Henderson Guides FSU Lady Broncos To Historic 600th Win

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -  There was little fanfare. While they briefly stopped play to acknowledge the achievement with a team picture and some words of congratulations, the moment soon passed as the games resumed.  To the relief of head coach and program architect Bobby Henderson, the Fayetteville State Lady Broncos recorded their 600th victory on Sunday. Then they went out and did what they always do.

Win some more.

Fayetteville State (25-1), the defending CIAA Bowling Champion and the first CIAA program to reach 600 wins, finished the three-day Southern Division meet in much the same way it has done in so many other divisional competitions. Clear and utter domination.

The Lady Broncos, who have won 10 CIAA division titles in 11 years and two league championships in the last four seasons, completed the meet at their home B&B Bowling Lanes with a perfect 15-0 mark. Needing 12 wins coming into the weekend to hit 600, Fayetteville State reached that lofty perch with a dominant win over Johnson C. Smith during Sunday's second Baker match.

"I can rest now," said a breathless Henderson, who built the program from scratch in 2001. "I can sleep now, because I didn't sleep at all last night."

After that, it was on to wins 601, 602 and 603.

Not that there wasn't some minor trepidation. The Lady Broncos, who romped through play with a 10-0 mark the first two days, only managed to slip past Winston-Salem State in the first Baker match on Sunday, clipping the Lady Rams by a mere eight pins.

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Fayetteville State Broncos bowling coach builds titles, legacy

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina – Bobby Henderson came to Fayetteville State nearly 40 years ago with dreams of making his name as a basketball player. If he ever leaves FSU, he’ll go out as a bowling legend.

Ranked as the No. 1 youth bowler growing up and the son of a professional bowler who is in the North Carolina Bowling Hall of Fame, it should’ve seemed logical all along Henderson would leave his mark on one hardwood rather than the other.

But Henderson didn’t see it that way. “I gave bowling up to be a basketball player,” Henderson said. “I wanted to be a basketball player. There was no money in bowling.” Maybe not. But there was something more.

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