The 6th annual NAIA Men’s Bowling National Championship wrapped up today at Royal Scot Lanes in Lansing, Michigan. In a very intense final, Mount Mercy (Iowa) took home their first-ever Red Banner by defeating the defending champions, Marian (Ind.).
This year marked the debut of the "Mega Match" format in the winner's bracket, providing a massive test for the 12-team field across three days of competition.
The Championship Finale: Mount Mercy vs. Marian
The final match was a clash between the tournament's top seed and the reigning champs. Because it was a Mega Match, the teams had to battle for three separate points: a traditional team game, a five-game Baker total, and a Best-of-7 Baker tiebreaker.
- Set 1 (Traditional Game): Marian jumped out to an early lead, winning 1056 to 1027. Hayden Fowler was the star for Marian, shooting 259. Blake Walsh led the Mustangs with a 232.
- Set 2 (5-Game Baker Total): Mount Mercy answered back immediately. They found their look on the pair and outscored Marian 1095 to 988, tying the match 1-1.
- Set 3 (Best-of-7 Baker Matchplay): With the title on the line, Mount Mercy took control. After dropping the first game, they won four straight to win the set 4-1 and claim the championship.
Championship Lineups & Traditional Scores
Here is how the individuals performed in the opening traditional team game of the National Championship match:
| Mount Mercy (Iowa) | Score | Marian (Ind.) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Walsh | 232 | Hayden Fowler | 259 |
| Keaton Ostrowski | 207 | Cayleb Carey | 246 |
| Jacob Bockstie | 201 | Jacob Neubauer | 202 |
| Keegan Alexander | 199 | Maxwell Berche | 175 |
| Andru Blaney | 188 | Kyle Toyias | 174 |
| Team Total | 1027 | Team Total | 1056 |
Championship Matchplay Scores (Best-of-7)
| 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 |
Full Tournament Results & Bracket
Below is the complete journey for all 12 teams through the Red and Blue brackets during the 2026 Championships.
Credit: naia.org
Drama in the Elimination Bracket: The SCAD Controversy
While the finals provided plenty of excitement, a controversial moment happened in the elimination bracket during a match between SCAD Savannah and Lawrence Tech.
SCAD's Justin Bohn shared the story on social media, describing a frustrating end to his team's tournament. It started with a shot by Griffin Jordan that was "too close to call" - officials weren't sure if the pinsetter rack interfered with a pin before it fell.
Instead of taking a "provisional shot" immediately, the match continued. After an hour-long wait for a ruling, officials decided the shot had to be re-taken. However, by the time Griffin stepped back on the lane, the pair had already been re-oiled for the next round of matches. With no warm-up shots on the fresh pattern, Griffin left a "ring 10" and SCAD was eliminated by just one pin.
"One of the most unique things I’ve seen in this sport, just stinks we were on the losing end of the match."
— Justin Bohn via Social Media
