July 27, 2024 Nolan Hughes

Richie Teece and Liz Kuhlkin led the fourth and final squad of the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, commonly known as the Luci.

Alec Keplinger and Juliana Botero, B-squad leaders, led all teams at +405 at Copperfield Bowl in Houston.

Andrew Anderson and Erin McCarthy (+360), Sean Riccardi and Karsyn Lukosius (+342), Kris Prather and Hope Gramly (+328), and Teece and Kuhlkin (+277) round out the top five.

Defending champions Anthony Simonsen and Danielle McEwan (+239) sit in ninth place.

Casey Cohagan and Marissa Allison (+114) qualified in 40th place for the second straight year, though this year they avoided a tie and a roll-off.

Teece’s 1,568 seven-game series with Kuhlkin’s 1,509 combined for a 3,077 (+277) total pinfall, good for first on D-squad and fifth overall.

“We made the cut pretty easily the last however many years, but it was important to get closer to that top-12 cut this year to make them more attainable,” said Kuhlkin, a three-time PWBA Tour champion. “We've been bowling together for about five or six years. We bowl very similarly to begin with, which is one of the reasons we started bowling together. It's just a testament to Richie and I’s chemistry, throwing a good shot every time and just passing along to your partner so they don't do the same thing.”

With Teece living in England and Kuhlkin in upstate New York, the two don’t see each other very often. But their chemistry on the lanes is noticeable off the lanes as well, as their competition rounds are filled with laughter.

“It’s like lifelong friends meeting up every year,” Teece said. “We’ve made a pact: We’re going to keep bowling together until we win — and then even if we win, we’ll probably still bowl together.”

The Luci wraps up on Sunday at Copperfield Bowl. The top 40 teams, with pinfall carrying over, will each bowl four games at 9 a.m. Eastern (8 a.m. local).

The top 12 teams will advance to round-robin match play, which will feature two six-game rounds beginning at 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. ET (11:30 and 3:30 p.m. local).

The stakes are simple: The team with the most total pins after match play wins a title on their respective national tour and the $25,000 prize.

Qualifying Leaders

  1. Alec Keplinger and Juliana Botero, 3,205 (+405)
  2. Andrew Anderson and Erin McCarthy, 3,160 (+360)
  3. Sean Riccardi and Karsyn Lukosius, 3,142 (+342)
  4. Kris Prather and Hope Gramly, 3,128 (+328)
  5. Richie Teece and Liz Kuhlkin, 3,077 (+277)
  6. Dom Barrett and Diana Zavjalova, 3,050 (+250)
  7. Frank Snodgrass and Jordan Richard, 3,048 (+248)
  8. François Lavoie and Crystal Elliott, 3,046 (+246)
  9. Anthony Simonsen and Danielle McEwan, 3,039 (+239)
  10. Brad Miller and Maria Bulanova, 3,034 (+234)

Individual PBA

  1. Alec Keplinger, 1,721 (+321)
  2. Brad Miller, 3,710 (+310)
  3. Cameron Crowe, 1,703 (+303)
  4. Dom Barrett, 1,678 (+278)
  5. Sean Riccardi, 1,661 (+261)

Individual PWBA

  1. Stefanie Johnson, 1,649 (+249)
  2. Li Jane Sin, 1,582 (+182)
  3. Erin McCarthy, 1,576 (+176)
  4. Liz Johnson, 1,558 (+158)
  5. Hope Gramly, 1,557 (+157)

Full standings are available here.

Tournament Schedule

Copperfield Bowl | Houston, Texas

All times listed in Eastern

Sunday, July 28
9 a.m. — Semifinals (four games)
Top 12 teams advance to round robin match play
12:30 p.m. — Match Play Round 1 (six games, round robin)
4:30 p.m. — Match Play Round 1 (six games, round robin)
Highest total pinfall wins

More information on the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles is available here.