LANSING, Mich. – Mount Mercy (Iowa) made its first trip to the NAIA Men’s Bowling National Championship stick, Saturday (March 21), claiming the 2026 Red Banner with a 2-1 Mega Match triumph over defending national champion Marian (Ind.) at Royal Scot Lanes in Lansing, Mich.
The Mustangs had to work out of a deficit, falling behind after the traditional match to begin the Mega Match format, but then won both the five-game Baker set and the decisive best-of-seven to claim their first-ever national championship.
The championship Mega Match began with the singles traditional game, where Marian gained the early advantage with a team total of 1056 to Mount Mercy’s 1027. Hayden Fowler led all bowlers with a massive 259, supported by Cayleb Carey’s 246 and Jacob Neubauer’s 202. Blake Walsh paced the Mustangs with a 232, followed by Keaton Ostrowski (207) and Jacob Bockstie (201).
Mount Mercy responded with authority in the five-game Baker set, flipping the momentum with a cumulative score of 1095. Marian struggled to keep pace, posting a 988. Mount Mercy posted high marks of 238, 233, and 223 during the set to secure the Baker pinfall point. Despite a strong start in Game 1 (236), Marian’s scoring dipped in the later games, including a critical 158 in Game 5.
With the match score tied 1-1 entering the best-of-seven Baker Matchplay, Mount Mercy showcased its championship pedigree. The Mustangs dominated the matchplay session, winning the point 4-1 to clinch the overall Mega Match 2-1.
Championship Matchplay Scores:
| Game | Mount Mercy | Marian (Ind.) |
| Game 1 | 156 | 201 |
| Game 2 | 174 | 150 |
| Game 3 | 254 | 161 |
| Game 4 | 225 | 205 |
| Game 5 | 238 | 186 |
CBN host Jasmine Monk visits with Webber International (Fla.) head coach Caitlyn Johnson about her journey from student-athlete to professional to head coach of the Warriors, who enter their first season as an NAIA bowling program.
Jasmine Monk of the Collegiate Bowling Network sits down with Chris McMillan, Head Bowling Coach at Midway (Ky.), to talk about his journey from a national championship as a student-athlete to a head coaching role in the NAIA.
Championship match set for 11 a.m. ET
15 student-athletes represent 10 institutions on first, second, third teams