USWCA Celebrates Its 75th Jubilee

USWCA 73rd National Bonspiel

• Host: Utica Curling Club, Whitesboro, NY
• When: February 23 - 27, 2022
• Hotel: Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn
• Kit Party: Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 6:30 - 8:30 pm. 

The competitors of the 2022 USWCA National Bonspiel comprised of 32 teams from around the country convened on Wednesday, February 23rd for the kit party at the Utica Curling Club (UCC) in Whitesboro, New York.  Representatives from the local, state, and federal levels of New York and Wisconsin presented proclamation honoring USWCA's 75th Anniversary.  The teams paraded along the ice edge to join in on the National Anthem and the throwing of the first stone, delivered by President Naida Leslie and swept by past presidents.  "Miraculously" the stone landed right on the button.

The curling commenced Thursday morning with Ann Fitzpatrick as head official.  Ann set a wonderful tone to the whole competition.  She expected players to have fun and play fair.  The banquet was held at Utica CC and its highlights included a champaign toast to our 75th Anniversary, a presentation by current USWCA President Naida Leslie (pictured in the black jacket) of an honorary award to Bridget Matzke (pictured in the red jacket) for her many years of service as the Promotions Chair, a cake that featured a sheet of ice and curling stones and the performance of the play "How it Might Have Come to Be" presented by the UCC National Bonspiel Players. The play imagined the beginning of the USWCA 75 years ago.  The performers took some liberties with the earliest records to create a bit of historical fiction. 

Friday and Saturday were full days of curling. Participants were able to get out and explore the area. Many visited the Utica Zoo and enjoyed area restaurants.

The host hotels were the Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn.

Congratulations to the National Women's Bonspiel Champions from the Utica Curling Club of Whitesboro, New York, the Stuhlman Rink.

First Event Winner - Utica Curling Club, Whitesboro, New York

Pictured left to right, lead Erlene Puleo, second Melissa Foote, vice Elizabeth Kaido, and skip Anne Stuhlman.

First Event Runners Up - Blackhawk Curling Club, Janesville, Wisconsin

Pictured left to right, lead Deb Richards, second Jodeen Exner, vice Suzanne Lindsay, and skip Kim Ruskin.

Photos below are captioned left to right, lead to skip, except where otherwise noted.

Second Event Winner - St. Paul Bonnie Spielers, St. Paul, Minnesota	Second Event Runners Up - Detroit Curling Club, Ferndale, Michigan
Sandy Bromenschenkel (Itasca), Jodie Sigel, Nancy Powers, Sally Augustin	(Order unknown) Jenny Levy, Stephanie Whitmore, Diana Jankowski, Melissa Turbow
Third Event Winner - Chicago Curling Club, Northbrook, Illinois	Third Event Runners Up - Four Seasons Curling Club, Blaine, Minnesota
Kristen Higashakawa lead, Stephanie Martin second, Julie Denten skip, Leslie McGregor vice	Heather Getty, Lisa Bachmeier, Kari Gullicksen, Jenna Chapiewsky
Fourth Event Winner - Madison Curling Club, McFarland, Wisconsin	Fourth Event Runners Up - Bowling Green Curling Club, Bowling Green, Ohio
Sandii Zylkowski, Clarion Gilbertson, Star Pfiffner, Kathy Pielage	Alana Malik, Ruth Brown, Diane Muldowney (Nutmeg), Mary Glowacki

The participating teams are listed below, skip to lead, left to right.

EAST

Albany: Aimee Wagner, Julie Reynolds, Lindsay Bianco, Christine McLear

Broomstones: Joyce Shaffer (Utica), Francesca Simon, Sharon Quill, Jacqui Napoli

Cape Cod 1: Sue Haigney, Pat Jones, Barbara Sheerin, JoAnn O'Connor

Cape Cod 2: Krista Longnecker, Matina Heisler, Marinna Martini, Elizabeth Abeltin 

Green Mountain: Tish Orr, Meg O'Donnell, Karen Barnes (Utica), Char Mehrtens

Nutmeg: Jennifer Stannard, Naida Leslie, Erin Doucette, Karen Shane

Rochester: Carol Wood, Rebecca Hahn, Carol Dellavilla, Wendy Strassner

Schenectady: Fay Navratil, Paula Lancaster, Denise Cashmere, Leslie Cooke (Mayfield)

South Shore: Kendall Walker, Amanda Darling, Francesca Sanders, Caitlyn Zuber

Utica 1: Anne Stuhlman, Elizabeth Kaido, Melissa Foote, Erlene Puleo

Utica 2: Cindy Brown, Carol Jones, Barb Felice, Kathy Palazzoli

CENTRAL

Bowling Green: Mary Glowacki, Diane Muldowney (Nutmeg), Ruth Brown, Alana Malik

Charlotte: Jan Mogavero, Stacie Pinnavaia, Aly Athens, Anne Pifer

Chicago: Julie Denten, Leslie McGregor, Kirsten Higashikawa, Stephanie Martin

Circle City: Tammy Hoffman, Sandy Chouinard, Katie Schoenberg, Susan Fleck

Detroit 1: Melissa Turbow, Diana Jankowski, Stephanie Whitmore, Jenny Levy

Detroit 2: Julie Benson, Ashley Mayra, Marta Bauer, Kristine Rathke

Detroit 3: Abby Bond, Laura Call, Pam Buchkowski, Troy Eller English

Exmoor: Marcy Calaway, Elaine Burns, Lori Russell (Tisnai), Barb Hesterberg (Taube)

Mayfield: Irina Khusid, Amy Friedl, Jenny Amador, Kymberleigh Romano

WEST

Arden Hills Cairn Lassies: Paula Armstrong, Lisa Rudolph, Maureen Guay, Linda Turner

Coyotes: Kelly Stephens, Marnie Devlin, Carol Ann Naso, Denise Juillard

Denver: Cynthia Smith, Dena Rosenberry, Lucy Bradshaw, Miriam Moller Johnston

Four Seasons: Jenna Chapiewsky, Kari Gullickson, Lisa Bachmeier, Heather Getty

St. Paul Bonnie Spielers: Sally Augustin, Jodi Sigel, Sandy Bromenschenkel (Itasca), Nancy Powers

Sillicon Valley: Diane Palme, Julie Wolf, Antoinette Serna, Amanda Lundie

Composite West: Katie Feldman, Megan Groh, Ilene Barbree, Lee Ann Shearing

WISCONSIN

Blackhawk: Kim Rudkin, Suzanne Lindsay, Jodeen Exner, Deb Richards

Centerville: Laura Roessler, Sara Hein, Elyse Sorensen, Megan Delaney

Madison: Kathy Pielage, Star Pfiffner, Clarion Gilbertson, Sandii Zylkowski 

Racine: Pam Wortley, Brenda Tait, Virginia Anderson, Paula Kalke

Composite Wisconsin: Kristin Smith, Lisa Johnson, Terri Gleason, Kim Susens

Welcome to Utica

COVID Policy

Please be aware of and read the Utica Curling Club's very detailed COVID-19 Policy. 

Bonspiel Information

For information about the event, please read the event flyer.  More comprehensive information regarding the bonspiel (hotels, transportation, etc.) can be found in this PowerPoint (now a PDF document) Presentation. 

Participation Information

To be considered to participate, a completed hard copy application, along with the entry fee, needs to be received by your club's USWCA Representative by the deadline she establishes.  Please note that this is a fillable form.  Complete it online and then print it to give to your Rep.  Please contact your USWCA Representative for more information.

Selection Allocation

The allocation percentages used to determine the number of teams selected per region will be listed here once it becomes available. 

Webcasts

Webcasts of the events are available on the Utica Curling Club YouTube channel.