GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Milligan University men's bowling team began their final event of the 2025-26 season on Thursday, the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships (USBC ITC). With 16 qualified teams from around the nation, the Buffaloes set themselves up in a great spot on day one, earning a top-three qualification for bracket play, plus one win out of a pair of bracket play best-of-seven matchups.

To open the potential three-day event, the Buffaloes grabbed 2,419 pins through their first block of 12 baker games in qualifying. That number was good for second most in the 16-team field. Then, the Buffs totaled 2,275 pins in the second block of 12, reaching 4,694 to qualify for bracket play in the No. 3 position.

To begin bracket play, Milligan faced No. 14-seeded Spring Arbor (Mich.). In a battle that went the distance, the Buffaloes hung on for a 4-3 victory in the best-of-seven baker series.

With the win, MU moved on to round two in the winners' bracket, where they faced No. 6-seeded Mount Mercy (Iowa). This time around, the matchup did not suit the Buffaloes well, as they were dispatched in five bakers, 4-1. 

Round three of bracket play begins on Friday morning at 8:45 ET, but Milligan will not be participating in that round, as they will be waiting on the winner of No. 2-seeded SCAD Savannah (Ga.) and No. 10-seeded St. Francis (Ill.) for round four of the bracket play tournament. The Buffaloes' win-or-go-home match against one of those two squads is tentatively scheduled for a 10:45 a.m. ET start on Friday morning.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
BRACKET PLAY RESULTS