Season Preview: Men's Bowling brings deep roster into 2023-24

By Wes Mayberry

| 2023-24 Men's Bowling Schedule | 2023-24 Men's Bowling Roster |

ADA — The Ohio Northern men's bowling team is eager to get its inaugural season underway on Oct. 7.

Head coach Jeff Robinson leads the Polar Bears and brings a wealth of experience and success to the group from his stints coaching at Marian (Ind.), Notre Dame (Ohio) and Ohio State as well as Westerville Central High School.

Robinson brings a deep roster into the 2023-24 season led by senior Alex Sommers (Carlisle), junior Yemi Ajala (Findlay/Liberty Benton) and freshmen Jacob Braun (Sugarcreek/Caraway), Jake Briede (Greendale, Ind./Lakota West), Nolan Caban (Dayton/Centerville), Lukas Dunbar (Orient/Teays Valley), Brock Miller (Hudson) and Henry Zitzelberger (Chillicothe/Zane Trace).

They are joined by senior Dino Colasurd (Columbus/St. Charles Prep), juniors Alex DeFranco (Valley City/Buckeye) and Israel Pena (Chicago, Ill./John F. Kennedy), sophomores Cole Hankinson (Columbus/Ohio State), Joseph Ponziani (Worthington/Thomas Worthington), Isaac Riblet (Bellefontaine/West Liberty Salem) and Justin Zollars (Mount Vernon/Fredericktown) and freshmen Julian Calvelage (Elida/Delphos Jefferson) and Matt Jensen (Canton, Mich./Salem).

The Polar Bears will compete in the 24-team Ohio Bowling Conference, and their 2023-24 schedule includes five OBC Tournaments at Palace Lanes in Columbus. Those events are scheduled for Oct. 7, Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Jan. 20 and Feb. 17.

Other competitions include the Wright State Raider Classic in Beavercreek on Nov. 11-12, the Roto Grip Keystone Classic in Allentown, Pa., on Dec. 18-19, the Lehigh Valley Collegiate in Whitehall, Pa., on Dec. 20-21, the Greater Pittsburgh Classic in Greensburg, Pa., on Jan. 13, and the Alma Scotty Classic in Jackson, Mich., on Feb. 3.