DALLAS – Eight Conference USA teams grabbed spots in the top 10 of the National Tenpin Coaches Association Preseason Poll, voted on by NCAA head coaches.
The conference added three members in the offseason, including Nebraska, Sacred Heart and Wright State. CUSA is now made up of 12 competing programs, all earning a spot in the preseason top 25 rankings.
Jacksonville State, last season’s CUSA and NCAA runners-up, earned the top spot with 14 first-place votes and 1,777 poll votes. The Gamecocks return NTCA All-Americans
Annalise Obryant (2025 CUSA Bowler of the Year) and Freshman of the Year,
Erin Klemencic (2025 CUSA Freshman of the Year).
Nebraska takes the second-place ranking, receiving seven first-place votes and 1702 poll votes. They return the reigning NTCA Player of the Year
, Jillian Martin, who helped lead the Huskers to an NCAA semifinal appearance last season.
Vanderbilt completes the top three with seven first-place votes and 1680 poll votes, followed by the returning national champion, Youngstown State, who received 16 first-place votes and 1633 poll votes.
CUSA defending champion, Wichita State, comes in at five, and rounding out the conference’s top six sweep is Arkansas State.
The remaining top 25 ranked CUSA programs include Sam Houston at No. 8, LA Tech at No. 9, Sacred Heart at No. 11, Tulane at No. 19, Wright State at No. 20 and Valparaiso at No. 21.
The 2025-26 bowling season will begin later this month and conclude in April with the NCAA Tournament. CUSA programs will battle for the conference title March 18-22 in Harahan, La.
2025-26 NTCA Preseason Coaches Poll (First place votes)
- Jacksonville State (14)
- University of Nebraska (7)
- Vanderbilt University (7)
- Youngstown State University (16)
- Wichita State University
- Arkansas State University
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Sam Houston State University
- Louisiana Tech University
- Maryville University \
- Sacred Heart University
- Duquesne University
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Mount St. Mary's University
- McKendree University
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Fairleigh Dickinson University
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Tulane University
- Wright State University
- Valparaiso University
- Felician University
- Delaware State University
- Oklahoma Christian University
- Niagara University