USBC Communications
In the final squad of team competition at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships, the members of Strike It Up 1 of Florence, Ariz., captured the lead in the Ruby Division with a 2,193 total Saturday at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas.
The 2026 event concluded its run in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The team surged ahead of the previous leader – LV Queens 3 of Allentown, Pa. – by 17 pins. LV Queens 3 had held the lead since June 4 with 2,176.
In Game 1, the members of Strike It Up 1 – Cyndi Hollinger, Katlyn Hollinger, Kathy George and Lisa Whalen – shot a solid team score of 683. They made their move in Game 2, firing 773. They finished strong with 737 in Game 3.
Katlyn Hollinger led the way with a series of 650. She started her set with a score of 210 and followed with 226 and 214. She was followed by George (579), Whalen (490) and Cyndi Hollinger (474).
The members of Strike It Up 1 were shocked when they found out they had taken the lead in the Ruby Division. Team captain Cyndi Hollinger was pleasantly overjoyed when she heard the news.
“Oh my gosh, this is an absolutely incredible and unexpected surprise,” Cyndi said. “We just came here to bowl our best and have fun together as a team. We just kept trying to encourage each other to hang it all out there and lay it on the line. We all had some really great games and bounced back very quickly from the not-so-good ones.”
The performance also meant a lot to Cyndi because she gets to bowl with her daughter, Katlyn.
“It’s a really special experience for me to be here with my great friends and family,” Cyndi said. “I love that I get to bowl with my daughter now. It’s a very awesome adventure, especially since I’ve been bowling this tournament for 24 years now.”
Ruby Team features four-player groups with combined entering averages of 621-700.
The Women’s Championships was celebrating its 106th edition in 2026 and making its sixth trip to Las Vegas. The 2026 event was scheduled to feature more than 16,000 bowlers and 4,200 four-player teams competing across 65 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
RACHAL JOINS 800 CLUB
Meanwhile, Michael Rachal of Cape Coral, Fla., connected for the 10th 800 series of the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Friday, posting an 803 total in singles.
The 28-year-old left-hander recorded games of 246, 269 and 288 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., to move into sixth place in Regular Singles. Three-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., leads at the 2026 event with 836.
Rachal’s final game started with 10 strikes before a 6 pin stood on his 11th delivery.
The big day for the talented southpaw started in doubles. He rolled games of 246, 260 and 274 for a 780 series, pushing his six-game average for the day to more than 263.
He kicked off his fifth appearance at the USBC Open Championships on Thursday with a 588 set in team, giving him a nine-game score of 2,171. He’s currently tied for 12th in Regular All-Events. Junior Team USA’s Jacob Bockstie of Nottingham, Maryland, leads with 2,277.
Rachal bowled collegiately for Lincoln Memorial University and earned National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association second-team All-American honors during the 2020-2021 season.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.