O"KEEFE LEADS THREE EVENTS

O’Keefe leads three events at USBC Women’s Championships
Team USA member Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, shined brightest on a star-studded squad May 20 on her way into the lead in three events at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.

The 37-year-old right-hander averaged nearly 250 during doubles and singles at the South Point Bowling Plaza and rolled to the top of the leaderboard in Diamond Doubles, Diamond Singles and Diamond All-Events.

O'Keefe teamed with three-time USBC Women's Championships titlist Kendra Gaines of Orlando, Florida, to secure the top spot in Diamond Doubles with a 1,413 total. O'Keefe led the way with games of 258, 256 and 238 for a 752 series, and Gaines added 253, 197 and 211 for a 661 total. Anita Arnett of Richmond, Texas, and Brandy Sanderson of Bossier City, Louisiana, had raised the bar May 19 with 1,358.

The momentum of the doubles performance carried into singles as O'Keefe not only bested the leading score coming into the day, which belonged to Daphne Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina, with 724, but also passed three other competitor's on her squad to take the lead in Diamond Singles with games of 265, 256 and 225 for a 746 effort.

In similar fashion, O'Keefe's rise in the Diamond All-Events standings included surpassing two bowlers on the same squad as she finished her 14th Women's Championships appearance with a 2,129 total, including a 631 effort during team Thursday. Josie Earnest of Nashville, Tennessee, started the day with the lead with a 2,038 total.

O'Keefe credited a better game plan and equipment choices in helping her make the right adjustments on her way to four games of 250 or better.

"The biggest difference from yesterday was how we broke them down," O'Keefe said. "They ended up getting really cliffed last night, and I ended up changing balls when I should have just kept chasing it in. I wasn't going to get fooled and do that today. I wanted to stay ahead of the moves, make great shots, let the ball be the guide and know that if I needed to ball down, I would, which happened in the sixth game. We took what we learned last night and applied it today."

Diamond Doubles features pairs with combined entering averages of 380 and above. Diamond Singles and Diamond All-Events features bowlers with entering averages of 190 and above.

New Diamond Team leader emerges in Las Vegas
The members of Logo Infusion of Oregon, Ohio, held off several worthy contenders to take the lead in Diamond Team on May 19 at the South Point Bowling Plaza.

Led by 2013 Scratch All-Events champion Rocio Restrepo’s 699 series, Logo Infusion posted scores of 888, 866 and 902 for a 2,656 series to surpass 3 Webbers And An Outcast of Omaha, Nebraska, which took the lead May 17 with 2,629.

Restrepo was joined in the effort by Terysa Wojnar (678), 2008 Classic Team champion Kristin Nieter (674) and two-time Women’s Championships titlist Michelle Sterner (605).

Five other teams moved into the top 10 of the Diamond Team standings May 19, including Golden Approach 2 of Dayton, Ohio, which just missed Logo Infusion’s total and settled into second place with 2,642.

Diamond Team consists of four-player teams with combined entering averages of 725 and above.

Tennessee bowler reaches 50 years at USBC Women’s Championships
Martha Johnson of Johnson City, Tennessee, made her 50th Women’s Championships appearance May 19.

Johnson, 92, made her first tournament appearance at the 1963 event in Memphis, Tennessee, and joined the 50-Year Club after missing the 2015 event. She received a plaque, chevron and pendant to commemorate the milestone.

A look ahead
There will be one live stream broadcast this week from the South Point Bowling Plaza as three of the four members of the defending Diamond Team champions will look to return to the top of the standings.

Megan Kelly, Brenda Burns and Megan Withey each captured their first Women’s Championships titles in 2015 as members of AZ Gals of Peoria, Arizona. They will hit the lanes for team competition May 27 at 7 p.m. Eastern.

The fourth member of the 2015 Diamond Team champion, Shannon Pluhowsky, was unable to compete with the team due to rules on the number of Professional Women’s Bowling Association members allowed on one team.

For more information on the Women's Championships, visit BOWL.com/WomensChamp.

Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.

United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.

Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.

2016 USBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS
At South Point Bowling Plaza, Las Vegas

(Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfall)

As of May 20, 2016

TEAM

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with combined averages of 725 and above)
1, Logo Infusion (Kristin Nieter, Rocio Restrepo, Michelle Sterner, Terysa Wojnar), Oregon, Ohio, 2,656. 2, Golden Approach 2, Dayton, Ohio, 2,642. 3, 3 Webbers And An Outcast, Omaha, Neb., 2,629. 4, Strike Out Diabetes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,601. 5, Women of Bowlers Connection Pro Shop, Altoona, Iowa, 2,570.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with combined averages of 650-724)
1, VA Wildcards (Rosanne Alwine, RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Andrea Sharp, Wanda Volpp), Stafford, Va., 2,215. 2, Garden Center Lanes, Alexandria, Minn., 2,206. 3, Tom Kelley’s Pro Shop, Carter Lake, Iowa, 2,150. 4, Gumbo Pin Gals, Shreveport, La., 2,132. 5, Greg’s Towing, Akron, Ohio, 2,126.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with combined averages of 575-649)
1, Toooo Hot!!!! (Crystal Espinosa, Cynthia Martinez, Margaret Romero, Betty Veitch), Rio Rancho, N.M., 2,115. 2, DC’s Finest Ladies 4, Capitol Heights, Md., 2,005. 3, Jack in the Box, Aurora, Ill., 1,994. 4, Bling Team, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 1,991. 5, Rud Transportation II, Mandan, N.D., 1,989.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with combined averages of 574 and below)
1, St. Croix River Rollers (Judy Swens, Diane Johnson, Delta Johnston, Janet Merimonti), Stillwater, Minn., 1,835. 2, Four of a Kind, Lincoln, Neb., 1,807. 3, Custom Duct, Alexandria, Minn., 1,803. 4, Bowling Princesses, Wyoming, Mich., 1,801. 5(tie), Split Happens, Kearney, Neb., and Ducks in a Row 13, New Berlin, Wis., 1,799.

DOUBLES

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with combined averages of 380 and above)
1, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill./Kendra Gaines, Orlando, Fla., 1,413. 2, Charly Boelter, Oshkosh, Wis./Samantha Kelly, Streamwood, Ill., 1,369. 3(tie), Katie Garcia, Wichita, Kan./Shannon Sellens, Copiague, N.Y., and Brandy Sanderson, Bossier City, La./Anita Arnett, Richmond, Texas, 1,358. 5, Isabella Correa/Anggie Ramirez Perea, Austin, Texas, 1,345.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with combined averages of 350-379)
1, Andrea Sharp, Stafford, Va./RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Berryton, Kan., 1,234. 2, Kimberly Tulo, San Clemente, Calif./Nemia Moore, Fort Smith, Ark., 1,183. 3, Ari Bulthuis/Denise Bulthuis, Chicago, 1,176. 4, Donna Bare/Lisa Yuknavage, Orlando, Fla., 1,150. 5, Selma Skevos, San Francisco/Debra Coleman-Propst, Pacifica, Calif., 1,147.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with combined averages of 320-349)
1, Kitty Cody, Citrus Heights, Calif./Chris Mahana, Eagle, Idaho, 1,167. 2, Amy Miller, Newport, N.C./Kathi Finley, New Bern, N.C., 1,135. 3, Michelle Brownell/Tina Kunka, Spearfish, S.D., 1,108. 4, JoAnn Olson, Hutchinson, Minn./Denise Gann, Odenville, Ala., 1,101. 5(tie), Tonya VanVeldhuizen/Julie Jarman, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Sue Rann, Buena Vista, Colo./Tamara Smith, Salida, Colo., 1,097.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with combined averages of 290-319)
1, Janet Sward/Arianne Sward, Grasston, Minn., 1,073. 2, Ann-Marie Davis, Lithia, Fla./Randi DeVillier, Riverview, Fla., 1,068. 3, Viola Mueller/Liane Butitta, Neenah, Wis., 1,064. 4(tie), Deborah Schade/Paula Leonard, Findlay, Ohio, and Brenda Jamison, Brentwood, Md./Barbara Holland, Martinsville, Va., 1,054.

Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with combined averages of 260-289)
1, Nancy Jette, Beaverton, Ore./Pamala Conrad, Hillsboro, Ore., 1,014. 2, Linda Armbrister, Soland, Maine/Barbara Clark, Rockville, Md., 998. 3, Barbara Travis, Havelock, N.C./Delia Hibbs, New Bern, N.C., 990. 4, Carol Yerkman, Elkhart Lake, Wis./Susan Bonnett, Kiel, Wis., 987. 5, Carol Hovdet/Kristen Porath, Windom, Minn., 983.

Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with combined averages of 259 and below)
1, Judy Moreman/Rosalinda Walker, Danville, Ill., 914. 2, Brenda Dana, Bedford, Wyo./Heidi Barkdull, Thayne, Wyo., 880. 3, Sheri Kemp/Sharon Shimmin, Cokeville, Wyo., 879. 4, Cathryn Woelfel/Debra Mueller, New Holstein, Wis., 872. 5, Carol Williams/Marguerite Elhardt, Brunswick, Ga., 871.

SINGLES

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with averages of 190 and above)
1, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 746. 2, Samantha Kelly, Streamwood, Ill., 738. 3(tie), Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, and Bryanna Cote, Red Rock, Ariz., 732. 5, Daphne Smith, Simpsonville, S.C., 724.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with averages from 175-189)
1, Billie Roberts, Rockford, Ill., 673. 2, Lindsey Szachta, Charlotte, N.C., 657. 3, Stacy Lau-Snow, Chantilly, Va., 638. 4, Candy Duffey, Lenoir, N.C., 633. 5, Sunni Hearin, Newcastle, Wash., 621.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with averages from 160-174)
1, Alyssa Keyser, Bridger, Mont., 638. 2, Patsy Northey, Cambridge, Wis., 631. 3(tie), Teresa Person, Tigard, Ore., and Catherine Macari, Islandia, N.Y., 630. 5, June Dill, Bermuda, 628.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with averages from 145-159)
1, Mary Jane Shelton, San Antonio, 584. 2, Erin Bright, Chicago, 582. 3, Donna Fontenot, New Iberia, La., 580. 4, Nancy Carroll, Aumsville, Ore., 577. 5(tie), Denise Caldwell, Ostrander, Minn., Autumn Fisher, Granby, Colo., and Theresa Sroczyk, East Helena, Mont., 571.

Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with averages from 130-144)
1, Marlana Ayers, Plymouth, Minn., 552. 2, Helen Heritage, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 540. 3, Kathy Morton, Slater, Mo., 539. 4, Marci Bunting, Long Beach, Wash., 532. 5, Ryanne Bright, Chicago, 521.

Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with averages of 129 and below)
1, Judy Moreman, Danville, Ill., 503. 2(tie), Diane O’Connor, Dexter, Minn., and Doreen Gehrke, Salt Lake City, 498. 4, Emma Lee Tate, Richmond, Ky., 487. 5, Natasha Schlachter, Bryan, Ohio, 483.

ALL-EVENTS

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with averages of 190 and above)
1, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 2,129. 2, Kristin Nieter, Homewood, Ill., 2,098. 3, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 2,050. 4, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 2,038. 5, Anggie Ramirez Perea, Austin, Texas, 2,019.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with averages from 175-189)
1, Mindy McNeal, Gurdon, Ark., 1,758. 2, Stephanie Owens, Laurel, Md., 1,755. 3(tie), RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Berryton, Kan., and Nancy Sharp, Salem, Ore., 1,735. 5, Lindsey Szachta, Charlotte, N.C., 1,733.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with averages from 160-174)
1, Kathi Finley, New Bern, N.C., 1,788. 2(tie), Rexiene Smith, Tampa, Fla., and June Dill, Bermuda, 1,690. 4, Jacqueline Morris, Temple City, Md., 1,675. 5, Margaret DeMoss, Keizer, Ore., 1,670.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with averages from 145-159)
1, Cindy Combs, Chicago, 1,673. 2, Erin Bright, Chicago, 1,636. 3, Denise Caldwell, Ostrander, Minn., 1,605. 4(tie), JoAnn Olson, Hutchinson, Minn., and Sonjia Shoemaker, Battle Ground, Wash., 1,602.

Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with averages from 130-144)
1, Nancy Jette, Beaverton, Ore., 1,518. 2, Sarah King, Fayetteville, N.C., 1,493. 3, Norma Rodriguez, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1,482. 4, Ellen Knox, Lakeville, Minn., 1,474. 5, Amil Davis, Glade Hill, Va., 1,473.

Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with averages of 129 and below)
1, Judy Moreman, Danville, Ill., 1,430. 2, Emma Lee Tate, Richmond, Ky., 1,388. 3, Maryann Medellin, Dallas, 1,380. 4, Kim Sievert, Devils Lake, N.D., 1,360. 5, Jamie Endl, Mondovi, Wis., 1,359.