OTTAWA, Kan. – Ottawa University President and CEO Dr. Bill Tsutsui is proud to announce that Geoff Poston has been named as the University Director of Bowling Operations. In this newly created, unique role, Poston will assist both the campus in Ottawa, Kan., as well as the residential campus in Surprise, Ariz. (OUAZ) to grow not just the individual teams but the sport as a whole.
“This position will leverage Geoff Poston’s proven talents as a coach, recruiter, and program-builder,” Tsutsui said. “Geoff will bring the skills he has honed with the outstanding Braves varsity bowling team to the growing club team at OUAZ. As we seek innovative ways to build collaborations and better serve students across our campuses and programs, the creation of the University Director of Bowling Operations is an important step forward for the entire institution.”
Poston is entering his sixth year as the head coach for men’s and women’s bowling at Ottawa University. Both teams are nationally ranked and have qualified for the NAIA National Championship Tournament each of the last two seasons.
Focused on the student-athlete, the Braves teams’ graduation and retention rates are high, with many student-athletes entering a graduate program after completion of their undergraduate degree. Since the bowling program began in 2017, no student-athletes have transferred to bowl for another school.
"I am excited for this opportunity as the University Director of Bowling Operations over both residential campuses, said Poston. “I remain committed to growing our nationally ranked men’s and women’s programs as the Head Coach here in Kansas, while assisting OUAZ Head Coach Jen Bullard with recruiting, fundraising and mentoring the OUAZ student-athletes down in Arizona. In addition, I have worked with our colleagues at MOTIV and secured a bowling ball contract for the OUAZ team. I look forward to having an impact in the growth of the sport and providing more opportunities for students to bowl at the collegiate level."
With Poston at the helm, the Braves bowling team qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in 2020, upsetting the no. 1 seed Midland University to earn the trip. The 2017-18 team won its first tournament championship and had eight top 15 finishing, including a 14th place finish at the Intercollegiate Team Sectional Championship.
Poston has been involved in bowling for more than 35 years and coaching for more than 20 years. He has also spent time on the PBA Regional Tour, winning the Gardner Master’s Floor Covering Championship in 1999. From 2011 to 2015, he was President of the Kansas Bowling Coaches Association. Poston was named to the 2019 Kansas State USBC Hall of Fame and the 2018 USBC Kaw Valley Topeka Bowling Association Hall of Fame.