Bowling One-On-One with Jaysen Spanbauer: The ISC Champion Dream
When Jaysen Spanbauer arrived at Kingpin Lanes in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, he knew he had some work to do. It was the week of the Intercollegiate Singles and Team Championships, and he had bowled his way into the top 24 men at sectionals. What he did not know at the time was that he would wake up on April 20 as the soon-to-be 2024 ISCs champion.
Spanbauer’s journey actually began when he was around four or five years old, putting bowling shoes on in preparation for a youth league his dad had signed him up for. The sport did not become serious for him until the end of his senior year of high school.
While Spanbauer had never made state for high school bowling, he vividly remembers the time he was practicing at the alley as an alternate in case someone could not go. Dan Mueller, Marian University’s (WI) head bowling coach, had walked up to him to ask if he was interested in bowling for the team the following year.
“I was like a kid in a candy store, but played it cool and said I’d think about it,” Spanbauer recalled. “I had already made up my mind.”
That summer, Spanbauer prepared to take on the challenging new stages of collegiate competition. After his first year, he had the desire to work towards something bigger.
Jaysen came into the college game with a lot of talent. His first year he came in with his eyes wide open and absorbed a lot from his teammates and coaches. He asked questions and put in a lot of hard work his first year. Then [he] continued to work hard over the summer, and it showed at the start of his sophomore year. As the season went along, he showed a lot more confidence in his game.
-Dan Mueller
Going into the 2023-24 season, Spanbauer had a goal to try and make an All-Tournament team at least once. He knew he had to take it one step at a time to reach his ultimate dreams.
Heading into the postseason, Spanbauer had claimed three All-Tournament team tournament awards, First Team All-Conference, and Second Team Club All-American.
After sectional assignments were announced, Marian’s team prepared to tackle Stardust Bowl in Addison, Illinois. First up would be the ISC qualifying on March 8.
Going into game six, Spanbauer had shot 1,112, but was coming off of a 197 game and needed a big one to solidify his spot in the final cut.
“[During] the 197, I had a 2-8-10 in the fill with reactive. So my decision was to stay with urethane and move 2 and 1 left with my feet and eyes at the arrows and to just throw it harder because the lanes were starting to hook a lot by game six. It was working very well,” Spanbauer explained. “With a few breaks and with my assistant coach in the back saying [I was] close and to keep going, I was just going to do my best. I never like to know what the scores are, so throughout the whole time I didn’t know a single score or cut line. I just wanted to do my best.”
Spanbauer ended up shooting a 267 game six to tie for seventh and qualify for ISC Nationals by 11 pins. He was the first bowler for the Marian men’s team to ever do so.
His approach to the nationals tournament was quite different than the one he had at sectionals. His first goal was to bowl better than he had the year before. Once it had set in that he qualified for the big stage, he wanted to simply have fun and do his best. Winning had not yet crossed his mind.
(Photo Credit: USBC)
Yet after the nationals practice session before qualifying, Spanbauer realized that the look he had was pretty good. He had just drilled up a new Phaze II, and it would be the ball he ended up throwing for every shot. His confidence started to grow and he was ready to make some noise.
He would go on to shoot 1385 for qualifying, putting him in the second seeded position. After a round one bye, he won his first match 677-495 and his second 734-539. This led him to a spot in the Saturday semifinals.
On his mentality during the matches, Spanbauer explained, “I didn’t feel much pressure, but to say I wasn’t nervous [would be] a lie. I didn’t think about the doubt I had because I just took one shot at a time and I knew that each shot would add up and get me to Saturday. You can’t think so far ahead when it’s not guaranteed. It has to be earned.”
When Spanbauer returned to the bowling alley that Saturday, his first match was against Wichita’s Ryan Barnes. It would determine who made it to the final round.
As the game unfolded, it was clear that it would come down to the tenth frame.
Spanbauer had left a flat ten in the ninth, but struck out to force Barnes to double. Barnes got the first one, but ended up leaving a ten pin on the second shot, leading to a 259-253 final score and another life for Spanbauer.
“Something that my coach and I discussed was how we wanted to set ourselves up during matchplay,” Spanbauer mentioned. “We both decided that I should finish first and leave the fate of the opponent in their hands.”
Going into the final match, Spanbauer had to face Wichita’s Braden Mallasch. It was a fight between two Wisconsiners for a win every collegiate player dreams of.
Spanbauer remained calm and trusted his process and shotmaking, both having gotten him to that very point.
With a 4-10 split left in the ninth frame, things would get interesting as the match was still up for grabs. Yet Spanbauer would convert the split and set himself up perfectly for one final frame.
“All I needed was a mark and 1,” Spanbauer recalled. “I remember saying, ‘You can’t give me that.’”
Spanbauer had won the final match with 236-205. It was a moment of celebration as history was made for Marian University.
(Photo Credit: Kylene Schwark)
Jaysen’s ISC title has definitely changed how Marian University is looked at in the college bowling world. He and his teammates have helped put the whole program on a different level. Yet Marian University will not change in the way we prepare, practice, or approach the upcoming season. We are still very hungry, and our work and goals are not fully met yet. We now have to take the next step as a program.
-Dan Mueller
What ultimately led to his success at the ISC tournament was the strong mental game he maintained throughout. He went in with the goal of having fun while staying focused, knowing if he lost either, he could quickly let go of what he had worked so hard to build up.
During the television matches, Spanbauer was also writing things down in a notebook. “I did it all week. I do it for all singles tournaments I bowl,” Spanbauer said. “I believe it helps me focus more and analyze my shots at a higher level so I recognize any adjustments or moves I need to make.”
He also owes credit to all of his family, friends, and coaches who have shown him support throughout his bowling journey. He looks up to his brother, who advised him to make the switch to two-handed bowling. Spanbauer feels that this change allowed him a “higher ceiling to grow.”
As the future awaits, Spanbauer would ultimately like to go back to nationals for ITCs with his team and make a run for the Helmer Cup. They took sixth place this year at Addison’s sectional, missing the cut by less than 200 pins after the 64 baker games. While they are losing three seniors, they have a lot of incoming freshmen and transfers ready to compete at this higher level.
At the end of the day, Spanbauer’s best piece of advice would be, “Bowl your game and be satisfied with doing your best.”
(Photo Credit: USBC)
The Bowling One-On-One team congratulates Spanbauer on this great accomplishment! We wish you the best of luck moving forward.
(Feature Photo Credit: USBC – Jaysen Spanbauer after winning the 2024 ISC final match.)
