Former Shocker reaches nationally televised bowling championship

A.J. Chapman will bowl in in the Professional Bowlers Association Players Championship this weekend.

“I don’t really have words right now,” Chapman wrote on social media. “This is a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.”

Chapman, who graduated from Wichita State last year, placed fourth in the tournament’s qualifying round to advance to the step-ladder finals.

The finals will be televised on ESPN at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

This is Chapman’s first time competing in a televised event. He averaged more than 226 per game to reach the finals.

He faces Connor Pickford, Martin Larsen, Anthony Simonsen and former PBA player of the year Jason Belmonte.

Chapman, from Manchester, Iowa, was member of the Shocker bowling program for four years.