LANSING, Mich. - The 2026 NAIA Men’s and Women’s Bowling National Championships head to Royal Scot Lanes in Lansing, Mich., March 19–21, bringing together the nation’s top programs for three days of high-level competition and a reimagined championship format.
Coverage of the championship also expands in 2026, with more ways than ever for fans to follow the action. Live lane coverage will be available on BowlTV at
https://www.bowltv.com/collegiate/collegiate-ch-1, while full broadcasts can be streamed via Urban Edge Network (
https://urbanedgenetwork.net/?school=naia-championships) or the NAIA Network at
www.naianetwork.com.
As the NAIA enters its sixth year of bowling championships, 2026 marks the debut of a new championship structure, highlighted by the Mega Match format in the winner’s bracket. The 12-team field is split into two sections — the Blue Bracket (seeds 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12) and the Red Bracket (seeds 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11) — with each operating as a double-elimination bracket. Within each section, teams compete through a winner’s bracket using the Mega Match format and an elimination bracket utilizing a Best-of-7 Baker format, ultimately producing two finalists for the national championship match.
Men's Red & Blue Brackets + Schedule
Women's Red & Blue Brackets + Schedule
The Mega Match introduces a dynamic, multi-stage competition structure. Each match consists of up to three sets: a traditional team game, a five-game Baker total pinfall set, and, if necessary, a Best-of-7 Baker showdown to decide the winner. Meanwhile, elimination bracket matches will rely entirely on the fast-paced Best-of-7 Baker format, placing a premium on consistency and depth. The top four seeds in each bracket receive a first-round bye, and no team will compete in more than three Mega Matches in a single day.
Fans can also follow the championship through live scoring (link coming soon!) and through the official bracket (
Men's |
Women's), updated throughout the championship.
Men's Preview on NAIA.org
Women's Preview on NAIA.org