Jade Cote, Youngstown State beat Jacksonville State 4-3 to win 1st NCAA bowling championship

LAS VEGAS — Jade Cote rolled a strike in the 10th frame for Youngstown State to clinch the final game on Saturday night and the Penguins beat defending national champion Jacksonville State 4-3 in the best-of-seven Baker match format and win the NCAA bowling championship.

Cote’s strike was one of four straight by the Penguins to close out the final match with a 228-203 win that sealed Youngstown State’s first national title in a women’s sport.

Jacksonville State, which lost every player that bowled in the 2024 title match to graduation after winning the national title last season, made its second consecutive national championship appearance in program’s second year of competition.

The Penguins had five strikes in the final four frames to win the first match 204-199 and had a strike on each of their final eight rolls in the second to win 248-219 and take a 2-0 lead.

Jacksonville State’s Dannielle Henderson, who finished with 15 strikes, closed the third game with a turkey for a 258-206 win.

After Youngstown State responded, 244-226, to capture a 3-1 lead but the Gamecocks won back-to-back matches 223-200 and 228-203, respectively, to force the decisive Game 7.

The Gamecocks beat Youngstown State to advance to the championship before the Penguins knocked off four-time national champion Nebraska to eliminate the Cornhuskers and face Jacksonville State for the title.