Visit Bowling Championship Central
Vanderbilt’s first ever NCAA team champion has been invited to meet the President in a White House reception June 18.
Bowling Coach John Williamson, whose team won the national championship last month, received the invitation early Monday afternoon from a member of the White House’s Office of Public Liaison.
“We were not expecting this,” Williamson admits, “because we had been told that no bowling team had ever been invited to meet with the President. I don’t know how these things are decided but not long after the championship, I had a call from Senator Lamar Alexander’s office offering congratulations and asking for some basic contact information.”
The impending trip should culminate one of the most memorable seasons imaginable. The Commodores, using five sophomores and two freshmen throughout the year, won three tournaments plus the NCAA Championship and went 74-14 in just their third year of existence. The team rolled a perfect game in the course of winning the national title.
Williamson spent much of Monday afternoon contacting his team, which left campus last week after the conclusion of final examinations.
“I was able to reach most of the women and they were thrilled,” Williamson said. “Until you get a call, you tend to think that such opportunities are reserved for the Super Bowl or basketball champions. We consider this a tremendous honor to represent our University and our sport.”
Tentative plans call for the team to arrive on the White House grounds June 18 at approximately noon for a mid-afternoon reception with President Bush. The reception is being called NCAA Division I Champions Day.
Other events that might become part of the team’s trip are in the earliest planning stages.
For more Commodore news, visit www.vucommodores.com.
Contact: Rod Williamson, (615) 322-4051
rod.williamson@vanderbilt.edu