By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Former Lady Panther Paige Wagner continues to make a mark in the bowling world. A freshman competitor at Wichita State University, Wagner recently finished second at the 2023 Intercollegiate Singles Sectional Qualifier in Dallas. As a top-five finisher, Wagner moves on to the national finals in Las Vegas April 19-22.
The Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC) was first handed out in 1975, and now features the top 16 men's and women's collegiate teams in the country competing for a national title. Wagner will be competing in the Intercollegiate Singles Championships (ISC), which was started in 2003, and features the top 24 male and female bowlers competing for a national title.
Competitors bowled six games at the regional competition in Dallas. Wagner rolled at least a 200 in four of the games, including a 245 and 223 to end the competition. Stephen F. Austin State University's Chloe Skurzynski finished with 1,254 total pins, beating Wagner by just 35 pins. No other bowler had more than 1,200 pins.
"I just focused on my moves and tried to do my best and have fun with it," Wagner said.
This trip to Las Vegas will be Wagner's third overall as a bowler, but the first at the USBC Bowling Plaza at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa.
"I'm just going to try my best and stay calm and be confident and see what happens," said Wagner. "It will be a fun experience to have."
Bowling for Great Bend High School, Wagner was a two-time regional champion and a state runner-up. As a junior, she set school records with a 289 game and 725 series at state. Wagner also qualified for the PBA Junior National Championships in 2021, and finished fifth at the Junior Gold Championships that year.