Wichita bowlers already standing out at 2019 USBC Women’s Championships

A group of bowlers with Wichita ties has surged to the top of the team standings at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships at Northrock Lanes.

The team of ICT Pride No. 1 has taken the lead in the Diamond Division with a three-game score of 2,565, which is 76 pins better than second place. The team consists of Georgia Drewes, a Bishop Carroll graduate and former Newman bowler; Kaitlyn Rudy, a current WSU junior; Aspen Herzberg, a Newman sophomore and East graduate; and Carley Sullivan, a Newman junior from Topeka.

Rudy paced the team with a 672 series, followed by Drewes (650), Herzberg (644) and Sullivan (599). The diamond division features bowlers with the highest averages for the tournament that kicked off April 20 and is expected to draw hundreds of entries as it runs until June 30.

A Wichita connection of Drewes (750 series) and Ricki Ellison (635 series) was enough to claim the top spot in the Diamond Doubles with a 1,385 score, which is 105 pins better than the field. The duo have been bowling together since their days in the City League with Drewes at Carroll and Ellison at South, while they also starred for Wichita colleges.

“This was fantastic,” Ellison, who was also a two-time Junior Team USA member, told Bowl.com. “I got to jump on Georgia’s back and ride it to the lead. She’s a rock star, and all of the support from Wichita has been really cool. I’m really glad that USBC chose Wichita to host this event. I hope all of the ladies will have a great time.”

Drewes, who won the Intercollegiate Singles Championship in 2012 while at Newman, also took a narrow nine-pin lead in Diamond All-Events with a score of 1,975.

The president of the area’s Great Plains USBC Association, Drewes told Bowl.com that it was encouraging to see so many Wichita bowlers doing well in a hometown event.

“College bowling gave us great opportunities and a solid background,” Drewes said. “This tournament just brings us to a whole new level. I would like to make a habit of coming to nationals each year.”

Another Wichita team, ICT Pride No. 2, ranks second in the team competition in the Diamond division with a score of 2,489, only trailing ICT Pride No. 1. The team is made up of Newman junior Kristen Machacek (685), former WSU bowler Ashlyn Herzberg (659), WSU senior Kayla Ovesny (577) and Ellison (568).

This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Wichita bowlers already standing out at 2019 USBC Women’s Championships."