2024 USBC Queens set to begin in Green Bay, Wisconsin
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The first major of the 2024 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season, the United States Bowling Congress Queens, has a storied history dating back to 1961, and The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has been part of that history, hosting the USBC Queens from May 14-19 back in 2015.
Now, exactly nine years later, the 60-lane center is set to host the major tournament once again beginning Tuesday, with Lindsay Boomershine of Brigham City, Utah, as the defending champion.
Last year at Sam’s Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Boomershine qualified as the No. 31 seed going into the double-elimination match-play bracket. The talented right-hander really got things going once match play began, going 6-0 over the course of two days of matches to earn the No. 1 seed for the stepladder finals.
Now, Boomershine will have a chance to defend that title as she looks to become the first person to win back-to-back Queens titles since Japan’s Katsuko Sugimoto accomplished the feat in 1981 and 1982.
“I was really fortunate to win last year, it’s always been one of my favorite tournaments even before the relaunch of the PWBA. I’m going into this year’s event the same that I would any other,” said Boomershine.
If recent success is any predictor of things to come, then Boomershine should be in prime position to make another strong Queens run after having cashed at each of the first two PWBA Tour events on the 2024 schedule – She placed 10th at the PWBA GoBowling! Twin Cities Open in Eagan, Minnesota, on May 2-4, and she was 13th at last week’s PWBA Bowlers Journal Rockford Open in Rockford, Illinois. Now, she looks to continue her excellent bowling heading into the Queens and credits
“I think that it’s important to stay true to myself and to continue with my mindset the way every tournament would be. I’m fortunate enough to be in the top 64, but I want a better seeding position. It’s going to be tough, but I’m just going to take things one day at a time. I’m back to having fun and enjoying the sport that I grew up loving,” Boomershine said.
She is not the only one that has bowled well so far this season, however, as two-time major titlist Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, won the opening event in Eagan, while Malaysia’s Sin Li Jane took home the title in Rockford for her second career PWBA title.
Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova has also remained a name to watch so far this season, leading the PWBA Tour in points through two events with a sixth-place finish in Eagan and a runner-up performance in Rockford.
The 2024 Queens kicks off tonight with a Bowl with the Pros event at 8 p.m. Eastern for local bowlers to have the opportunity to bowl alongside their favorite PWBA players in a fun and exciting environment.
The tournament’s official practice session for both squads of competitors will follow on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Eastern before the annual PWBA Hall of Fame banquet closes the out the evening with the induction of Sandra Jo Shiery and Dede Davidson.
Tournament action will get underway Thursday afternoon when all 186 bowlers on this year’s roster take to the lanes for their first of three five-game qualifying blocks.
A Squad will be up first on Thursday at 2 p.m. Eastern with B Squad following at 6 p.m. Eastern. Both squads will be bowling two rounds on fresh oil and one round on burn.
The top 63 qualifiers plus Boomershine will move on to the double-elimination match-play bracket starting Sunday, where each bout will be a three-game total-pinfall match.
The final two remaining in the Winner’s Bracket will bowl each other for the No.1 seed for Tuesday’s live TV finals show, while the final four in the Elimination Bracket will bowl for the last three spots on the show.
The stepladder finals will begin Tuesday at 7 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network, where the winner will receive the coveted tiara and top prize of $60,000. All competition leading up to the televised finals will be streamed live only on BowlTV.
