Making History at 2026 Mid-States

Men earn program-best Tier I qualifying finish; Speer and Sakata collect All-Tournament honors in Wichita

WICHITA, Kan. — Southern Nazarene University’s men’s and women’s bowling teams delivered milestone performances at the 2026 Mid-States Championships, held October 17–18 in Wichita, Kansas, in their first Tier I tournament of the season. The Crimson Storm men qualified second for match play—the highest Tier I qualifying finish in program history—while the women recorded their best opening-day Tier I standing in program history.

The opening day demanded precision from the start. Head Coach Mark Jeffreys described a lane condition with little room for error outside the second arrow, making shot-making, ball selection and adjustments from pair to pair especially important. SNU responded with a 1,006 opening game, then surged to 1,111 in game two. Consecutive 963 games in the third and fourth rounds tested the team’s ability to adjust before the Crimson Storm closed with 1,035 and 1,028 to maintain second place.

The SNU men finished the six traditional team games on Saturday in second place with 6,106 pins, just 25 behind Wichita State. On Sunday, they added 16 Baker games to finish qualifying with 9,289 pins, second only to Wichita State’s 9,423. The performance secured one of eight spots in the championship bracket.

The scoring contributions came throughout the lineup. Tirada’s 229 helped establish the early pace, Speer supplied a 255 in the team’s highest-scoring game, and Handog’s 252 in game two and 246 in the finale provided important senior leadership. Jeffreys emphasized that maintaining a high level of execution on changing pairs was as significant as any single score.

Riley Speer led the men’s individual highlights, averaging 221 over six games to earn All-Tournament Team recognition. His 255 helped propel SNU to a tournament-best team game of 1,111. Freshman Jacob Tirado saw his first Tier I action in game four, five and six and performed well averaging 204, while senior Brandon Handog contributed games of 252 and 246. During Baker qualifying, the men put together an 860 three-game stretch, with games of 203, 239 and 226.

“I could not be happier with where we are at this early point in the season,” said SNU Head Coach Mark Jeffreys. “This was an extremely challenging lane condition, and our players showed the consistency and execution needed to compete with some of the best programs in the country.”

Sunday’s Baker qualifying presented another test of teamwork, with five bowlers combining to complete each game. SNU weathered an uneven early stretch, then found a productive rhythm. The 203, 239 and 226 sequence in games 10 through 12 produced an 860 total and helped solidify the men’s position near the top of the standings. Jeffreys credited all eight players for their contributions to the qualifying result.

In the opening round of best-of-five Baker match play, SNU faced Quincy University. The Crimson Storm took the first game, 234–223, before Quincy answered with wins of 237–184 and 279–177. SNU forced a deciding fifth game with a 221–165 victory, but Quincy prevailed 181–176 to advance.

“The door was open, and we had an opportunity to win that fifth game,” Jeffreys said. “What we learned from battling back after falling behind two games to one is going to make us a better team as the season continues.”

The men’s second-place qualifying total placed them ahead of Newman, Baker, McKendree, Ottawa (Kansas), Quincy and Cal State Fresno among the eight bracket qualifiers. Only Wichita State finished ahead of SNU entering the elimination rounds, underscoring the strength of the Crimson Storm’s performance against the tournament field.

The Crimson Storm women also made history on Saturday, finishing seventh after six traditional games with 5,285 pins—the program’s highest opening-day standing at a Tier I event. Freshman Chryslin Sakata, from Hawaii, totaled 1,252 over six games, averaging approximately 209 and earning All-Tournament Team honors in her first Tier I appearance. Her 257 helped SNU post a team-high 973 in game five.

The women entered the weekend with momentum from a road victory over McPherson College in a College Bowling Athletic Alliance matchup. Jeffreys also credited graduate assistant Alex Hepp and the team’s preparation for their opening-day performance on a demanding 38-foot lane pattern.

For the women, Saturday’s result reflected a strong team response to a demanding competitive environment. Their fifth-game 973 was the team’s highest of the day, sparked by Sakata’s 257. The freshman’s All-Tournament selection came against a deep field and represented an immediate impact in her first appearance at this level. Jeffreys pointed to the momentum generated by the preceding victory at McPherson and the preparation led in part by graduate assistant Alex Hepp.

Following 16 Baker games Sunday, the women finished 11th overall with 7,845 pins, narrowly missing the eight-team championship bracket. Despite the disappointment, the tournament provided valuable experience and another benchmark for the growing program.

“There were so many positives to take from the women’s performance,” Jeffreys said. “The work they have put in during practice showed, and I am excited about what this team can accomplish moving forward.”

The women’s Baker portion required sustained frame-by-frame consistency, and missed opportunities ultimately kept the Crimson Storm outside the top eight. Still, their seventh-place position after Saturday provided evidence of the program’s progress, and the team left Wichita with a clearer picture of the adjustments needed for future championship opportunities.

The SNU men will next compete at a Tier I event in Marietta, Georgia, while the women will travel to Fairview Heights, Illinois, for their next Tier I competition. Both programs continue building toward sectional competition scheduled for March in Garland, Texas.

Check out all the SNU Men's and Women's scores - CLICK HERE FOR THE SCORES