Erin McCarthy Wins 2026 USBC Queens | PWBA Bowling News | Mojo Pro Shop
The tiara stayed in American hands, but the road to the crown at the 2026 USBC Queens was anything but easy. Under the bright lights of Gold Coast Bowling Center, Erin McCarthy delivered a performance worthy of bowling history, defeating Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan, 225-204, to capture her second major title and third PWBA championship.
And this one? It hit different.
McCarthy didn’t just win the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Queens — she dominated the entire week from start to finish. She led qualifying, grabbed the top seed heading into the stepladder finals, and sealed the deal with the tiara on her head, becoming the first bowler since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour to pull off the full sweep.
That’s not just winning. That’s taking control of the tournament and never letting go.
“To think about everyone that came before me, and then everyone that I'm bowling with now, it's a pretty incredible feeling,” McCarthy said afterward. “I had no idea that hadn’t been done yet.”
That’s classic Erin McCarthy — calm, humble, and absolutely lethal on the lanes.
Roslan’s road to the title match was electric in its own right. The Malaysian standout made her first-ever championship-round appearance after a breakout week that included TWO perfect games during match play. She punched her ticket to the finals with a dramatic semifinal win over Singapore’s New Hui Fen.
That semifinal turned into pure pressure bowling.
Roslan fired 227 and forced New to double in the final frame to stay alive. But the lanes had other plans. New’s shot failed to recover, leaving the nasty 2-4-8-10 split and ending her run at 205. Roslan survived and advanced, while New settled for third place and $22,500 — still her “worst” finish of the season, which tells you everything you need to know about how dominant she’s been in 2026.
The championship match started rough for Roslan with an early split and missed 10 pin, and McCarthy wasted zero time capitalizing. Three straight strikes out of the gate gave the Nebraska native immediate momentum.
To Roslan’s credit, she battled back hard with a spare followed by three consecutive strikes to tighten the match and make things uncomfortable late.
But champions answer pressure with execution.
McCarthy held the lead down the stretch and entered the 10th frame needing just nine pins on her first shot to shut Roslan out. Instead, she left the 8-10 split — cracking the door open ever so slightly.
Suddenly, Roslan had a chance to force a tie with a strike-filled finish.
Then came the shot that changed everything.
Roslan left a single pin standing, and before she could even finish the frame, McCarthy had already realized the title was hers while sitting back in the player’s area. Final score: 225-204.
Game over. Tiara secured.
McCarthy walked away with the $60,000 top prize, while Roslan earned $30,000 for an incredible runner-up finish that officially announced her arrival on the big stage.
One of the coolest moments of the night came after the final shot when reigning Queens champion Josie Barnes placed the tiara on McCarthy’s head.
And honestly? You could feel the emotion through the TV screen.
“Josie placing the tiara was a special moment,” McCarthy said. “She’s my best friend. I’m her best friend. We’ve roomed together for 11 years. Getting to share the highs and lows together is irreplaceable.”
That’s what makes bowling special. The trophies matter. The majors matter. But the relationships built through the grind? That’s the real stuff.
Earlier in the stepladder finals, New Hui Fen showed exactly why she’s the defending PWBA Player of the Year, eliminating France’s Emma Friant, 227-194, before throwing an absolute clinic against Barnes.
Both players opened with four straight strikes, but one missed 10 pin from Barnes proved costly. New stayed locked in and slammed the door with a massive 275 game to move on to the semifinal.
Despite the loss, Barnes still looked every bit like a champion chasing back-to-back Queens titles.
With her second major now secured, McCarthy moves one step closer toward future Professional Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame eligibility. The Performance category requires either 10 titles or five titles including two majors.
McCarthy, however, isn’t looking too far ahead.
“I’ve never really thought about it for myself,” she admitted. “I know how much these women devote to the game. I’d be lying if I said I put in as much time as some of them. If you think too much about those things, you lose sight of what matters week to week.”
Maybe that mindset is exactly why she keeps winning.
One thing’s for sure — Erin McCarthy didn’t just win the Queens this week.
She made bowling history with Mojo. 🎳🔥
