USBC communications
BATON ROUGE, La. – Cuyahoga Falls’ two-handed lefty Bryce Oliver has continued his ascension as one of the sport’s rising young stars in 2025.
He started the year by finishing fifth at the United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials in January to claim his spot on Team USA for the first time.
He put the finishing touches on an acclaimed collegiate career at the University of Pikeville in the spring, earning recognition as a National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) first-team All-American for the third consecutive season and recording a second honor as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Player of the Year.
“It’s been kind of like riding a roller coaster since January. It’s been a lifelong dream to make Team USA,” said Oliver, who hadn’t bowled in the amateur event since 2000 and marked his first time as an adult participant.
“It all happened because of my dad. He called me n September and asked if I wanted to bowl. I went in with the mindset to try to get through each day and keep yourself close because you never know what’s going to happen. I I kept that mindset up to the last day when I earned my spot. I’m very grateful.
“It kind of kicked off the year and the second half of collegiate season. We kind of rode the wave and passed the good energy to the team and had a great show at ITCs at NAIAs and went into the summer trying to do my thing and whatever happens, happens.”
The 23-year-old kept the momentum going this week with his trip to the USBC Open Championships by connecting for a 300 game at Raising Cane’s River Center.
Oliver started his doubles set with 12 consecutive strikes Tuesday in Baton Rouge, and he added another six to start his second game on the way to 248. He closed with 201 for a 749 series, and he paired with Al Frazier Jr. of Elyria to finish with 1,255 in Regular Doubles.
He added sets of 712 in team and 627 in singles for an all-events total of 2,088, which currently places him in 21st for the Regular Division.
Oliver’s success in Baton Rouge started Sunday at the Bowlers Journal Championships. He rolled a 300 game during one of his squads at All Star Lanes, marking the second consecutive year he has achieved perfection at the event.
“It kind of loosened up my swing. The team event is a grind that tests you mentally more than physically. It was the first time I shot 2,000 overall,” Oliver said. “I bowled one good game and that gave me a good picture for today after getting in a couple of squads over there, but it also made everything twice as easy yesterday. I treat the Bowlers Journal as more of a practice session.
“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, I just had to do what the lane told me and not think about what they put down.”
As for his USBC Championships performance, Oliver feels college bowling has a lot to do with his scoring and adjustments.
“College bowling really gets you ready for this. You can’t overthink the moment and I learned that in my college career,” Oliver said. “I’ve never been afraid of the moment.
“But it’s surreal to put up a number out here during the Championships. It felt like college event in a big arena setting and, funny enough, two of my former college teammates were on my pair.
“It was just going back to what I’ve been working on during the season … trust your physical ability and your gut. I had the right ball reaction and road the wave. I connected on 12 very good shots and rode it.”
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.