Virginia bowler reaches milestone of 60 years at USBC Women’s Championships
May 02, 2026
LAS VEGAS – Lucille Strauss of Richmond, Virginia, reached a participation milestone of 60 appearances at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships on Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas.
In reaching this milestone, Strauss was presented with a plaque, chevron and commemorative ring at the South Point Bowling Plaza. She became just the seventh bowler in tournament history to reach 60 years at the USBC Women’s Championships.
Her journey at the championships began in 1963 in Memphis, Tennessee. This was the start of a love for coming out to the tournament for Strauss and her family.
Strauss’ bowling started back when she was in high school, playing a similar game to bowling known as duck pins.
“When I got out of high school (I went to Richmond), I went to work at the Virginia Transit Company. They had duck pins. They did not have 10 pins when I started bowling,” Strauss said. “So a year after I was in the duck pins, they put in the 10 pins and I started bowling and was like, ‘Oh, I like that.’”
Not long after starting her journey in bowling, she married her husband, Richard, which helped her to bowl more often.
“About a year or two later, I got married and then my husband said, ‘Come on now, bowl with us,’” Strauss said. “He wasn’t any good and then quit, but I stayed in the league for a long time.”
Coming to the tournament in Memphis, Tennessee, Strauss truly enjoyed the experience it brought. She loved it so much because she met so many lovely people and created friendships that stayed strong for so many years.
“The first time we went to bowl at the tournament, I liked it, because I met a lot of nice people that 10 to 12 years after I would get Christmas cards from,” Strauss said.
Strauss truly reflects on her 60 years from just meeting nice people from many different areas. This is her biggest highlight from the tournament, noting how people have been so kind to her throughout the years leading up to her 60th appearance.
“I can’t really think of too many favorite memories. We always have a good time and always meet lots of nice people,” Strauss said.
Her daughter, Lisa, mentioned that this tournament is a great way to meet people, too. Lisa made her 41st appearance at the Women’s Championships this year in Las Vegas.
“It’s a great way to meet people that you would never meet otherwise,” Lisa said. “Meeting them and thinking that’s the last time you will see them, but then you hear from them later on the phone, in the mail and on Facebook. You make friends for life!”
Strauss shared a special moment talking to other bowlers about next year and how they mentioned they weren’t going to come back. They asked Strauss how she keeps on bowling, which led her to say, “Well, I just keep on bowling. And so, they all looked at each other and said, ‘We’ll come back next year!’”
In addition to that moment, Strauss shared some advice to the bowlers that are close to these milestones, which is to keep on it and do big things.
“I would tell them, well, if you keep on, all of a sudden you get to do these big things, get recognized, get trophies,” Strauss said.
Strauss has truly left a mark on a lot of people on how you can do a lot by just hanging in and pushing through to get to those milestones.
“I had a lady who was getting close to her 50th and said, ‘I didn’t want to do it, but I am going to do it now and hang in there for two more years because of you,’” Strauss said. “I had more people come up and say, ‘I was considering not bowling anymore period, but if she can do it, I can.’ It makes a difference!”
Overall, Strauss ended her exciting 60th appearance with lots of kindness, encouragement, photos and smiles.
“I’ve never had so many people have my picture all over the country. It’s just really cool,” Strauss said.
The Women’s Championships is celebrating its 106th edition in 2026 and making its sixth trip to Las Vegas. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 16,000 bowlers and 4,200 four-player teams competing across 65 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
In reaching this milestone, Strauss was presented with a plaque, chevron and commemorative ring at the South Point Bowling Plaza. She became just the seventh bowler in tournament history to reach 60 years at the USBC Women’s Championships.
Her journey at the championships began in 1963 in Memphis, Tennessee. This was the start of a love for coming out to the tournament for Strauss and her family.
Strauss’ bowling started back when she was in high school, playing a similar game to bowling known as duck pins.
“When I got out of high school (I went to Richmond), I went to work at the Virginia Transit Company. They had duck pins. They did not have 10 pins when I started bowling,” Strauss said. “So a year after I was in the duck pins, they put in the 10 pins and I started bowling and was like, ‘Oh, I like that.’”
Not long after starting her journey in bowling, she married her husband, Richard, which helped her to bowl more often.
“About a year or two later, I got married and then my husband said, ‘Come on now, bowl with us,’” Strauss said. “He wasn’t any good and then quit, but I stayed in the league for a long time.”
Coming to the tournament in Memphis, Tennessee, Strauss truly enjoyed the experience it brought. She loved it so much because she met so many lovely people and created friendships that stayed strong for so many years.
“The first time we went to bowl at the tournament, I liked it, because I met a lot of nice people that 10 to 12 years after I would get Christmas cards from,” Strauss said.
Strauss truly reflects on her 60 years from just meeting nice people from many different areas. This is her biggest highlight from the tournament, noting how people have been so kind to her throughout the years leading up to her 60th appearance.
“I can’t really think of too many favorite memories. We always have a good time and always meet lots of nice people,” Strauss said.
Her daughter, Lisa, mentioned that this tournament is a great way to meet people, too. Lisa made her 41st appearance at the Women’s Championships this year in Las Vegas.
“It’s a great way to meet people that you would never meet otherwise,” Lisa said. “Meeting them and thinking that’s the last time you will see them, but then you hear from them later on the phone, in the mail and on Facebook. You make friends for life!”
Strauss shared a special moment talking to other bowlers about next year and how they mentioned they weren’t going to come back. They asked Strauss how she keeps on bowling, which led her to say, “Well, I just keep on bowling. And so, they all looked at each other and said, ‘We’ll come back next year!’”
In addition to that moment, Strauss shared some advice to the bowlers that are close to these milestones, which is to keep on it and do big things.
“I would tell them, well, if you keep on, all of a sudden you get to do these big things, get recognized, get trophies,” Strauss said.
Strauss has truly left a mark on a lot of people on how you can do a lot by just hanging in and pushing through to get to those milestones.
“I had a lady who was getting close to her 50th and said, ‘I didn’t want to do it, but I am going to do it now and hang in there for two more years because of you,’” Strauss said. “I had more people come up and say, ‘I was considering not bowling anymore period, but if she can do it, I can.’ It makes a difference!”
Overall, Strauss ended her exciting 60th appearance with lots of kindness, encouragement, photos and smiles.
“I’ve never had so many people have my picture all over the country. It’s just really cool,” Strauss said.
The Women’s Championships is celebrating its 106th edition in 2026 and making its sixth trip to Las Vegas. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 16,000 bowlers and 4,200 four-player teams competing across 65 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.