TEAM SMITH WINS BACK-TO-BACK SENIOR WOMEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
2022 U.S. Senior Women’s National Champion, Team Smith, (l-r) Margie Smith (skip), Ann Swisshelm (vice), Shelly Kosal (second), and Shelley Dropkin (lead).
On Mar. 3-5th, the Bowling Green Curling Club in Bowling Green, Ohio, hosted the nation’s top Senior Women’s (50+) curling teams for the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Curling National Championship.
Four teams competed in round robin play.
Team Smith: Margie Smith, Ann Swisshelm, Shelly Kosal, Shelley Dropkin
Team Lawless: Tracy Lawless, Kim Wapola, Lisa Johnson, Leslie McGregor, Elizabeth Demers
Team Dukes: Susan Dukes, Stephanie Erstad, Anne Gravel, Angela Montgomery
Team Aubrey: Debra Aubrey, Karen Cole, Luba Brock, Tracey Drummond
Of the four teams, only two teams advanced to the Championship final.
In the Championship final matchup, Team Smith and Team Lawless competed for the 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Curling National Championship title, where Team Smith came out victorious, defending its national title by winning back-to-back U.S. Senior Women’s Championships.
“This feeling never gets old,” said Ann Swisshelm. “After missing out when 2020 Worlds was canceled, this one means even more. We are beyond thrilled to be Team USA again.”
In addition to the Championship title, Team Smith has also earned the berth to represent the United States at the 2022 World Senior Women’s Curling Championship, an experience the Team was unable to see through after its 2020 National Championship victory due the cancellation of the 2020 World Championship.
“It means we are the luckiest women in the world because we realize how fortunate we are to be able to play this game that we love and play it well,” said skip Margie Smith.
Team Smith will compete as Team USA at the upcoming World Women’s Curling Championship, scheduled Apr. 23-30, 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland at the Curling Club Trois-Chêne.
USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Toyota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People.
