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Vincennes University

Trailblazers Capture AHBA Title in Strong Tune-Up Before Postseason

Trailblazers Capture AHBA Title in Strong Tune-Up Before Postseason
February 7, 2026

OAKWOOD, Ohio — In their first competition in nearly two months, the Vincennes University Men's Bowling team showed no signs of rust, rolling to a dominant team championship Saturday at the AHBA Collegiate Classic at Roseland Lanes. The Trailblazers totaled 6,386 pins to win the one-day event in Cleveland, Ohio, closing out the 2025-26 regular season on a high note.

Head Coach Paul LeMond, now in his fourth season, viewed the event as a critical postseason tune-up. "This was our first competition in two months and our last event of the regular season," LeMond said. "It was a good tune-up to get ready for postseason in March."

VU opened traditional team play with games of 986, 1,029, and 998 before making a lineup adjustment that sparked a 1,064 fourth game. The Trailblazers finished the four-game block at 4,077, sitting 154 pins behind the leader but well within striking distance. "We got off to an okay start — not terrible — but we kept battling," LeMond said.

Freshman Nick Hubbard led Vincennes individually, finishing fourth overall with an 891 series and earning All-Tournament honors. Junior Dakota Waskom added an 830 series to place 13th overall. LeMond credited the team's depth and a key lineup shift entering Baker play. "We changed the lineup a little bit and got our spark plug in," he said.

The Baker rotation — sophomore Tad Harvey leading off, junior Dylan Lewis in the two spot, Waskom third, sophomore Ryan Webber fourth, and Hubbard anchoring — quickly found rhythm. After trailing by more than 150 pins entering Baker competition, the Trailblazers exploded with games of 276, 238, 212, 223, and 211, cutting the deficit to just 10 pins after the first block of five games. They then surged ahead with a 253 sixth game and never relinquished control, closing with 229, 222, 225, and 220 to average just above 230 over the 10 Baker games. "We didn't know if we'd be able to catch them, but we got rolling," LeMond said. "We caught them, rolled right by them, and never looked back."

Vincennes ultimately won the tournament by more than 200 pins over the second place team in Lourdes University, a remarkable turnaround after the early deficit. "It was a great tournament, a great win, and a great tune-up for us," LeMond said. "We're really proud of our boys. It's the right time of year."

Despite the success, LeMond emphasized continued growth. "We still have work to do," he said. "We'll keep hammering the lanes and keep building this team."

With the regular season complete, Vincennes now turns its focus to the postseason. The 20-time NJCAA national champion Trailblazers will compete at the NJCAA National Championship March 5–7 at Royal Scot Golf & Bowl in Lansing, Michigan — their first appearance in more than a decade after rejoining the NJCAA this past summer.

"We've got a shot," LeMond said. "We're excited about how this season finished."

Join the Journey

As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Men's Bowling squad all year long through a number of ways: