WICHITA, Kan. - Four Cougars averaged 170 or better as the Columbia College women's bowling team opened the 2026-27 season with a 12th-place finish among 28 varsity teams at the Mid-States Championships on Oct. 17-18.

Columbia was 11th after Saturday's six traditional team games with 5,229 pins, an average of 871.5 per game. On Sunday the Cougars bowled 16 Baker games and added 2,501 pins, an average of 156.3 per game, for a two-day total of 7,730. Columbia ended 11 pins ahead of No. 13 Quincy (7,719) and 115 behind No. 11 Southern Nazarene (7,845). Wichita State won qualifying with 9,054.

Abi Owen and Ally Johnson led the Cougars individually. Both rolled 1,055 pins over six games, a 175.8 average, and they tied for 30th among 89 varsity bowlers who played the full six-game block. Owen opened with a 178, settled in through the middle of the day and finished strong with a 201 and a 186, totaling 387 over her final two games. Johnson started with a 148, then strung together five straight games of 169 or better, including a 198 in Game 3, and averaged 181.4 the rest of the way.

Kiana Hodges was right behind them with 1,044 pins (174.0 average), good for 33rd in the field. She opened the tournament with a 192, the team's high score in Game 1, and added games of 188 and 190 later in the day for three scores of 188 or better.

Rhyleigh Wilson posted 1,020 pins (170.0 average) and had the best individual game of the weekend for Columbia. Her 234 in Game 5 was 68 pins better than any of her other games and tied for the 11th-highest single game by any bowler in the varsity field.

Madeline Fabish averaged 169.8 over five games in her first collegiate event. She opened with a 189 and had a 204 in Game 3, one of three 200-plus games for the Cougars on Saturday. Amara Vrell came in for the final traditional game and rolled a 206, the team's top score in that game, to help Columbia post an 891.

Game 5 was the Cougars' best team game of the event. All five bowlers scored 156 or better for a 958, led by Wilson's 234, Owen's 201 and Hodges' 190. Columbia's 909 in Game 3 was its second-best team game, with Fabish (204), Johnson (198) and Hodges (188) leading the way.

In Sunday's Baker format, the Cougars' high game was a 191 in Game 8. Columbia picked up its pace over the second half of the day, averaging 160.3 over the final eight games, compared with 152.4 over the first eight. Every one of those last eight games was 140 or better, topped by a 172 in Game 12.

Up Next: Columbia heads to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the Five Seasons Classic on Oct. 24-25.

Day 1 - Team Games

Day 2 - Baker Games