The 2026 Intercollegiate Team Championships ended Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with Jacksonville State completing a successful title defense on the women’s side and St. Ambrose finally breaking through for its first men’s national team title.
Jacksonville State’s win came just days after capturing the 2026 NCAA Bowling Championship, giving the program both major college team titles in the same season. St. Ambrose, meanwhile, turned past runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2023 into a national title at the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Jax State Defends Title
Jacksonville State's Gianna Brandolino, Erin Klemencic, Abbie Leiendecker, Keira Magsam, Melia Mitskavich, Annalise Obryant, Kaitlyn Stull, and Emma Yoder defeated McKendree 3-0 in the women’s final to successfully defend its Intercollegiate Team Championships title.
The Gamecocks won the opening game 164-151. Both teams had a slow start, but Jacksonville State finished stronger in the final frames and took the early lead in the best-of-five Baker match.
In Game 2, Jacksonville State increased the pace and won 227-196. That result moved the team one game away from another national title.
The Gamecocks finished the match with a crushing 266-163 victory in Game 3 to complete the sweep and secure the championship.
With the win, Jacksonville State became the first women’s team to repeat as Intercollegiate Team Championships champion since West Texas State won back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988.
After the title match, Gianna Brandolino was named the 2026 ITC Women’s MVP.
St. Ambrose Claims First ITC Title
In the men’s final, St. Ambrose's Keaten Bieri, Tyler Close, Lucas Hersrud, Kevin Magnuson, Elias O’Hollaren, Devin Richards, Evan White, and Kendric Siders defeated Mount Mercy 3-2 to win the program’s first men’s Intercollegiate Team Championships title.
Mount Mercy started better and took Game 1 by a score of 189-180, but then St. Ambrose answered in Game 2 with a 166-149 win to even the match at 1-1.
Mount Mercy moved back in front by winning Game 3, 183-176, and took a 2-1 lead in the title match.
St. Ambrose responded again in Game 4 with its highest score of the match to that point, 210-175, forcing a deciding fifth game.
The final game decided the championship. St. Ambrose won it 237-213 to close out the match and secure the title.
The victory gave St. Ambrose its first men’s national team title at the Intercollegiate Team Championships after runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2023.
After the men’s final, Kendric Siders was named the 2026 ITC Men’s MVP.
Earlier in the day, Tyler Close also added another national title for St. Ambrose by winning the Intercollegiate Singles Championships.
The championship matches were taped for later broadcast on CBS Sports Network. The women’s final is scheduled to air on May 5 at 7 p.m. Eastern, while the men’s final will be shown on May 13 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
