ARLINGTON, Texas - In two major announcements, the United States Bowling Congress has selected 10 athletes to join Team USA in 2012, while the winners of the USBC Team USA Trials will earn automatic spots to compete in the QubicaAMF World Cup.

Five men and five women have been selected to Team USA members for 2012. The remainder of the roster will be determined at the Team USA Trials in Las Vegas from Jan. 2-6.

Patrick Allen, Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Bill O'Neill and Sean Rash were selected to join the men's team by the National Selection Committee, while Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick, Stefanie Nation, Shannon O'Keefe and Shannon Pluhowsky were chosen for the women's team.

"These decisions are never easy to make because we have such a talented pool of players to choose from," said Team USA head coach Rod Ross, who chairs the selection committee. "Representing the United States as a member of Team USA is the highest honor an athlete in our country can have, and all of these players are worthy of their selection."

To be considered at this stage for selection to 2012 Team USA, men were required to be exempt players on the PBA Tour, while the women must have been former Professional Women's Bowling Association/Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour members. Players who were on Team USA at least once since 2001 also were eligible for consideration.

An additional five men and five women will join Team USA 2012 at the Team USA Trials, which will be held at Texas Station in Las Vegas. The winners of that event will represent the United States at the prestigious QubicaAMF World Cup in 2012.

"Earning a spot on Team USA is a significant reason in itself to compete in the Team USA Trials, but we wanted to sweeten the victory for our winners," USBC Managing Director of National Governing Body Neil Stremmel said. "The World Cup has a tremendous amount of tradition and is one of our most anticipated events each year."

The top three men and top three women finishers at the Team USA Trials will earn automatic spots on Team USA, while the National Selection Committee will pick two additional men and two additional women from the field to join the team.

Team USA will represent the United States in international competition in 2012, including the Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships, World Singles Championships and the Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas.

For more information on how to enter the Team USA Trials, visit BOWL.com/teamusatrials.