USBC Collegiate forms media partnership with Northeast Conference

Northeast Conference (NEC) Commissioner Brenda Weare announced recently a new partnership with the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), the national governing body for bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee. The agreement enables the two organizations to work together on joint media opportunities to further the promotion and growth of women's bowling.
"We are pleased to announce this association with a nationally-recognized and respected organization like the USBC," said Weare. "This relationship will be a mutually beneficial one that fosters the advancement of bowling on the collegiate level while providing more exposure for the NEC's student-athletes."

The NEC website (northeastconference.org) will prominently display the USBC Collegiate logo and provide a direct link to the collegiate section on Bowl.com, the official Web site of the USBC. The USBC collegiate homepage will publicize the NEC's weekly award winners, highlight newsworthy items and provide information on the NEC Championship. In addition, the USBC will assist the NEC in promoting its championship to the organization's 2.6 million members.

"USBC's media partnership with the Northeast Conference will greatly benefit collegiate bowling fans and the sport of bowling as a whole," said USBC Collegiate Manager Gary Brown. "This partnership will give collegiate bowling greater national exposure, and that will drive more young men and women to the sport. This is positive step for USBC Collegiate and the NEC. We hope other conferences will be compelled to follow suit."

After announcing that women's bowling would become the league's 22nd championship sport in January, 2008, the NEC stands poised to host its inaugural women's bowling championship from March 20-22 at Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park, NJ.

The NEC has quickly become a national leader in collegiate bowling with five of the league's seven members ranked in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association Top-20 Poll, including No. 2 Fairleigh Dickinson and No. 8 Kutztown. FDU won the 2006 NCAA National Bowling Championship while Sacred Heart is the defending ECAC champion. Other NEC institutions that sponsor bowling include Long Island and St. Francis (NY). Associate members Adelphi and Saint Peter's round out the league.

Northeast Conference
Now in its 28th season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 11 institutions of higher learning located throughout five states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#22), Baltimore (#24), and Hartford/New Haven (#29). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 22 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic or play-in access to 13 different NCAA Championships. NEC core member institutions include Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island, Monmouth, Mount St. Mary's, Quinnipiac, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis (NY), Saint Francis (PA) and Wagner. Bryant University will become a core member of the conference in 2012 upon completion of the five-year NCAA Division I reclassification period.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to nearly 2.5 million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.