Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of Tusculum as Associate Member in Men's and Women's Bowling
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Conference Carolinas is pleased to announce the addition of Tusculum as an Associate Member in men's and women's bowling.
"We are really excited to officially welcome Tusculum as an Associate Member in men's and women's bowling," Conference Carolinas Commissioner Chris Colvin said. "The addition of Tusculum allows us to have another first-class institution working with Conference Carolinas to go along with our unique Championships partnership with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. We are thrilled that Tusculum accepted our invitation and we know that they will be a tremendous addition during our historic first year of men's and women's bowling in the 2021-22 academic year."
Tusculum is also excited to be part of the inaugural year of Conference Carolinas men's and women's bowling.
"We are very excited about our Associate Membership and partnership with Conference Carolinas," Doug Jones, Tusculum Vice President of Athletics & University Initiatives, said. "This will allow our bowling programs to compete regionally with other quality institutions that are very similar in regards to mission. We look forward to a long-standing relationship with Conference Carolinas and we are appreciative of them providing us with this opportunity.”
Tusculum Director of Bowling Shawn Flanary knows the collaboration with Conference Carolinas will provide his student-athletes a truly special experience.
"Any time a university and an athletic program can be included at the beginning of a new conference sport, it is nothing short of exciting," Flanary said. "Helping grow the sport of bowling into new areas of the country shows the strength of the sport itself. Giving our student-athletes a new venue for success at the conference level on both the women's and men's side will help our programs grow into more recognizable avenues for our local high schools to see what the sport can offer them. I believe we will be able to make an immediate impact on the conference in this first season with both of our teams.”
Conference Carolinas men’s and women’s bowling is unique in that Conference Carolinas will partner with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference for its bowling championships. The inaugural Conference Carolinas/Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Bowling Championships are scheduled for the spring of 2022. More information will be made available in the future.
Conference Carolinas and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference will work in concert for the bowling championships, but during the regular season both conferences will operate separately in governance and with awards (except during the championships).
Conference Carolinas’ bowling membership will include Belmont Abbey, Chowan, Emmanuel and Associate Members Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum.
Conference Carolinas is a sole sponsor of 23 sports, which is among the most in all of the NCAA. Including the collaboration with the South Atlantic Conference in men’s wrestling and field hockey along with the new partnership with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in men's and women's bowling, Conference Carolinas now provides its member institutions sports sponsorship in 27 different sports.
The ability to provide its membership sports sponsorship in 27 sports is the most in all of NCAA Division II. In addition, Conference Carolinas also provides championship opportunities for its member institutions in Esports. Conference Carolinas held its inaugural Madden and NBA2K Championships during the 2020-21 academic year.