[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 22424-22426]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING THE WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BOWLING 
                                 TEAMS

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 455) congratulating the Wichita State University 
men's and women's bowling teams for winning the 2009 United States 
Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 455

       Whereas the Wichita State University (WSU) men's and 
     women's bowling teams won the 2009 United States Bowling 
     Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship 
     in Rockford, Illinois, on April 15-18, 2009;
       Whereas the WSU men's team defeated the University of 
     Nebraska-Lincoln and Webber International University and 
     advanced to the finals, where they defeated Saginaw Valley 
     State University two games to one in a best of three series 
     to win the championship;
       Whereas the WSU women's team defeated Ball State 
     University, Fresno State University, and McKendree University 
     and advanced to the finals, where they defeated Lindenwood 
     University two games to zero to win the championship;
       Whereas the WSU men's team has won nine USBC 
     Intercollegiate Bowling National Championships, in 1980, 
     1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2009, and has 
     advanced to the national tournament a record 29 times;
       Whereas the WSU women's team has won nine USBC 
     Intercollegiate Bowling National Championships, in 1975, 
     1977, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2005, 2007, and 2009, and has 
     advanced to the national tournament a record 34 times;
       Whereas head coach Gordon Vadakin has led the men's and 
     women's teams to a combined 32 USBC Intercollegiate Bowling 
     National Championship tournaments and 17 national titles 
     since he began coaching in 1976;
       Whereas assistant coaches Mark Lewis, Brian Adelgren, and 
     Nathan Bohr were also instrumental in the WSU teams' 2009 
     victories;

[[Page 22425]]

       Whereas the 2009 men's championship team, comprised of Jake 
     Peters, Nick Pahr, Brandon Hall, Josh McBride, John 
     Szczerbinski, Stephen Cowland, Josh Blanchard, Adam Ferri, 
     Kyle Bischoff, Will Barnes, Geoffrey Young, and Kevin Tatrow, 
     won the national title due to the combined efforts of each of 
     its members;
       Whereas the 2009 women's championship team, comprised of 
     Melissa Hurst, Maggie Zakrzewski, Suzana Signaigo, Sandra 
     Gongora, Jessica Baker, Samantha Hesley, Mariana Ayala, 
     Daniela Alvarado, Rocio Restrepo, and Samantha Linder, won 
     the national title due to the combined efforts of each of its 
     members;
       Whereas Sandra Gongora was named the National Collegiate 
     Bowling Coaches Association and the Bowling Writers 
     Association of America (BWAA) Female Collegiate Bowler of the 
     Year, and John Szczerbinski and Josh Blanchard were BWAA Male 
     Collegiate Bowler of the Year runners-up; and
       Whereas Sandra Gongora, John Szczerbinski, and Josh 
     Blanchard were named as first team All-Americans by the USBC: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates 
     and commends the Wichita State University men's and women's 
     bowling teams for winning the 2009 United States Bowling 
     Congress Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Hawaii.


                             General Leave

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H.R. 
455 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HIRONO. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today to congratulate the Wichita State University men's and 
women's bowling teams for each of their victories in the 2009 United 
States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship.
  April 15-18, 2009, college bowling fans were treated to a number of 
great bowling matches between the most skilled bowlers in the country. 
The Wichita State University men's bowling team entered the national 
tournament for the 24th consecutive year and ranked as the number one 
team in the Nation. They garnered their ninth national championship, 
defeating Saginaw Valley State University in the final match. The 
women's team also collected its ninth national championship, beating 
Lindenwood University in their finals.
  Sandra Gongora from the Shockers was named the Bowling Writers 
Association of America (BWAA) Female Collegiate Bowler of the Year. 
John Szezerbinski and Josh Blanchard of the men's team were BWAA Male 
Collegiate Bowler of the Year runners-up.
  As the most accomplished collegiate bowling program in the Nation, 
the Wichita State Shockers bowling teams have 18 national championship 
victories. No other team in the Nation has achieved this magnitude of 
success. The program has produced 169 All-Americans and seven National 
Bowlers of the Year. Better yet, 32 former and current Shockers bowlers 
represented our country on Team USA.
  I want to extend my congratulations to Gordon Vadakin, the head coach 
of both the women's and men's team. Through his leadership, Coach 
Vadakin led Wichita State University to 32 intercollegiate bowling 
national championship tournaments since he began coaching in 1976.
  Mark Lewis, Brian Adelgren, and Nathan Bohr also helped these teams 
reach elite status with their roles as assistant coaches.
  Bowling, by far, is the school's most preeminent athletic program. 
Winning the national championship and collecting its 18th national 
title has brought national acclaim to Wichita State University. I know 
the fans of the university will revel in this accomplishment.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I congratulate the Wichita State University 
Shockers for their success and thank Representative Tiahrt for bringing 
this resolution forward.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume. I rise today in support of House Resolution 455, 
congratulating the Wichita State University men's and women's bowling 
teams for winning the 2009 United States Bowling Congress 
Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship.

                              {time}  1230

  Wichita State University began as Fairmount College, a private 
congressional school, in 1895. Wichita State University changed its 
name and officially entered the State system of higher education on 
July 1, 1964. And today WSU offers more than 60 undergraduate degree 
programs in more than 200 areas of study in six undergraduate colleges.
  The university is an NCAA Division I institution, and fields teams in 
tennis, cross-country, basketball, track, golf, crew, bowling, men's 
baseball, and women's volleyball and softball. The name for WSU's 
athletic teams is the Shockers. The name reflects the University's 
heritage. Early students earned money by shocking, or harvesting, wheat 
in nearby fields. The WSU Shockers have excelled at many sports over 
the years, but bowling has recently become one of WSU's most successful 
athletic teams.
  The sport of bowling originated in ancient Egypt. Bowling balls and 
pins were found in the tomb of an Egyptian king who died in 5200 B.C. 
The ancient Polynesians bowled on lanes that were 60 feet long, the 
same as today, and bowling was part of a religious ceremony in fourth-
century Germany. British kings Edward II and Richard II banned bowling 
because they said people were wasting too much time playing the sport.
  Bowling has been popular in America since Colonial days. The German 
settlers introduced ninepins, the game that evolved into today's modern 
tenpin sport. Today bowling is enjoyed by 95 million people in more 
than 90 countries worldwide.
  As the most accomplished collegiate bowling program in the Nation, 
the Wichita State Shocker bowling teams have 18 national championship 
victories to their name. In the 2009 men's national championship, the 
Shockers and the Saginaw Valley State University squared off in a 
showdown between the two most successful programs in the history of 
collegiate bowling for the title. The Lady Shockers came through and 
won their second national championship in three seasons after a 2-0 
sweep of Lindenwood in the championship match.
  I'm honored to stand before the House today to congratulate and 
recognize the significant achievements of the players and the coaches 
whose hard work has led to the success of the Wichita State University 
Shockers men's and women's bowling teams as USBC Intercollegiate 
National Champions.
  I ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my good friend 
who's the author of this resolution, the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. 
Tiahrt).
  Mr. TIAHRT. I want to first thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii for her 
help in this legislation and for the kind words to Wichita State and 
also to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, who also gave us a wonderful 
history about this sport and also Wichita State University and his kind 
words.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to offer House Resolution 455 honoring the 
2009 National Champion Wichita State University Shocker men's and 
women's bowling teams. By its very nature, a national championship is 
special, but to have both men's and women's teams from the same school 
earn the same title in the same year is truly remarkable.
  The Wichita State University men's team entered the elimination 
portion of the tournament seeded first, a ranking which they held all 
the way through the finals where they claimed the national 
championship. The Lady Shockers were ranked second entering the 
elimination tournament and overcame a difficult schedule on their way 
to becoming national champions. These

[[Page 22426]]

championship teams carry on a winning tradition at Wichita State 
University. This is the ninth national title for each of them, the 
second consecutive national title for the men, and the third women's 
national title in 5 years.
  Wichita State University has been blessed with an incredible coaching 
staff. Head coach Gordon Vadakin and assistant coach Mark Lewis are 
both members of the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. Gordon 
Vadakin has been coaching at Wichita State University since 1976, 
leading the men's and women's teams to a combined 32 USBC 
Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship tournaments and winning a 
record 16 of them. The Wichita State University team has two additional 
outstanding assistant coaches in Brian Adelgren and Nathan Bohr.
  I want to congratulate the men's team of Jake Peters, Nick Pahr, 
Brandon Hall, Josh McBride, Stephen Cowland, Adam Ferri, Kyle Bischoff, 
Will Barnes, Geoffrey Young, Kevin Tatrow; and Male Collegiate Bowler 
of the Year runners-up John Szczerbinski and Josh Blanchard; and to the 
women's team of Melissa Hurst, Maggie Zakrzewski, Suzana Signaigo, 
Jessica Baker, Samantha Hesley, Mariana Ayala, Daniela Alvarado, Rocio 
Restrepo, Samantha Linder, and Female Collegiate Bowler of the Year 
Sandra Gongora.
  Once again, I am pleased today that the United States House of 
Representatives will congratulate and commend the Wichita State 
University men's and women's bowling teams for winning the 2009 
Intercollegiate Bowling National Championship Tournament. Go Shox.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 455, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________