The 2026 NC bowling championship begins with the Opening Round on Thursday, April 2. Here's everything you need to know for the 2026 NC bowling championship.
👉 Click or tap to see the selection release
The double-elimination tournament has a 19-team championship field. The championship bracket was revealed during a selection show on Wednesday, March 25 on krikyu.com. Eleven conferences earned automatic qualification, with the remaining eight teams selected at-large by the women's bowling committee.
🎞️ RELIVE: Youngstown State clinches 2025 championship, first national title in program history
2026 NC bowling championship bracket
👉 Click or tap here to see the regional brackets
2026 NC bowling championship schedule
- Opening Round — Thursday, April 2
- Dominican (NY) vs. Alabama A&M
- Saint Vincent vs. Belmont Abbey
- Carroll (WI) vs. Fayetteville St.
- Regional Round — Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4
- NC bowling championship — Watch live on krikyu.com
- Semifinals: Friday, April 10
- Finals: Saturday, April 11
- Selection show: 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 25 on krikyu.com
NC bowling championship history
The Nebraska Cornhuskers hold the most all-time national titles (6) while the defending national champion, Youngstown State, earned its first last year. Here is every champion and runner-up in NC bowling championship history.
| Year | Champion | Coach | Games | Runner-Up | Games | Host/Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Youngstown State | Doug Kuberski | 4 | Jacksonville State | 3 | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2024 | Jacksonville State | Shannon O'Keefe | 4 | Arkansas State | 3 | Allen Park, MI |
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | John Williamson | 4 | Arkansas State | 3 | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2022 | McKendree | Shannon O'Keefe | 4 | Stephen F. Austin | 0 | Columbus, OH |
| 2021 | Nebraska | Paul Klempa | 4 | Arkansas State | 1 | Kansas City, Mo. |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | Stephen F. Austin | Amber Lemke | 4 | Vanderbilt | 1 | Wickliffe, Ohio |
| 2018 | Vanderbilt | John Williamson | 4 | McKendree | 3 | St. Louis, Mo. |
| 2017 | McKendree | Shannon O'Keefe | 4 | Nebraska | 0 | Baton Rogue, La. |
| 2016 | Stephen F. Austin | Amber Lemke | 4 | Nebraska | 3 | North Brunswick, N.J. |
| 2015 | Nebraska | Bill Straub | 4 | Stephen F. Austin | 2 | St. Louis |
| 2014 | Sam Houston State | Brad Hagen | 4 | Nebraska | 2 | Wickliffe, Ohio |
| 2013 | Nebraska | Bill Straub | 4.5 | Vanderbilt | 2.5 | Canton, Mich. |
| 2012 | Maryland-Eastern Shore | Kristina Frahm | 4 | Fairleigh Dickinson | 2 | Cleveland, Ohio |
| 2011 | Maryland-Eastern Shore | Sharon Brummell | 4 | Vanderbilt | 2 | Taylor, Mich. |
| 2010 | Fairleigh Dickinson | Mike LoPresti | 4 | Nebraska | 3 | New Jersey City |
| 2009 | Nebraska | Bill Straub | 4 | Central Missouri | 1 | Detroit, Mich. |
| 2008 | Maryland-Eastern Shore | Sharon Brummell | 4 | Arkansas State | 2 | Omaha, Neb. |
| 2007 | Vanderbilt | John Williamson | 4 | Maryland-Eastern Shore | 3 | Apopka, Fla. |
| 2006 | Fairleigh Dickinson | Mike LoPresti | 4 | Alabama A&M | 1 | Houston, Texas |
| 2005 | Nebraska | Bill Straub | 4 | Central Missouri | 2 | Orlando, Fla. |
| 2004 | Nebraska | Bill Straub | 4 | Central Missouri | 2 | Houston, Texas |
