OMAHA, Neb. – College of Saint Mary Bowling Coach Corrinne Johnson has reasons to be excited about the upcoming season.

The Flames are returning some experienced bowlers who are expected to lead the way for the team. And the Flames also brought in a talented group of freshmen who Johnson thinks will make an impact right away.

CSM opens the 2025-26 season at the Hammer Golden Eagle Invite in Rockford, Ill., this weekend.

Leading the way for the Flames will be senior Jennica Soar and sophomore Hannah O'Neal. Soar earned all-tournament team honors last season at the Mid-Iowa Bowling Conference III Tournament, and O'Neal registered one of the team's higher averages last season. O'Neal was also an All-KCAC Scholar-Athlete last year – along with teammates Amariyah Moreno and Kaitlyn Dickmeyer.

Dickmeyer, who was also CSM's selection for the KCAC Champions of Character award last season, graduated last spring and her loss will be felt by the Flames. Johnson is hoping some of her newcomers will step up and take advantage of opportunities early in their collegiate careers.

"Our strength will be our returning bowlers who have the experience of how the collegiate tournament weekends run," she said. "They know how long and grueling the two-day events can be, physically and mentally, as well as having the knowledge of how to adjust and make ball changes as the lane oil breaks down.

"Another strength we have is team unity. The five incoming freshmen have meshed well together and have settled in with the returners, which has made the communication on and off the lanes excellent."

Johnson hopes the newcomers will take advantage of having experienced teammates to learn from.

"Having three returners and five freshmen, we know having a younger team will create some challenges," she said. "One of those will be having the stamina to make it through long days on the lanes. Only a couple of the freshmen have experience bowling on sport shot patterns, which will make that a new challenge for the others on learning how to play the lanes, make moves and knowing when to make a ball change."

Despite that, Johnson has reasons to be optimistic.

"Some positives I've seen in practice so far are the consistency that Jennica and Hannah have been showing," she said. "Both bowled throughout the summer and it has shown in the work they have been doing on the lanes coming back. The freshmen are adjusting well

to the lanes, have been getting in some good spare shooting practices, as well as adding a new level of competition to the returners when bowling regular games for the title of Queen Bee for the day.

"We've been practicing Baker games and we are learning who bowls better in what spot. Watching the veteran bowlers talking and showing the new bowlers different techniques during practices has been exciting to see them bond and work together as a team."

The Flames compete in a strong NAIA bowling conference in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Johnson is hopeful the Flames can climb up the KCAC standings this season.

"We do bowl against some powerhouse teams in the KCAC, but our goal is to finish in the middle of the pack and work to move up in future seasons," Johnson said. "My expectations are high for this season. I have some lofty but realistic goals that coincide with what the team has set for goals as well. The team's goals are to make match play, to have bowlers make all-tournament teams and to qualify for USBC Sectionals in the postseason."

The journey towards their goals starts for the Flames Saturday.