WICHITA, Kan. (Nov. 26, 2021) -- Oklahoma Christian's men's club team made its first-ever appearance in collegiate bowling's two major polls that were released Friday. 
 
The Eagles, coached by James Hayes, were No. 18 in the season's first National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association poll and checked in at No. 19 in the International Bowling Media Association poll. It's the first national ranking in the four-season history of the OC program. 
 
So far this season, OC has won one Tier II event (the Southwest Intercollegiate Bowling Circuit I tournament in Dallas) and finished second in two others (SWIBC II in Dallas and the Jayhawk Collegiate Challenge in Lawrence, Kan.). In their only Tier I event so far, the Eagles advanced to the match-play portion of the Mid-States Championships in Wichita, finishing fifth out of 28 teams. 
 
Twenty-seven coaches voted in the NCBWA poll. St. Ambrose (Iowa) topped the poll, followed by McKendree (Ill.), Wichita State, Lindenwood (Mo.), Webber International (Fla.), Tennessee Southern, Mount Mercy (Iowa), Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.), William Paterson (N.J.) and Marian (Ind.). OC received 109 points in the poll. 
 
The next NCBCA poll will be released on Jan. 14. 
 
The top 10 in the IBMA poll were St. Ambrose, McKendree, Mount Mercy, Savannah College of Art and Design, Lindenwood and Wichita State (tied for fifth), Tennessee Southern, Webber International, William Paterson and Pikeville (Ky.). OC received 43 points in the poll. 
 
OC will play in consecutive Tier I events in Las Vegas from Dec. 18-21, competing in the Glenn Carlson Las Vegas Invitational the first two days and the Collegiate Shoot-Out the latter two days.