LANSING, Mich.—The top seed in the 2026 NCAA National Collegiate Bowling Championship begins play in the Lansing Regional Friday morning at 8 a.m. Central Time.
 
In each of its first two seasons of competition, the Gamecocks have won regional championships, claiming the title in Pittsburgh in 2024 before winning the NCAA Championship the following week in Detroit, and last year in Arlington, Texas before advancing to the title match for the second consecutive year.
 
Jax State won its second Conference USA championship two weeks ago by beating Arkansas State in a Baker best-of-seven match that went to a tiebreaker.
 
The first match of the double elimination regional tournament Friday morning will be against Carroll University, which defeated Fayetteville State Thursday morning in a play-in mega match which the Pioneers won by sweeping the best-of-seven. Carroll won the traditional match 909-856 but Fayetteville State overcame a 50-pin deficit in Baker play for a two-pin victory to force the best-of-seven tiebreaker.
 
Carroll won their first conference championship by claiming the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin to earn a bid in the field.

On the opposite side of the bracket is defending national champion Youngstown State, which received an at-large bid, and North Carolina A&T which qualified by winning the MEAC Championship. 
 
The Gamecocks will bowl twice on Friday; matches on Saturday will begin at 8 a.m. Central with an elimination match with the winner heading to the final against the team that wins both matches on Friday. That contest will start at 1:30 p.m. Central. If the unbeaten team is defeated in that match, a best-of-seven tiebreaker will take place immediately following .
 
All matches at all four regionals are available for free all weekend long via BowlTV.