There have been many firsts for Culver-Stockton College’s men’s and women’s bowling teams this year,  with head coach Ryan Moore’s first season at the helm. The women’s team winning their first tournament in program history, and now both teams adding a conference championship to the list.

The Wildcats made history this past season, earning their first-ever conference titles. This allowed the Wildcats a shot at a national title, however the team would ultimately end up being sent home in the tournament. According to Moore, the teams faced many bumps along the way, including poor tournament placements, long weekends on the road, and their biggest challenge, mental exhaustion.

Despite these obstacles, Moore credits the Wildcats’ success to the culture he and his athletes built throughout the year.

“The whole thing with bowling is you just got to be able to keep each other up,” Moore said. “Like I said, we’re in a bowling center for at least six hours. There are long, grueling days, so you’ve got to be able to keep each other up because there will be highs and lows throughout.”

With a conference title now under their belts, the Wildcats have their sights set even higher. Fueled by this season’s success, both teams are focused on making it back to this point and coming back even stronger next year. Though Moore expressed how proud he was of the teams, he also made it clear he does not want this to be a “one and done” moment.

“We want to make that kind of an annual thing, where we’re there, we’re ready, and we can compete to win those tournaments and earn our way to more national berths,” Moore said.

In order to achieve that, Moore plans to continue fostering a strong team culture, filling any gaps left by graduating players, and above all, staying consistent.

Looking ahead, the Wildcats are determined to build on their historic season, aiming not just to defend their conference titles, but to make Culver-Stockton a name to watch on the national stage.