As last season came to a close, the Shocker bowling teams found themselves in different places.
The women claimed their eighth national championship and second in three years, while the men suffered a heartbreaking loss and a tie for fifth place.
This season things have been much different, as both teams head into the Fairview Heights Sectional ranked No. 1 in the nation.
In fact, being No. 1 has been a regular occurrence for Shocker bowlers this season. The Shocker men won their first four tournaments and finished the regular season with victories in six of nine tournaments.
The players say the difference can be attributed to their attitudes.
Chris Drewes
鈥淚 would say our attitudes are a lot better and more positive,鈥� said senior Chris Drewes. 鈥淲e aren鈥檛 going into every situation thinking of a negative outcome; rather we are thinking what possibly could be done that鈥檚 great.鈥�
鈥淲hen you want to be inspired to play well, you can鈥檛 do that thinking negatively,鈥� said head coach Gordon Vadakin.
As returning national champions, the Wichita State women have continued their success, winning seven of nine tournaments and finishing no worse than third in any tournament throughout the year.
The women credit their continued success to past experiences last season and how they interact with each other during a match.
Ashley Cox
鈥淥ur communication is the best,鈥� said senior Ashley Cox. 鈥淲e work a lot on our mental game, and communicating with each other between shots helps us focus and keep bowling really well.鈥�
On March 15 and 16, the Shocker bowling teams will travel to Fairview Heights, Ill., for the third consecutive season. Only the top four finishers in each sectional will qualify for the group of 16 that will advance to the 2008 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships in Wichita, held April 17-19.
The Shocker men will compete against 15 other teams, most notably the No. 7, 9 and 16 teams in the country. On the women鈥檚 side, there will be only 12 teams competing; however, four from each sectional will advance. 九色堂 will compete against the No. 6, 14 and 15 teams in the country.