Kuhlkin Shines at Junior Gold Championships

Four members of the Nebraska women’s bowling team competed at the 2014 Junior Gold Championships in the U-20 division this past Friday in Buffalo, N.Y. Senior Liz Kuhlkin, sophomore Bri Zabierek and incoming freshmen Julia Bond and Melanie Crawford all took part in the tournament.

Kuhlkin, a two-time NTCA All-American, who averaged a team-leading 206.7 season pinfall average during the 2014 season, placed fourth in the talent-rich tournament, as she lost in sixth of eight rounds to Katelyn Simpson, 450-415.

Sophomore Bri Zabriek just missed out on missing the final match-play bracket, as she missed the top-16 cutoff placing 26th overall. .

Two incoming freshmen also competed in the tournament, Julia Bond of Aurora, Ill., and Melanie Crawford of Plano, Texas performed well also.

Bond finished 12th overall, as she solidified her spot on Junior Team USA with her performance at the tournament. Crawford also performed at a high level, as she finished 33rd.

A record field of 2,479 United States Bowling Congress youth members from across the country took part in the event, which awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships.