Tusculum bowlers close out regular season at Music City Classic this weekend

Tusculum bowlers close out regular season at Music City Classic this weekend

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's bowling team concludes its regular season this weekend as the Pioneers travel to Smyrna, Tennessee for the 16th Annual Columbia 300 Music City Classic at the Smyrna Bowling Center.

The Pioneers, who are competing in their inaugural bowling campaign, enter this week's regular-season finale with a 37-49 overall record and will face a talented tournament field which includes 17 of the nation's top-25 teams in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association poll.

The tournament is being hosted by Vanderbilt University who is ranked fourth in the NCTA poll.  Also competing this weekend are: Adelphi (#18), Arkansas State, Aurora, Central Missouri, Drury, Elmhurst, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lewis, Lincoln Memorial (#24), Long Island, Louisiana Tech (#11), Maryville (Mo. - #19), McKendree (#1), Nebraska (#3), North Carolina A&T (#10), North Central, Sacred Heart, Sam Houston State (#2), Spalding, Stephen F. Austin (#7), Tulane (#20), UAB (#21), Maryland-Eastern Shore (#6), Wisconsin-Whitewater (#16), Upper Iowa, Valparaiso and Youngstown State (#7).

The Music City Classic begins Friday morning with five, 5-game Baker matches followed by five traditional team games on Saturday. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with three best-of-seven Baker matches to close out the event.

The Pioneers have accounted for eight wins over nationally-ranked teams this year, including Lincoln Memorial (twice), Tulane (twice), Nebraska and North Carolina A&T of the program competing this weekend in Smyrna.

Tusculum is ranked 38th in the latest NTCA Power Index with a .5166 rating and is listed in the top-half of the country.

Following this weekend's action, the Pioneers will begin their preparations for the East Coast Conference Championship, Nov. 20-22 in Limerick, Pennsylvania.