Selection criteria announced for Team USA 2008

Many of the country's top professional bowlers will be available to compete for the United States as the selection procedures for Team USA 2008 were announced Friday by the United States Bowling Congress.

Team USA 2008 will be comprised of a minimum of 12 women and 12 men. Committees will select an undetermined amount of men from the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour as well as an undetermined amount of women from a pool of players that includes Team USA members since 1998 and former Professional Women's Bowling Association/Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour members.

The top two men and two women in the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials will earn automatic spots on Team USA while two additional men and two additional women will be selected from the field by the National Selection Committee.

Additionally, four men and four women already have guaranteed spots on Team USA 2008 by virtue of their performance or selection at the 2007 Team USA Trials. Those players are Lynda Barnes, Shannon O'Keefe, Tennelle Milligan, Shannon Pluhowsky, David Haynes, Bill Hoffman, David O'Sullivan and Rhino Page.

Last month, the World Tenpin Bowling Association voted to allow members of professional organizations to compete in international events, prompting USBC to change the selection procedures for Team USA in 2008.

"With the change to allow professionals, we felt it was necessary to adjust our selection procedures so those bowlers could become eligible to compete on Team USA in 2008," USBC Chief Operating Officer Kevin Dornberger said. "At this point, we are planning to announce the selected men and women during the week of the USBC Masters in Milwaukee."

In order to be eligible to be selected for Team USA 2008, Denny's PBA Tour players must submit their name and resume to the PBA by Oct. 2. On the women's side, resumes must be submitted to USBC Team USA High Performance Director David Garber by Oct. 17.

"This is a significant step for the sport of bowling in becoming a viable candidate for the Olympic Games," Garber (right) said. "Adding professionals to Team USA allows us to build the best team possible and align with criteria set by the International Olympic Committee."

The 2008 USBC Team USA Trials will take place Jan. 13-18 at Sunset Station in Las Vegas. The event is open to any USBC member, including those who submit resumes but are not selected for Team USA. Denny's PBA Tour players are also eligible but must receive an exemption from the PBA in order to compete.