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IOWA BOWLER REACHES 50 YEARS AT USBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS

EL PASO, Texas - Jeanne Wilkens of Davenport, Iowa, made her first United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships appearance at the 1960 event in Denver, and this week, she logged her 50th year of participation at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center.

Since her debut, the energetic right-hander has been to every tournament except the 2005 event in Tulsa, Okla., which she missed because her husband had fallen ill. In all, she has competed in 40 different cities and 27 states.

For her ceremonial march down Center Aisle on Monday, Wilkens was escorted by USBC Women's Championships Tournament Manager Eric Pierson. She was awarded a plaque and bouquet of flowers to commemorate the achievement as well as a standing ovation from the squad's bowlers and spectators.

"I didn't expect any of this," said Wilkens, who bowls league at 30 Lanes in Davenport. "I didn't think about celebrating at all. I like this when it happens to other people, but not me. But this is great. I had a lot of bowlers congratulating me."

Wilkens attended her first tournament after receiving an invitation from a Women's International Bowling Congress board member whom she bowled with in a league. From that first time, the tournament became a part of her annual routine as she and her husband compete at the Women's and Open Championships, respectively. Although her husband passed away two years ago, she continues to make her journey to the event.

"The tournament became a habit," Wilkens said. "My husband would bowl at the ABC (now Open Championships), while I watched our son, and then he would watch our son when I went to the Women's. I never dreamed it would turn into 50 tournaments, though. The time has gone by in a hurry."

Wilkens has enjoyed the chance to visit many different cities during the course of her tournament career and also likes to take the chance to watch as many bowlers as she can.

"It's been a lot of fun going from city to city," Wilkens said. "But I really like to watch the way people bowl. There are so many different ways to bowl. Today, there was a girl on our pair who had a real big backswing. I just love to watch how people roll the ball."

Although she is unsure on whether she will be able to make it to the 2011 Women's Championships in Syracuse, N.Y., Wilkens knows if she does make it, she'll have a great time like she has had at every other tournament.

"Well, I know for sure that I won't make 50 more tournaments, but I would really like to," she said. "I'll have to see about Syracuse, but I've always had a fun time at the tournament, each and every one of them. There is always something different, and I've made so many friends over the years."

Wilkens only bowled in the team event this year, electing to sit out doubles and singles. She rolled a 375 series and helped the Sapphire Division's Here We Are Again to a 1,975 team total. Chick-A-Boom of Bloomfield, N.M., leads Sapphire Team with 2,424. All scores include handicap.

Sapphire Team is made up of teams with combined averages of 749 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 750.

Two other bowlers are scheduled to reach the 50-year mark at the 2010 Women's Championships. Dorothy Williams of Lakewood, Colo., will add her name to the list on Friday, while Mary Lackey of Camden, Ohio, will make her 50th tournament appearance on June 20.

Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For more information on the USBC Women's Championships, visit USBCwomenschampionships.com.

United States Bowling Congress

The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to more than two million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.

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2010 USBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS

At El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, El Paso, Texas

(Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls)

SCRATCH

Team

1, Bowlers Choice Pro Shop (Sue Jeziorski, Nikki Lunsford, Sue Nawojski, Michelle Sterner, Liz Johnson), Tonawanda, N.Y., 3,424. 2, Great Balls of Fire, Peekskill, N.Y., 3,351. 3 (tie), Barry Ashers Embroidery, Arlington, Texas, and Together Once Again, Keller, Texas, 3,345. 5, BowlersMAP, Grand Prairie, Texas, 3,339.

Doubles

1, Carol Gianotti, Henderson, Nev./Missy Klug, Macomb, Mich., 1,431. 2, Jessica Baker, Bel Aire, Kan./Sandra Gongora, Wichita, Kan., 1,407. 3, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas/Cathy Dorin-Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 1,406. 4, Paola Gomez, Weston, Fla./Kari Schwager, Rogers Park, Ill., 1,400. 5, Laurie Soto, Castaic, Calif./Paula Vidad, Sun City, Calif., 1,380.

Singles

1, Tennelle Milligan, Arlington, Texas, 779. 2, Sharon Aston, La Grange, Ky., 771. 3, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 750. 4 (tie), April Costa, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Kim Wirth, Hopkins, Minn., 749.

All-events

1, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 2,330. 2, Tennelle Milligan, Arlington, Texas, 2,149. 3, Shannon Pluhowsky, Kettering, Ohio, 2,144. 4, Leanne Hulsenberg, Roseville, Calif., 2,136. 5, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 2,115.

DIAMOND

Team

(For bowlers with combined averages of 900 and higher, with handicap based on 100 percent of 1,100 for the team set)

1, Bowlers Choice Pro Shop (Sue Jeziorski, Nikki Lunsford, Sue Nawojski, Michelle Sterner, Liz Johnson), Tonawanda, N.Y., 3,436. 2, Brunswick Zone Hawthorn, Waukegan, Ill., 3,390. 3, Great Balls of Fire, Peekskill, N.Y., 3,378. 4, All Mixed Up, Chino Hills, Calif., 3,366. 5, Alaska Belles, Seattle, 3,363.

Doubles

(For bowlers with combined averages of 360 and higher, with handicap based on 100 percent of 440 for the doubles set)

1, Renee Graham, Seat Pleasant, Md./Felicia Thorpe, Temple Hills, Md., 1,484. 2, Jacqueline Wilson, Oxon Hill, Md./Amber Casey, Clinton, Md., 1,483. 3 (tie) Jessica Baker, Bel Aire, Kan./Sandra Gongora, Wichita, Kan., and Trish Manna/Suzy Minino, Omaha, Neb., 1,452. 5, Pamela Lawrence, Pflugerville, Texas/Lori Thompson, Cedar Park, Texas, 1,450.

Singles

(For bowlers with an average of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 100 percent of 220 for the single set)

1, Kim Wirth, Hopkins, Minn., 785. 2, Tennelle Milligan, Arlington, Texas, 779. 3, Sharon Aston, La Grange, Ky., 777. 4, Kris Higgs, Orangevale, Calif., 769. 5, April Costa, West Palm Beach, Fla., 764.

All-events

(For bowlers with an average of 180 and higher, with handicap based on 100 percent of 220 for all nine games)

1, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 2,330. 2, Sandra Gongora, Wichita, Kan., 2,226. 3 (tie) Kriss Higgs, Orangevale, Calif., and Brenda Edwards, Mansfield, Texas, 2,210. 5 (tie), Andrea Snyder, Pomona, Calif., and Sherri Rhule, Loveland, Colo., 2,177.

RUBY

Team

(For bowlers with a combined average of 750-899, with handicap based on 100 percent of 900 for the team set)

1, Sportspage (Alice Toivari, Karla Schneider, Doris Parenteau, Celia Heikkila, Kim Pierzina), Embarrass, Minn., 2,790. 2, Hector Legion, Hector, Minn., 2,787. 3 (tie), Comstock House Lipchix, Big Rapids, Mich., and Ampride, Lexington, Neb., 2,772. 5, Ressler Toyota, Belgrade, Mont., 2,771.

Doubles

(For bowlers with a combined average of 300-359, with handicap based on 100 percent of 360 for the doubles set)

1, Jennifer Holmes, Cadillac, Mich./Sandy Upleger, Sterling Heights, Mich., 1,224. 2, Dena Neill/Tammie Lynde-Adermann, Sedalia, Mo., 1,212. 3, Kimberly Dauer, Mankato, Minn./Vicky Strassburg, Hanska, Minn., 1,201. 4, Karen Bender, Lansing, Ill./Jodi Phillips, Roscoe, Ill., 1,200. 5, Regi Stone, Coon Rapids, Minn./Lynda Blocker, Senoia, Ga., 1,192.

Singles

(For bowlers with an average from 150-179, with handicap based on 100 percent of 180 for the singles set)

1, Angie Motzko, Watertown, Minn., 672. 2, Terri McFadden, Boulder, Mont., 670. 3, Debbie Birdwell, Huntsville, Texas, 668. 4, Ilean Mattocks, Henderson, N.C., 662. 5, Karen Brooks, Upper Marlboro, Md., 660.

All-events

(For bowlers with an average from 150-179, with handicap based on 100 percent of 180 for all nine games)

1, Tina Ingram, Dublin, Calif., 1,874. 2, Emily Milbank, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,834. 3, Holly Turrentine, Irving, Texas, 1,833. 4, Dolly Zadina, Omaha, Neb., 1,819. 5, Ilean Mattocks, Henderson, N.C., 1,818.

SAPPHIRE

Team

(For bowlers with a combined average of 749 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 750 for the team set)

1, Chick-A-Boom, (Illa Hodges, Rosie Martinez, Lissa Currin, Linda Arnold, Mary Ann Martinez), Bloomfield, N.M., 2,424. 2, Just Random, Fremont, Neb., 2,381. 3, Lake Lizards, Champlin, Minn., 2,375. 4, Bootheel Bowlers, Playas, N.M., 2,362. 5, Badgers Babes, Madison, Wis., 2,355.

Doubles

(For bowlers with a combined average of 299 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 300 for the doubles set)

1, Rebecca Uraine/ Norine Lehar, Tucson, Ariz., 1,068. 2, Maureen Thate/Dee Craft, Bermuda, 1,044. 3, Linda Kiewel/Tricia Rigsby, Salem, Ore., 1,042. 4, Patti Poillucci, Cadiz, Ohio/Alicia Frey, Saint Clairsville, Ohio, 1,035. 5, Kay Olynec, Shohola, Pa./Jeanne Steuhl, Milford, Pa., 1,032.

Singles

(For bowlers with an average of 149 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 150 for the singles set)

1, Robin Farrish, El Paso, Texas, 625. 2, Kasey Peed, Craig, Colo., 589. 3 (tie), Melanie Smith, Euless, Texas, and Tami Stockman, Colonie, N.Y., 571. 5, Ela Palacios, Atwood, Colo., and Karen Milliorn, Las Cruces, N.M., 568.

All-events

(For bowlers with an average of 149 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 150 for all nine games)

1, Pam Laudenslager, St. Augustine, Fla., 1,653. 2, Robin Farrish, El Paso, Texas, 1,638. 3, Nicole Newman, White Lake, Mich., 1,604. 4, Nancy Prizler, Austin, Minn., 1,602. 5, Michelle Larson, Cozad, Neb., 1,595.