Marian Men's Bowling Brings Home First-Ever NAIA National Championship

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. - For the first time in program history, the Marian men's bowling team are bringing home the NAIA National Championship, as the Knights earned their first Red Banner on Saturday by defeating SCAD Savannah in the National Championship match. Marian went 5-1 at the 2025 Championship, setting a program record for wins at the championship.

After going 4-0 over the first two days of the championship, the Knights entered Saturday's title round undefeated, awaiting SCAD-Savannah, who staved off elimination earlier in the morning by defeating Concordia Unviersity. Marian previously defeated SCAD in the tournament on Friday, and looked primed to get their second win and first championship as they won the first in the best-of-seven series by a 226-225 score. Marian went on to win game two 255-171, but would fall in the ensuing game 245-197.

The Knights took a 3-1 lead in the championship as they took game four 253-178, but the undefeated team was unable to hold their lead and claim the win, as the Bees buzzed back. SCAD won game five 223-193, and took the sixth 224-203 to force the winner-take-all game seven. In the seventh game of the series, SCAD narrowly defeated Marian 182-179, as a spare picked up in the last five frames helped the scoring difference. 

With SCAD's win, Marian was backed into the if-necessary championship match. With the championship on the line, Marian dug in narrowly won game one against SCAD 181-178 to take a 1-0 lead. The narrow victory fueled the Knights, as they wiped the floor in game two by a 234-163 score, and in game three the Knights captured a 3-0 lead with their 207-183 victory.

Needing just one win to clinch the championship, the Knights delivered the final blow in a highly contested fourth game, where Marian sealed their first-ever championship with a 252-193 victory.

Marian's 4-0 win sealed their first-ever championship in bowling, and the universities' seventh-ever NAIA National Championship. Marian has now won championships in football, women's basketball, volleyball, and men's track and field in addition to men's bowling. Marian's championship on Saturday, March 22, also completes the closest gap between NAIA Championship victories, as the men's indoor track and field team won their championship 21 days ago on March 1.

After the tournament, both Dylan Mollo and Nolan Blessing were named to the All-Tournament Team of the NAIA Championship, with Mollo being named the MVP. 

Marian's season will conclude in mid-April, as the Knights aim to win one more championship as they compete at the ITC Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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