Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Duquesne University bowling team capped a perfect weekend at the 2026 Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship Sunday in Hamilton, N.J., earning a 2-0 victory over No. 4 seed Mercyhurst to claim its first tournament crown in program history. The Dukes, who earn their first automatic berth to the NCAA Championship and their fourth overall in 10 years as a program, improved to 62-43 (.590) overall during the 2025-26 season.
 
THE SUPER SIX
Facing the Lakers for the second time in as many days, Duquesne got the mega match started with a 975-926 victory during traditional action. Moving on to the five-game Baker match, the Dukes fired a 219 in each of the first two games in opening up a 95-pin advantage. The Lakers would trim their deficit to 36 pins in game three thanks to a 217-158 triumph, but Duquesne steadied, rebounding for a 203-154 victory in game four. Heading into the final game with an 85-pin lead, the Dukes capped off one of their most dominant weekends in program history with a 232-193 win in game five to claim the five-game Baker, 1,031-907, the 2026 NEC Championship crown and a spot in the 2026 NCAA Championship.
 
QUOTABLE
"It's great to go out with a bang," senior Emma Siekierski said. "Everyone who has been a part of the program, this is honestly for them. We're excited. I think we have a lot of passion. We might be six, but we're a mighty six, and I think we have a lot to give. We might not have a ton of depth, but we do have depth, and I think it showed. Every shot isn't for ourselves, we want to do it for our teammates. We do it for the fun of it and it also shows how much love we have for each other."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Duquesne finished with a trio of 2-0 sweeps during the 2026 NEC Championship, not dropping a game in any mega match … During traditional play out of the leadoff spot freshman Jazmyn Scott finished with a 221, registering six strikes … Freshman Taylor Miller added a 205 in traditional and posted seven strikes … Siekierski logged a 202 out of the number four spot in the lineup in traditional play … The Dukes will make their fourth appearance in an NCAA Championship in the last six years but their first as an automatic qualifier.
 
QUOTABLE
"Those matches were tight," head coach Jody Fetterhoff said. "At any point the momentum could go the other way and I feel like we just capitalized on that momentum. That was the difference in the matches. All six of them are amazing. They know that and have confidence and trust in each other. It's superstition. You bowl good games, you don't make any changes. We don't get here without every single person on this team."
 
UP NEXT
The Dukes will learn their opponent for the 2026 NCAA Championship Wednesday, March 25, at 4:00 p.m. with the NCAA Selection Show. As an institution, Duquesne is in its fourth year hosting an NCAA Regional, which is slated for Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4, at AMF Mt. Lebanon Lanes.

Photo credit: Rose Hadsell (Northeast Conference)
 
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