MILLIGAN, Tenn. – The Milligan University women's bowling program will begin their 2025-26 season this weekend, as the team sets their sights on a return to the NAIA National Championships, as well as a title in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) after a pair of runner-up finishes.

The Buffs head to the Midwest Collegiate Classic in Sterling Heights, Mich. on Oct. 4-5.

2024-25 Season Review: Milligan's 2024-25 season included their third straight trip to the NAIA National Championships, and a runner-up finish to the SSAC Tournament. The squad closed out in the No. 4 slot in the NAIA RPI.

The SSAC Tournament was comprised of a loss in their first matchup against SCAD Atlanta, and then a run of back-to-back wins, including a triumph over SCAD Atlanta to reach the title match against SCAD Savannah. It was a 2-0 loss in the finals, as the Buffaloes finished as the SSAC runner-up.

Emily Cheesman, Emily King, Taylor Davis and Emilee Horton were selected as All-SSAC honorees. Cheesman and King were named to the first team, while Davis and Horton were members of the second team.

At the 2025 NAIA National Championships, the Buffs entered as an at-large squad. The team fell to Morningside on day one and Saint Xavier on the second day of the tournament, closing out their season.

Cheesman was selected as an NAIA All-American on the third team, as she now is a two-time All-American at Milligan.

Key Returners: Much of the roster returns to east Tennessee for this season.

Cheesman, Davis and Laci MacQuisten are all four-year seniors who have been varsity starters since their freshman campaigns.

Horton transferred to the Buffs in 2023-24 and is now in her senior year, as well. She shot the first individual 300 in the women's program's history last season.

King had a huge breakout in 2024-25, leading the team in average score, as well as winning the Glenn Carlson Las Vegas Invitational Tier 1 tourney.

"Our strength is our depth of talent and experience," said head coach Brian Rickert. "We've gone through just about every situation, adversity, success and defeat together. We truly believe that we are one of the most talented teams in the country and can have the chance to win any event we compete in. These ladies are committed to each other, to the program and to putting their best out every single day. I'm excited to see how the season unfolds."

Newcomers: A trio of freshmen, Paige Fortier, DeJai Hyche and Londyn Cates, will each bring depth to the varsity and JV squads in 2025-26.

"With a large part of our varsity team graduating at the end of the year," Rickert explained, "I'm excited that these freshmen will each get some valuable experience this year to help continue our success in 2026 and beyond."

Looking at the Schedule: After the Midwest Collegiate Classic, the Buffs take a pair of weeks off before their next competitions, the Greater Nashville Open on Oct. 25 and the Brandon Burns Memorial on Oct. 26.

The Bowlero Southern will be the lone event in November on Nov. 1-2 in Marietta, Ga., before the Buffaloes head back to Las Vegas on Dec. 18-20 for the Glenn Carlson Invitational and the Collegiate Shoot-Out.

The Lynne Jordan Memorial and the Thomas Burris Memorial will be played on Jan. 24-25, respectively to start 2026.

Next on the docket are the NAIA Southeast Open #1 and #2 events on Feb. 7-8 in Savannah, Ga., prior to the final regular-season contest of the year in Indianapolis. The Hoosier Classic takes place on Feb. 14-15.

After the conclusion of the regular season slate, Milligan heads to the SSAC Championships on Feb. 27-28 in Savannah, before heading to the ISC/ITC Sectionals on March 13-15.
The NAIA National Championships on March 19-21 in Lansing, Mich. will preclude the ISC/ITC Championships in Green Bay, Wis. from April 13-18.

"Our schedule begins with one of the most difficult events of the year and doesn't get much easier," Rickert said. "This will be the toughest schedule we've had in the history of the program, but I'm excited to see how it uncovers our strengths and weaknesses."

Last Word: "Knowing how committed these ladies are, we'll take each result and get better and better so that we're ready to make another push at the end of the year towards a national championship," Rickert concluded.