Lansing, Mich. – The No. 9 ranked Saint Xavier University men's bowling team concluded the 2025-26 season at the NAIA Men's Bowling National Championships Friday at Royal Scot Lanes in Lansing, Mich. finishing in a four-way tie for ninth place. No. 1 and top-seeded Mount Mercy University (Iowa) won the national championship defeating the defending champion, and No. 6 seed, Marian University (Ind.) in the Mega Match Play format on Saturday. Under the Mega Match Play format, five bowlers from each team compete head-to-head in a traditional format (highest score wins) in set one to earn a point. In set two, the teams bowl under the Baker Games format in a best-of-five total pinfall outcome to earn a point. If the score is tied, a third set is played with a best-of-seven Baker Games format.

The 12 teams that qualified for the tournament were divided into six teams in the Blue Bracket and six teams in the Red Bracket with a double-elimination format. SXU was slotted as the No. 10 seed, and they faced No. 7 University of St. Francis (Ill.) in the Red Bracket to start the tournament Thursday morning.

• Saint Xavier used a five-player lineup of senior Daniel Esguerra (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech), senior Bobby Habetler (Park Ridge, Ill./Indiana Tech/St. Patrick), senior Spencer Mosher (Ormond Beach, Fla./Concordia/Seabreeze), junior Tyler Pedersen (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) and sophomore Joseph Blonski (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest) in set one. Blonski posted a pin total of 258, followed by 222 from Mosher, 220 from Esguerra, 193 from Habetler and 191 from Pederson. The Cougars totaled 1,084 pins, however the Fighting Saints collected 1,096 to earn the point.
• In set two, SXU rallied to win with a tally of 1,026 pins to USF's 952 (192-189, 212-204, 245-144, 195-190, 182-225) to force set three. The same five bowlers from set one bowled, but St. Francis came out on top, winning in four games (155-203, 167-214, 181-199, 176-234).

Bowling in the elimination bracket, the format was best-of-seven Baker Games. Saint Xavier took on No. 3 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Friday morning.

• The Cougars forced a game seven after falling behind 3-1 (135-193, 219-207, 184-186, 180-260) when the won games five and six by pinfall totals of 196-183 and 190-186, respectively. However, in the deciding game seven SCAD Savannah advanced with a mark of 243-199.

No. 9 Saint Xavier wraps up team play, but Habetler continues play as he competes at the Intercollegiate Singles Championships (ISC) starting on Tuesday, April 14 the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wis.