FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The Fayetteville State University women's bowling team has officially secured an automatic bid to the 2026 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship after capturing the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championship. The NCAA Women's Bowling Committee announced today the field of 19 teams selected for postseason competition.
Fayetteville State represents the CIAA among 11 conferences earning automatic qualification to the championship.
The Broncos will compete in the Opening Round Single-Elimination Mega-Match against Carroll University (WI), which enters postseason play with a 52–35 overall record. The match is scheduled for April 2 in Lansing, Michigan, one of four predetermined regional sites hosting competition from April 2–4.
2026 NCAA Championship Structure
Automatic Qualifiers (11 Conferences)
- Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference – Saint Vincent College
- Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference – Dominican (NY)
- Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Fayetteville State University
- College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin – Carroll University (WI)
- Conference Carolinas – Belmont Abbey College
- Conference USA – Jacksonville State
- East Coast Conference – Bryant University
- Great Lakes Valley Conference – Newman University
- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – North Carolina A&T State University
- Northeast Conference – Duquesne University
- Southwestern Athletic Conference – Alabama A&M University
At‑Large Selections
Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Maryville (St. Louis), Nebraska, Sam Houston State, Vanderbilt, Wichita State, and Youngstown State.
Championship Format
All regionals will follow a best-of-three mega-match format, including:
- Five-person team match
- Baker total pinfall
- Best-of-seven Baker match play
Regional winners advance to the NCAA Championship, held April 10–11 at Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights, Ohio, hosted by the Mid-American Conference and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. The title match will air on ESPNU at 6:30 PM ET on April 11.
Coach Henderson: Broncos Ready for the National Stage
Head Coach Bobby Henderson, who guided the Broncos through a dominant CIAA season and tournament run, expressed his pride in the team's accomplishment.
"We're excited for the opportunity to represent the CIAA on the national stage," Henderson said. "This team has worked for this moment all year, and we're ready to compete against the best programs in the country. We're locked in and prepared for Lansing."
More Information
For more details about the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, visit NCAA.com.
