Matt Nantais enters his 10th year as head coach of the Louisiana Tech bowling team, having led the Bulldogs to nine of the program's most successful seasons.

The 2024-25 season saw LA Tech rely on new faces with the departure of three All-Americans. The Bulldogs stepped up and recorded 84 wins for the second most in program history. They would finish in the top five in six tournaments, including winning the SWIBC I & II for the third consecutive year. The team would qualify for their fifth straight NCAA Regional and USBC ITC Championships. Kylee Trexler became the first Bulldog to reach the USBC ISC semifinals and would fall in the championship match 245-236.

After losing five bowlers, including two starters, Louisiana Tech relied on the four returners to help the two freshmen and a transfer adjust to the difficulty of the newly formed Conference USA bowling league. The Bulldogs produced the most successful seasons with 88 wins, four tournament wins, and four All-American honors. They achieved their highest ranking at No. 4 in the December poll. They would qualify for their fourth consecutive NCAA Regional and Intercollegiate Team Championship (ITC).

LA Tech competed in 15 events and picked up wins at the SWIBC I, SWIBC II, the Track Kat Klash, and the ITC Sectional. All five starters earned post-season honors, with Kylee Trexler taking home CUSA and NTCA Freshman of the Year. Allie Leiendecker picked up her fifth NTCA All-American award, while Danielle Jedlicki, Patricia Rosales, and Trexler were also named to the All-American list. Trexler, Rosales, and Allie Leiendecker were named to the inaugural All-CUSA team. Trexler and Abbie Leiendecker were named to the NTCA All-Rookie Team.

The 2022-23 season saw the Bulldogs continue to make massive strides on the lanes. LA Tech claimed three tournament victories, the most in a season in program history. Their 78 wins ranked second in program history, only behind the previous season's 80. The Bulldogs would qualify for the NCAA Regional for the third consecutive year and made another run at the ITC.

Tech competed in 14 events and placed in the top five at 10 tournaments. The Bulldogs finished third in the Southland Conference and fourth at the NCAA Arlington Regional. Allie Leiendecker and Lindsey Manning earned All-Southland Conference and National Tenpin Coaches Association All-American honors. For the first time in school history, all five starters finished the season with over a 200 average: Manning (200.6), Averi Brown (203.2), Danielle Jedlicki (203.8), Allie Leiendecker (205.0), and Rosales (213,4).

During the 2021-22 season, Louisiana Tech matched its highest national ranking of fifth in the National Tenpin Coaches Association's February poll. Tech then qualified for its second national championship appearance at the National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship and the ITC, having qualified for both during the 2020-21 season.

Tech competed in 13 events during the 2021-22 season and placed within the top 10 in 12 of those tournaments, including two tournament titles at the SWIBC and ISTAP Hornet Classic, four runner-up finishes, and seven top-five placements. Tech finished third at the Southland Championships and second at the NCAA Arlington Regional, reaching the Elite Eight. Allie Leiendecker was named to several post-season teams, including NTCA First-Team All-Region, NTCA Second-Team All-American, Second-Team All-Southland, and NSBCA All-American Honorable-Mention. Jedlicki also posted the first two perfect games in program history during the first half of the season schedule.

LA Tech competed in 14 events and placed in the top five at nine tournaments during the 2020-21 season. Tech finished second at four tournaments, including the Southland Conference Championships. At the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs registered the first perfect Baker game in program history after bowling a 300. Senior Kaitlyn Eder and sophomore Allie Leiendecker were named to the 2021 All-Southland Bowling League Third Team. Leiendecker was also named NTCA All-American honorable mention.

Nantais led the Bulldogs to new heights in 2019-20, coaching a team without a senior to what would have been Louisiana Tech's first appearance in a USBC Sectional. Tech ranked no. 11 in the NTCA Coaches Poll throughout the season and notched a 64-34 record despite competing against the most challenging schedule in Nantais' tenure.

The Bulldogs won the JSU Sonic Boom Invitational for the third year in a row and finished in the top 10 in every tournament they competed in. Tech also set a school record with 10 consecutive wins at the Northeast Invitational and three straight matches over 1,000 at the Music City Classic.

In 2018-19, Louisiana Tech ranked in the Top 25 throughout the season, compiling a 64-41 record and winning two tournaments: the JSU Sonic Boom Invitational and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs also earned recognition from the NTCA for their academic achievements, with five student-athletes earning NTCA All-Academic Honors.

On the lanes, Nantais coached Kaitlyn Eder to a spot on the Southland Conference first team and NTCA All-America honors. The sophomore led Tech in strikes (323), strike percentage (46.9%), spare conversion percentage (73.5%), and average per frame (20.01). Eder and Ashley Channell also earned Southland Conference All-Academic honors.

In 2017-18, the Bulldogs had an unparalleled year, notching 55 victories and earning national rankings in the NTCA poll for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Nantais paced Tech to a program-best six top-10 finishes, including a tournament championship at the Jackson State Sonic Boom Invitational.

Nantais saw impressive play from up and down his lineup in his second season, bolstered by the play of freshman Kaitlyn Eder. The rookie was named the National Rookie of the Year and an All-America Honorable Mention from the NTCA. She also earned a spot on Junior Team USA after a solid finish at the United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials.

The Bulldogs defeated the No. 1 team in the nation, Nebraska. They earned at least one triumph over every top-10 team in the country throughout the season. Tech finished the year ranked 20th among 80 D1 programs.

In his first year in 2016-17, Tech made significant progress, earning a top-10 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore. The team also saw success outside the lanes, as Shelby Smith and Sarah McComic both earned all-academic recognition from the NTCA.

Nantais was announced as the new head coach for the Louisiana Tech Bowling program on September 21, 2016.

Nantais joined the program after spending the previous five seasons at Valparaiso. In those five years, Nantais led Valparaiso to over 300 victories. That total includes a program-record 84 wins in his first season (2011-12), a season in which the Crusaders reached as high as #1 in the NTCA coaches' poll and advanced to the 2012 NCAA Women's Bowling Championship, where the team finished in the top six.

Nantais guided the Crusaders to 60 victories in 2012-13 and 59 wins in 2013-14, while the Crusaders earned 50 wins the following season. Each of the last two seasons, Nantais has lined up a schedule for Valpo, which ranks among the nation's most challenging - slates that featured opponents among the top 10 in the country for nearly half the team's matches. The Crusaders concluded the 2014-15 campaign ranked 16th nationally, continuing the program's streak of being ranked in every NTCA coaches' poll since its inception.

Under Nantais, the Valparaiso bowling program became a member of the Southland Bowling League during the 2014-15 campaign. This newly formed league included eight of the nation's top programs. The Crusaders finished in third place at the inaugural Southland Bowling League Championship in March 2015.

Over his four seasons, Nantais has seen nine bowlers earn All-Tournament Team honors, including Natalie Cortese at the 2012 NCAA Championship. He also coached Cortese as she earned NTCA Honorable Mention All-American status following her senior season. At the same time, Torrie Decker became the second bowler in program history to be named an Honorable Mention All-American for her work during the 2014-15 campaign.

Nantais' bowlers have enjoyed success in the classroom as well over his three years at the helm. Cortese was an NTCA All-Academic Third Team selection in 2012, while the Crusaders have had 16 bowlers earn All-Academic recognition from the NTCA over the last three years. In addition, Valpo earned team academic recognition from the NTCA for the first time in 2014.

Nantais came to Valparaiso after spending a season as an assistant coach for the women's squad at Robert Morris [Ill.] University. While there, Nantais helped guide the Lady Eagles to the top spot in the nation in the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team national poll. Robert Morris went on to close the season with a fifth-place finish at the National USBC Team Championships and a third-place showing at the NAIA Team Championships.

Before joining the Robert Morris coaching staff, Nantais spent the 2009-2010 season as assistant coach for the Lake Central HS girl's team, which placed fifth in the state. During his year at Lake Central, he helped tutor current Crusader Kaity Galka. Nantais also previously spent two seasons (2006-2008) as head coach of the boy's team at North Newton High School and has served as a coach in the Stardust III (Dyer, Ind.) Junior Program since 1987. He received his USBC Bronze Certification in June of 2008 and earned his Silver Certification in October of 2008.

Name	Title	@LATech.edu	Phone
Mary Kay Hungate	Sport Administrator	mhungate	(318) 257-5654
Kaede Kaneda	Athletic Trainer	kkaneda
Blake Talos	Sports Performance Coach	btalos
Lindsey McKaskle	Academic Advisor	mckaskle	(318) 257-5278
Stephen Featherston	Communications Director	featherston

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