. Amateur, a bowler must not hold or have held a professional membership (PBA or PWBA) in 2023. Also, anyone who has won a professional title (regional, national or senior) as a professional is not eligible to compete as an amateur.
For youth competitors, the top four age-eligible boys and top four age-eligible girls, based on ranking points, automatically earn spots on Junior Team USA 2024. Two additional boys and two additional girls also will be selected by the National Selection Committee based on performances from either the 2024 Team USA Trials or 2023 Junior Gold Championships.
They will join the youth competitors who already earned their spots on Junior Team USA 2024 during the 2023 Junior Gold Championships.
All rounds of Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur competition will be broadcast live at BowlTV.com beginning Wednesday at 11 a.m. Eastern and will continue daily through Sunday when competition ends and the announcement and introduction of Team USA and Junior Team USA 2024 takes place.
For more information on the 2024 Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur, CLICK HERE.