The Iowa Central bowling squads continue to make progress under first-year head coach Haley Hall.

The Tritons are just getting started for the 2025-26 campaign, which runs from now through mid-March. The men took 13th place in the 28-team Golden Eagle Invitational field in Rockford, Ill., followed by a runner-up showing at the Big Ole Open in Alexandria, Minn.

Among all college bowling programs in the country, the Iowa Central men are currently ranked 39th.

Freshman standout Nicholas Rajkovic has posted a Top-30 national average of 217.3 per game, which is sixth in the country among rookie competitors.

The Triton women took the match play title at the Big Ole Open as the fourth seed. They are currently rated 49th nationally, anchored by sophomores Madison Ninneman of Dubuque and Emma Phelps of Davenport, who are both averaging right in the 168 range.

“Our expectations heading into the winter months are to continue to learn and grow not only as bowlers, but people off the lanes,” said Hall, who replaced long-time head coach Gregg Haden at the helm last spring. “We really want to focus on our shot making and spare shooting – especially in pressure situations.

“We want to do just as much mental training as physical, which will prepare us for those high-pressure situations. If we can continue that, I believe we’ll be in a very good spot to bring home two NJCAA national championship trophies come March.”

Hall, a native of Lincoln, Neb., was Haden’s assistant for seven years. She was a three-time individual state champion at North Star High School.

“I really just want to make a difference in the lives of these student-athletes,” Hall said. “I was in their shoes as a collegiate bowler, and I know how much my coaches helped me – both (as an athlete and as a person). I want to teach them to be great bowlers and great people.

“If I’m doing that, there really is no losing. I learned a lot from Coach Haden, and I’m really just hoping to continue the success we’ve had here over the past 13 seasons.”

The Tritons are a member of the Mid-Iowa Bowling Conference with Nebraska, Iowa State, Coe, Wartburg, Iowa Western, Waldorf, Luther and Hawkeye. The Iowa Central men were fourth in the league’s tournament a year ago, while the women were third.

The Triton women were NJCAA national runner-ups a year ago. The men took third overall in 2024, and in 2023, both the men and women placed fourth.

Iowa Central earned four combined national titles under the guidance of Haden, including back-to-back gold for the women in 2020 and ’21. The Tritons have been a national runner-up four times on the men’s side, with three more NJCAA silver showings by the women.