Muskingum U men roll their way to first national title

NEW CONCORD — High expectations brought its share of challenges to the Muskingum's men bowling team.

The adversity developed the team chemistry needed to aid the Muskies in reaching the pinnacle of their season earlier this month.

Muskingum captured the 2023 Men's Club National Champions by beating Bowling Green in the championship match.

It's the first national title for the program, as the team-first mentality clinched the victory. Junior Ethan McDonald, who was named the Tournament MVP, gave up his final throw to teammate Evan Thro, whose strike in the 10th frame clinched the team title.

Senior Alberto Dunlap, a Belmont Union Local graduate, capped the dream season with another strike on the team's final throw of the event.

"It was tough to give up that spot, but Evan had a better look and his ball was reacting better than mine," recalled McDonald, who is from North Carolina and made the all-tournament team. "We trust each other no matter the spot. We had a lot of tough days during the season, but we kept talking and came together at the right time. We understood the pressure since we had been there before, but we wanted that title."

Muskingum entered as the third seed and went 5-0 in match play. After a first-round bye, the Muskies defeated Wisconsin-Platteville and Coe to win their bracket. They followed with wins over Arizona State in the quarterfinals and William Patterson in the semifinals before the final match with Bowling Green.

Dunlap, who won an individual state title in high school, noted it's a moment the team and himself will always cherish.

"The season was full of ups and downs, but our chemistry was great," he said. "We spend a lot of time together, and this team matured. We never got too high or low, just kept an even-keel. It didn't matter who was out there, it was a team mindset to compete as one.

"Personally, it wasn't a great season for me, but I was there for our team so it meant a lot that my teammates wanted to give me the final shot. It showed who we are as a group."

Muskingum's men and women qualified for the Collegiate Club Championships, which started in 2013-14, based on their ranking in the collegebowling.bowl.com Power Rankings. The top 24 men's teams and the top 16 women's teams, who are certified as official Club Programs, competed for the Collegiate Club Championships.

The women tied a program-best by finishing fourth at the event, while Muskingum Coaches Doug Smith and David Jones were named Club National Coach of the Year finalists.

Along with the team championships, McDonald also competed in the USBC individual national championship singles tournament last week in Las Vegas, finishing ninth overall.

The banner season unfolded with Jones, who has been with the men for five years, watching his plan come to fruition.

"I wanted my type of bowler and athlete, who was team oriented. It took time to get that, but this team is exactly what I was looking for," Jones remarked. "The regular season was a bit of a letdown. We won four tournaments and were second at a Tier 1 tournament, which features the top 80 teams, but we had higher expectations.

"Even with those stumbles, we kept working towards April," he added. "We saw the bigger picture. This team was all business when it mattered. No matter who showed up for us, I knew they were going to compete."

Communication is a vital part to Jones' philosophy. He said this group took that to heart by hanging out away from the lanes and studying together. He referred to the team as "a big family" and it was on display at nationals as the team supported Jones and Thro, who each lost a grandparent before the tournament.

"It was very emotional since Evan and I had lost grandparents. We had chips on our shoulders to do it for them, and the guys were phenomenal," Jones said. "There's a lot of selflessness with this group. They're a true team. Seeing those guys give Alberto, who had been sitting for two hours, the last throw then watching him strike was a perfect moment to cap our season."

Competing with the nation's best is what Doug Smith envisioned when he started the school's bowling program 11 years ago. He recalled other coaches telling him it would take five years to build a national contender, but the women finished fourth in the nation by the program's third year.

Muskingum has reached the event several times since, but watching the men break through was worth the time and dedication, remarked Smith.

"You have to sell Muskingum to these great athletes then you have to work on chemistry when they get here. You go through ups and downs like a new family does," Smith said. "We brought in the talent, and these kids worked hard and did the drills. We start practice the second week of school and bowl through the third week of April so it's a long season.

"These groups gelled together and it showed at the nationals," he added. "Coach Jones has been a blessing. I don't have to worry about them, and now, we turn to defending the title."

The men also had support from the women's team. Sophomore Kaylee Hauck, who was named to the Women's All-Tournament team, recalled how they rushed to clean up their equipment so they could root for the men in the final. They were just as excited to watch their fellow Muskies hoist the trophy, while knowing it provides motivation to the women.

"We had a rocky start to our season, but it was great for all of us to be there. We texted each other encouragement and checked on how each other we're doing," said Hauck, who is from Washington Court House. "We had to rush our stuff onto the bus then we came in to root for the guys. We broke the silence and relieved that pressure with our cheering.

"We were very excited when they won it," she added. "We know our coaches are bringing in more talent next year so it will be a competitive atmosphere. That will help us, and our ultimate goal is to get another chance at the title."

The men have a similar mindset with everyone back, including Dunlap, who has another year of eligibility. McDonald believes the Muskies will be prepared to defend their national championship.

"Next season will be the last for three of us so we want to make the most of our last chance," he said. "We know there will be new bowlers in the mix, but that will push us. We're going to work just as hard to defend the title as we did to win it."

bhannahs@gannett.com; @brandonhannahs

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Muskingum U men roll their way to first national title