Leanne Hulsenberg (pictured) of Roseville, California, has been named the June 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Hulsenberg defeated top-seeded Kelly Kulick, Union, New Jersey, 218-183, for Bowling's U.S. Women's Open, the only women's major title she had not yet claimed. The ESPN2 televised finals inside Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas was the second- most attended in U.S. bowling history with over 6,000 fans. Finishing a close second in this month's voting is Ron Mohr.
Long time BWAA member Gudrun Gerda (GG) Wright, 69, of Killeen, Texas passed away Monday afternoon, November 21. After many years of battling various complications after surgery to remove a brain tumor, GG was an accomplished photographer who often accompanied her writer husband Don to BWAA and other bowling functions and events. In her native Germany before marrying American G.I. Don and moving to the United States, she was a world-class swimmer, winning the German Championships with her Mainz Swim Team in 1958.
Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, has been named the October 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Johnson captured the women's singles and women's doubles gold medals in the 16th Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Pan American Games are the second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games, which are also held every four years. Nearly 6,000 athletes in 36 different sports competed in the American Zone.
The Chuck Pezzano Scholarship winners were announced at the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) Annual Meeting on June 28, 2011 in Grapevine, TX. BWAA President, Jackie Wyckoff, notified all winners prior to the announcement. The award is named in honor of BWAA, United States Bowling Congress and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame journalist Chuck Pezzano (pictured) of Clifton, NJ. It is in his name the BWAA has dedicated itself to creating a new
generation of bowling journalists, photographers, artists and promoters. 
During the reconvened session of the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) Board Meeting on June 28, 2011, the Board of Directors elected Jim Goodwin (pictured left), Rockwall, Texas., as President and Joan Romeo, Van Nuys, Calif., as Vice President. Their term of office is August 1, 2011 through July 31, 2012. Filling in for legendary John Jowdy, who announced his retirement from the BWAA Board, mid-term, is Brandy Padilla.
Bill O'Neill (pictured) of Southampton, Pennsylvania has been named the May 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. In the 2011 Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) Men's Championships, O'Neill successfully defended his individual gold medals in the trios and all events categories while helping Team USA defend its gold medal from the 2009 PABCON tournament. This marks the fifth time in the last two years O'Neill has been named Kegel BWAA Bowler of the Month.
Dick Allen of Columbia, South Carolina, has been named the April 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA). Allen won the inaugural PBA Dick Weber Playoffs, defeating Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, in a two-game match for the title, 237-218 and 220-194. This is Allen's third PBA title following victories in 2006 and 2002. Reflecting his recent fatherhood, he changed his first name from Ritchie to Dick. 
Singapore national team member Jazreel Tan of Wichita State University and TJ Schmidt of Purdue University were presented the Bowling Writers Association of America's (BWAA) Collegiate Bowlers of the Year awards at the awards reception held in conjunction with the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships in Columbus, Georgia. Both bowlers, Tan in the women's competitions and Schmidt in the men's, had dominating seasons, particularly in the year's major tournaments.
The Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) announced veteran sports writer and bowling editor/publisher, Jim Goodwin of Rockwall, Texas will receive the 2011 Hennessy Award of Merit. The presentation will be made during the BPAA/Columbia Awards dinner, Tuesday evening, June 28, 2011 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas. The award is named after the late bowling reporter and USBC Hall of Famer, Mike Hennessy, and places focus on sports writers who have contributed to the betterment of bowling.
Jason Couch (pictured), Clermont, Florida, has been named the March 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Couch captured the PBA Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship, defeating Parker Bohn III, Jackson, New Jersey, in the title match, 219-175. The win is his 16th career PBA title and first since January 2007. After the 2006-07 season, the three-time Tournament of Champions winner faced knee surgery knocking him out of the 2007-08 season.
The Bowling Writers Association of America announced veteran scribe Joan Taylor (pictured) of East Stroudsburg, Penn., will receive the 2011 Luby Hall of Fame Award and bowling pioneer Bill Bunetta will be honored posthumously with the Alberta Crowe Meritorious Service Award. The awards will be presented during the Columbia Awards dinner during the 2011 Bowl Expo. Kelly Kulick and Walter Ray Williams Jr. have been named BWAA Female and Male Bowler of the Decade for their bowling accomplishments.
Kelly Kulick (l.) of Union, N.J., and Bill O'Neill (r.) of Southampton, Pa., capped off impressive years by being named 2010 female and male Bowlers of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Kulick was a near-unanimous selection with 46 of 48 first-place votes from BWAA members. O'Neill led the men's voting with 25 of 48 first-place votes. They will receive their awards in June during the BWAA Annual Meetings in Grapevine, Texas. 
Norm Duke (pictured), Clermont, Florida, has been chosen as the February 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Duke won the 68th PBA Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open in a heart-stopping finish over Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Michigan, 225-216. His seventh major title also gives Duke 34 titles, tying him with Mark Roth for fourth on the all-time PBA win list. Duke now trails only Pete Weber, Earl Anthony, and Walter Ray Williams Jr. 
Bowling Writers Association of America President Jackie Wyckoff has announced the selection of Brittni Hamilton (l.), Webster, N.Y., and Brian Ziesig (r.), Levittown, N.Y., as the 2010 U.S. Amateur Bowlers of the Year. Coming from opposite sides of New York, they earned their honors from opposite directions. Hamilton, 20, used Junior Team USA and collegiate competition while Ziesig, 36, used the PBA and USBC records.
'Major Mika' Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., has been named the January 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Koivuniemi captured two major events on two continents in the month. The first was the 41st Brunswick Ballmaster Open in his native Finland. Two weeks later, he became the first international player to win the PBA Tournament of Champions (TOC) for a record $250,000 first place prize.
Stuart Williams, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England, has been named the December 2010 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Williams defeated Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 422-417, in a two-game match to win the European Bowling Tour (EBT) "Platinum" Qatar Bowling Open and the 30.000 Euro top prize (approx. US$43,865). A regular on the EBT, he has six victories since 2003, finishing fourth in 2010 EBT rankings.