From wire reports
HOUSTON – Annalise OBryant and Spencer Robarge climbed from 10th place after qualifying to win the 2026 Professional Bowlers Association/Professional Women’s Bowling Association Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles event at Coppered Bowl on Sunday, earning OBryant her first PWBA title and Robarge his second PBA title.
For OBryant, a senior at Jacksonville State (Ala.) University, the victory represented far more than a milestone on the lanes.
“Obviously my first PWBA title, I mean, that’s been my lifelong dream,” OBryant said. “It’s also very special because my mother is a breast cancer survivor. So this tournament means a whole lot, and I dedicate this to her because she’s my biggest supporter. Winning my first title with my best friend, it does not get any better than that.”
Robarge also reflected on the significance of winning an event that benefits breast cancer awareness.
“This is such a great tournament, but it’s an even better cause,” Robarge said. “To win this is one of the biggest thrills of my life.”
OBryant and Robarge entered Sunday’s semifinal round in 10th place before charging into the lead after the four-game semifinal block to earn the top seed for match play. The pair maintained control through the opening six-game match-play round and built a lead of nearly 200 pins before a break for lunch.
The second six-game match-play round proved much more challenging, as strikes became harder to come by and their advantage steadily disappeared. By the time the position-round matches arrived, OBryant and Robarge had slipped to third place, 22 pins behind the leaders.
“It was crazy because we really had every emotion,” Robarge said. “We had the lead by almost a couple hundred at one point, and the second block we just could not get our balls to strike at the beginning. Things just weren’t quite going as well as they had.”
OBryant admitted she also battled through her own struggles during the final stretch but never lost confidence that the duo could recover.
“It was rough for me because my shot repeatability went downhill and my spares started getting all over the place,” OBryant said. “I just kept telling him, ‘Just keep holding me up. I’m going to get there regardless of what goes on, regardless of what kind of shots I make. I’m going to get there, and I’m going to keep fighting until the very end.”
Ahead of them in the standings were Kent’s Rocio Restrepo and Deo Benard, while Breanna Clemmer and Urbana’s Graham Fach also remained in contention. Restrepo and Benard faced Clemmer and Fach in the position-round match as OBryant and Robarge squared off against Lauren and Matt Russo.
Restrepo and Benard posted a 402 victory over Clemmer and Fach, but the door remained open after Benard chopped the 2-4-7-8 combination in the 10th frame. OBryant delivered a 200 game, leaving Robarge needing a double in the closing frames to secure enough pins, along with the 30-pin bonus for winning the match, to overtake the leaders.
Robarge, a former Wichita State standout, delivered both strikes to complete the comeback, securing the title and earning each player $12,500.
“To come from behind the way we did, down to the last shot, we’ll remember that forever,” Robarge said. “It was amazing.”
“It’s very surreal because I did not know when it would come,” OBryant said of her first title. “The road we took to get here will be one for the books and one to always remember. It was a roller coaster, but it was all worth it.”
The right-handed Restrepo and Benard, a two-handed lefty, finished just seven pins behind the champions, 10,275-10,268.
“Bowling with Deo Benard was beyond fun. He is a great bowler, but most importantly a great human being,” Restrepo posted on Facebook. “I was super excited to bowl with him and for Donna for matching us cup. While I wished I had made more great shots, I’ll take a second place at this event this year.”
For OBryant, the accomplishment became even more meaningful because of the tournament itself.
“This is such a fun tournament,” OBryant said. “It just took me one year to see why people call this their favorite tournament of the year because it’s just such an amazing cause. The atmosphere is amazing, as well as what Donna (Connors) does. And for this to be my first title will be one that I will always remember and hold very close to my heart.”
Robarge became the second rookie this season to win multiple titles. Robarge also won the Pilgrim’s PBA Ohio Classic in April at the Columbus Square Bowling Palace, while Alex Horton won the PBA Tournament of Champions and PBA Shark Championship.
With four rookies claiming titles — with Brandon Bonta (PBA Players Championship) and Austin Grammar (Surfside PBA New York Classic) also earning wins — this marks the winningest rookie class in PBA Tour history.
The collegiate star OBryant is accustomed to winning. She owns two U15 Junior Gold titles, is a two-time and current member of Team USA and a former six-time member of Junior Team USA.
“I guess I do (belong). You know, the jury is still out,” Robarge said. “It’s crazy. I wasn’t planning on bowling in Sweden, but now I have to think about it a little bit because I still think (Rookie of the Year) is one of (Bonta or Horton). But I also didn’t think that we were going to win this, so maybe I can get lucky out there. It is the Lucky Larsen.”
TACKETT GETS RECORD
Despite finishing 18th with partner Diandra Asbaty and not advancing to match play, two-time defending PBA Player of the Year EJ Tackett walked away with another PBA record.
Tackett broke the PBA Tour single-season average record, breaking the mark of 229.39 set by Jason Belmonte in 2017. He shot 942 during the semifinal round to finish with 2,522 over 11 games in the event.
Among other Ohioans, Tallmadge’s Kirsten Moore and Cuyahoga Falls’ Bryce Oliver finished 27th overall, while Parma’s Patrick Dombrowski and Kara Mangiola finished 31st.
The PBA/PWBA SABC Mixed Doubles event began with 160 teams on July 31, for full results and more information on the event, visit http://www.strikingagainstbreastcancer.org. All rounds were streamed live on BowlTV.
The PWBA National Tour season comes to a close with PWBA Tour Championship Week in Parma Heights at Yorktown Lanes, beginning Aug. 11. For more information on that, visit PWBA.com/national-tour/2026-pwba-tour-championship-week.
