Courtesy of Delaware State Athletic Media Relations
DOVER, Del., May 8, 2021 -- Delaware State's Katie Robb is the 2021 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Singles national champion.
Robb claimed the title by defeating Ana Olaya of North Carolina A&T State 186-166 in the championship match in Wyoming, Mich., on Saturday. Earlier in the day, she bested Isabel Allen of McKendree 215-195 to reach the final.
Robb is the first Delaware State bowler to win the national singles title. In addition, she and Hornets head coach Elysia Current are the only player and coach to win intercollegiate singles championships. Current captured the title while competing for Wichita State in 2007.
Today's championship and semi-final matches will be televised via tape-delay on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday, May 11 at 8 p.m.
"Katie was remarkable throughout the tournament," Current, who led the Hornets to the NCAA and Intercollegiate Team national tournaments this year, said. "She made so many great shots, communicated well and took advantage of comeback opportunities."
In the championship contest, Robb was behind 83-70 after five frames and trailed 102-90 after six. She pulled ahead for the first time in the seventh frame after back-to-back strikes in the seventh and eighth, and a spare in the ninth.
Needing a nine for the match win in the 10th, Robb threw strikes on her first two balls in the frame to secure the victory.
Robb qualified for the Intercollegiate Singles Championships after a strong showing at the Dayton regional last month. She was No. 1 among 151 competitors in the regional singles competition with a total pinfall of 1282 for a six-game average of 213.7. She topped the 200 mark in three of her six games, with a high of 279.
She was tied for third among 24 competitors after the opening round with a six-game total pinfall of 1,227 for an average of 204.5 per game.
"I am so proud of Katie for this amazing achievement and how well she represented the team and the university," Alecia Shields-Gadson, Delaware State Interim Director of Athletics, said. "She is a shining example of the greatness in our student-athletes, and how well they are meeting the challenges of the times."