SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Marian University men's bowling team improved 16 positions from last season's finish at the 2012 Blue and Gold Classic at Chippewa Bowl in South Bend, Ind., over the weekend.

The Knights turned in an 18th-place finish out of 55 teams. MU turned in 8,998 total pins for a nine-game average of 999.8. The Knights tallied four 1,000-pin games, including a 1,138-pin game in the tournament's final game to set a new high-game record for the men's program. Lindenwood University won the tournament with Saginaw Valley State University hot on their heels in second.

Sophomore Adam Arthur led the way for the Knights with a 37th-place finish after he turned in 1,917 total pins for a 213 average over nine games. Sophomore Lucas Ewing finished with 1,617 total pins and an eight-game average of 202.1, while sophomore Jordan Gray finished with 1,586 total pins an an eight-game average of 198.3.

Sophomore Kevin Rush finished with 1,583 total pins for an eight-game average of 197.9, while sophomore T.J. McClelland finished with 1,1159 total pins for a six-game average of 193.2. McClelland turned in a 286 in the tournament's third game to set an all-time high game for the program in competition.

Sophomore Matt Staninger finished with 605 pins and a 201.7 average in three games, while sophomore James Kraushaar finished with 351 pins and a 175.5 average in two games. Sophomore Beau Hadley bowled a 180 in his one game for the Knights.

MU will head to the American Heartland Intercollegiate Bowling Conference IV tournament on February 4 at Western Bowl in Cincinnati, Ohio.