BOWIE, Md. - The Bowie State University women's bowling team will take on host Saint Francis University in the opening round match of the 2018 National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, as announced by the NCAA Women's Bowling Committee on Wednesday (3/28). The match-up between the two teams will be the first in programs history.
 
The Bulldogs will face the Red Flash on Saturday, April 7 at 11 a.m., at the Holiday Bowling Center in Altoona, Pa. The winner of that best-of-three match that consists of three team game formats – Baker total pin fall, five-person team match and a best-of-seven Baker match – will advance to St. Louis, Mo., for the double-elimination tournament April 12-14.
 
Bowie State is the No. 9 seed for the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship. The rest of the field includes No. 1 Nebraska, No. 2 McKendree, No. 3 Arkansas State, No. 4 Vanderbilt, No. 5 Sam Houston State, No. 6 North Carolina A&T, No. 7 Saint Francis, No. 8 Lincoln Memorial and No. 10 Texas Southern.
 
Bowie State will be making its first NCAA tournament appearance after winning its fourth consecutive Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship on Saturday, March 24th in Virginia Beach, Va. The Bulldogs overcame a 3-1 deficit in the (CIAA) conference championships and claimed the conference crown with a 4-3 win over Fayetteville State.