GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's bowling team will open its second collegiate season this weekend as the Pioneers compete at the Bowling Green (Ky.) Baker Bash. The two-day event is being held at Southern Lanes and hosted by the Mid-South Conference.

The Pioneers return six lettermen from last year's team which finished eighth at the Intercollegiate Team Championships Sectional Qualifier in the program's inaugural campaign. The Pioneers had a strong campaign in the COVID shortened in 2021 as TU posted a runner-up finish at the LMU Collegiate Challenge and a top-five finish at the Hoosier Classic.

The men's team, along with the TU women, have joined Conference Carolinas as an associate member. The Pioneers were picked to finish first in the league according to the Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Leading the charge for Coach Shawn Flanery's Pioneers is senior Tyler Moore. Moore was a national quarterfinalist at the USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championship last year. The Lebanon, Tennessee native was the sectional runner-up at the ISC Championship where he posted a six-game total pinfall of 1,234 including a season-best game of 275. Moore also finished runner-up at the LMU Collegiate Challenge and seventh at the Hoosier Classic. He was named the team's most valuable player and earlier this week was tabbed a "Player to Watch" by Conference Carolinas.

Sophomore Gabe Taulbee (Lebanon, Ohio) finished 39^th in sectional play at last year's USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships. Taulbee also recorded a 15^th-place showing at the LMU Collegiate Challenge last spring and was named a Conference Carolinas "Player to Watch."

Also returning from a year ago for the Pioneers are senior Toney Franklin, and sophomores Randall Andrews (Memphis, Tenn.), Jared Vermillion (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Brandon Wolfe (Cherokee, N.C.).

The Pioneers also have five newcomers with this year's team including: Lane Bolton (Greeneville, Tenn.), Aeron Burkhardt (Bend, Oregon), David Lundy (San Antonio, Texas), Justin Rodgers (Memphis, Tenn.) and Tucker Strack (Fargo, N.D.).

THE SCHEDULE

The Tusculum Pioneers are slated to compete in 10 tournaments this season culminating with the inaugural Conference Carolinas / Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship.

Following this weekend, the Pioneers will be at the Orange & Black Classic (Oct. 9-10) in Beavercreek, Ohio and then move onto the Columbia 300 Shootout in Indianapolis, Indiana (Oct. 16-17).

TU will open November at the Bowlero Southern Collegiate Classic in Marietta, Georgia (Nov. 6-7) and then return to Beavercreek for the Roto Grip Raider Classic (Nov. 13-14).

Tusculum will close out the fall portion of its schedule, Dec. 4-5 as TU makes the short trip to Harrogate for the Lincoln Memorial Challenge.

The Pioneers open the 2022 calendar year in Smyrna, Tennessee (Jan. 8-9) for the Brandon Burns Memorial. TU will then travel to the Cincinnati Collegiate Classic, Jan. 22-23.

Tusculum returns to Indianapolis for the Columbia 300 Hoosier Classic (Feb. 19-20) before playing in the Conference Carolinas / Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship, held Mar. 24-27 in Gastonia, North Carolina.

2021-22 Tusculum Men's Bowling Schedule