LANSING, Mich. – The 2026 NAIA Women’s Bowling National Championship provided the most dramatic moment of the tournament during Round 5, where #4 SCAD Savannah defeated #5 Spring Arbor by a single pin in the seventh game of their Baker set to keep their season alive.

The Red Bracket: #2 Pikeville (Ky.) showed why they are perennial contenders. After a tight 2-1 win over #11 Cumberland in the morning, they dominated #7 Ottawa (Kan.) with a 2-0 sweep in the evening session. With that victory, the Bears officially secured the Red Bracket Championship and a spot in the finals.

The Blue Bracket: In a stunning turn of events, #4 SCAD Savannah stunned #1 Mount Mercy in the Round 6 Mega Match, winning 2-1. Because Mount Mercy was previously undefeated in the double-elimination format, this result forces a winner-take-all "If Necessary" Baker match tomorrow morning.

Women’s Championship Outlook: > * Blue Bracket Final: #1 Mount Mercy vs. #4 SCAD Savannah — March 21, 8:30 AM EST

• National Championship: #2 Pikeville vs. TBD — March 21, 2:30 PM EST

Round 4: The "Upset" Train Keeps Rolling

The Women’s side continues to be unpredictable, with parity being the theme of the 10:30 AM session.

• The Powerhouse Remains: #1 Mount Mercy mirrored their men’s team, securing a 2-0 sweep over #4 SCAD Savannah to remain the team to beat. Meanwhile, #2 Pikeville had to dig deep to hold off #11 Cumberland, eventually securing a 2-1 Mega Match victory.
• Ottawa’s Charge: #7 Ottawa (Kan.) is officially the "cardiac kids" of the tournament. After upsetting #3 Milligan earlier, they survived a 7-game thriller against #10 Morningside, winning 4-3.
• Spring Arbor Surges: #5 Spring Arbor continues their steady climb, defeating #8 William Penn 4-2 to keep their title hopes alive.