2014-15 Nebraska Bowling Season Preview

The Nebraska bowling team returns to the lanes for the 2014-15 season with high hopes of winning its fifth NCAA Championship.

The Huskers will focus on taking the next step to a title, one year after coming up one win shy at the NCAA Championships. The Big Red, who won the NCAA crown in 2013, will take aim at a third straight appearance in the national championship match.

Nebraska, which begins the pursuit of its 10th overall national title under legendary coach Bill Straub, will feature a dynamic, talented cast of bowlers who come to NU from around the world in 2014-15.

Straub, who plans to lead Nebraska to its 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, said that this year’s version of the Husker bowling team may be the best team in program history.

“We have 10 people on our team this season. One to 10, we have never been better,” Straub said. “I would rank this team better than our 2004 team. The ’04 team was better one through five. This team is better one through 10.”

With a Nebraska roster loaded from top to bottom, the challenge for Straub will be to find the right combination to form NU’s best lineup.

“We have a lot of potential this year. It is a both a blessing and a curse,” Straub said. “We have so many people who can get the job done, it will be challenging to pick a starting rotation.”

Nebraska’s depth could provide Straub the flexibility to form rotations to maximize the Huskers’ talent.

“In baseball terms, we would like to have our rotation similar to Kansas City’s this year. They have one guy that comes in to pitch the seventh, one guy the eighth and one guy finishes it off, It is pretty much set in stone how they do that,” Straub said. “In our sport, defense and pitching translate to picking up a pin or two that was left. Converting spares is like converting saves. They go a long way toward success.”

Nebraska has traditionally featured a dominant reliever on the lanes, including departed senior Yan Ling during the Big Red’s NCAA title run in 2013. Straub said the Husker depth will give him more options in 2014-15.

“We have had a relief pitcher before, but this year we have three.”

While Straub is excited about his bullpen, the Huskers also featured arguably the most dominant starting rotation in the nation.

Senior Lizabeth Kuhlkin headlines the list of talented Huskers in 2014-15. Kuhlkin, a two-time returning first-team NTCA All-American and MVP of Nebraska’s 2013 NCAA title run, could be the nation’s top collegiate bowler.

“The easiest part for her is that she is going to be surrounded by people who are really good,” Straub said. “Not that she wasn’t before, but this year on paper her supporting cast is going to be better.
“Liz has worked tremendously hard in her career, and it should culminate in a very special season. She is the best player in the country.”

The Huskers will feature one other senior in Andrea Ruiz. The native of Bogota, Colombia, has played a major role in her first two seasons at Nebraska. The senior produced a 192.4 average as a junior season to help the Huskers advance to the NCAA Championship match. She also was a key element in NU’s run to the 2013 title.

Two other returning bowlers will provide extensive NCAA Championship experience for the Huskers this season. Junior Bethany Hedley and sophomore Briana Zabierek could play crucial roles in the Huskers’ pursuit of their fifth NCAA championship in 2014-15.

Hedley, a native of Watford, England has been a mainstay in the NU starting lineup since her freshman season. Hedley will likely be the fourth bowler in the rotation, setting up Kuhlkin in the No. 5 position. Hedley tallied a 196 average last season.

Zabierek, a native of Lockport, Ill., has shown impressive improvement in her game entering the 2014-15 season. Straub said the sophomore spent extensive time on her game this summer, including several summer tournaments around the country.

“Bri has developed really well over the summer,” Straub said. “She had great success in competitions as well as just practice in the summer with her fundamentals. I expect great things from her this season. She could be a very valuable bowler for us this year.”
In addition to the experienced Huskers, NU will add three new members to the team for the 2014-15 season, including one transfer and two incoming freshmen.

Junior Melanie Crawford joins the Huskers for this season. A transfer from Stephen F. Austin, Crawford is eligible immediately and will not be required to sit out the 2014-15 season.
Crawford brings a competitive mindset to the Huskers that Straub expects to benefit the entire team. Last season, Crawford captured third-team All-America honors at SFA. 

Julia Bond (Aurora, Ill.) and Kelly Belzeski (Schererville, Ind.) join the Huskers as highly regarded freshmen.

Straub said both freshmen could see immediate playing time this season.

“We have the number one freshman in the country in Julia Bond. Kelly Belzeski is not bad either. They are both really good.”

The Huskers open the 2014-15 schedule on the road at the Crusader Classic in Valparaiso, Ind., Nov. 7-9, before playing host to the Big Red Invitational at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nov. 13-15.

Straub said the competition at this year’s Big Red Invite will be at its highest level in history.

“Exact same teams as last year, which is where all the power in collegiate bowling is - within 200 miles of where we are,” Straub said. “So we are glad to have all the teams compete at our home event.”

After a short break, the Huskers will travel to Houston to compete at the Track Kat Klash hosted by Sam Houston State on Nov. 21-23. Following the Kat Klash, NU will take more than a month off from competition for winter break, before heading to Jonesboro, Ark., for the Mid-Winter Classic hosted by NU rival Arkansas State.

The Huskers return to Texas for back-to-back tournaments. The first in Arlington, at the Prairie View A&M Invite, Jan. 30-Feb. 1. The Big Red then head to the Stephen F. Austin Jacks Invite in Houston on Feb. 13-15.

NU travels to the Hawk Flight Invite in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., for the first time in school history. Straub said Nebraska’s trip to the East Coast will premier competition, while giving Kuhlkin a chance to play in front of her home crowd.

The following week the Huskers return to the Midwest at the talent-laden Central Missouri Women’s Invite in Kansas City, Kan., Feb 27-March 1. The Huskers finish off their regular season at the annual Music City Classic in Nashville on March 6-8.

The Huskers hope their journey through the 2014-15 season ends with their 12th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament with a chance to contend for their fifth NCAA title at Tropicana Lanes in St. Louis, Mo., April 9-11.