Men's Bowling National Titles
1967, 1968, 1969 Men’s Bowling
UW-La Crosse (then Wisconsin State University-La Crosse) won the 1969 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) men’s bowling championship, completing a remarkable three-year run under head coach Gordon Teigen. UW-La Crosse had already captured titles in 1967 and 1968, and the 1969 victory cemented their dynasty as one of the premier collegiate bowling programs of the era.
UW-La Crosse captured the three national titles in Kansas City, Missouri. The team finished with 17,348 total points to win the first championship in 1967 with Pomona College (Calif.) second with 16,041. UW-La Crosse recorded 17,183 pints in 1968 with Harding University (Ark.) second with 15,652 and 18,356 to win in 1969 with Adelphi College (N.Y.) second with 15,937.
Led by standout bowlers such as Glenn Mueller, who competed from 1966-70 and later entered the UW-La Crosse Wall of Fame, and Jack Connaughton, who had swept national singles, doubles, and all-events titles in ACUI competition during the late 1960s. Connaughton won the singles title in 1968 and Bob Bush captured the championship in 1969.
Connaughton and Ron Hedrich took the 1967 doubles national title with Connaughton and Mueller capturing the crown in 1968. Ron Herold and Bush won the doubles championship in 1969. Connaughton and Teigen were both inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame.
