IBMA announces finalists for College Bowlers of the Year

12 April, 2016

Collegiate IBMA

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The International Bowling Media Association has announced the sixteen nominees for the 2016 College Bowler of the Year. The committee, comprised of IBMA members who are bowling media and former college coaches, met on April 7, 2016 to determine the top eight male and female players eligible to receive the award.

The IBMA College Bowler of the Year Award is given each season to the male and female bowlers who excel on the lanes in USBC officially certified tournament play. Players must have a cumulative 32 games in to be considered for the award.

The nominees are as follows:

MALE
A.J. Chapman, Wichita State
Michael Coffey, Lindenwood
Michael Davidson, Calumet
Nick Devlin, Arizona State
Nick Kruml, Wisconsin-Whitewater
Kyle Sherman, Lindenwood
Darren Tang, San Jose State
Ryan Zagar, Robert Morris-Illinois

FEMALE
Rachael Albright, Ursuline
Sydney Brummett, Wichita State
Daria Kovalova, Wichita State
Kristie Lopez, Wichita State
Katie Maher, St. Ambrose
Stephanie Schwartz, Stephen F. Austin
Thashaina Seraus, Maryland-Eastern Shore
Brittany Smith, Grand View

The 2015 Bowlers of the Year were Daria Kovalova of Wichita State and Michael Tang of San Jose State. If selected, Kovalova would become the first female player to win the award three times and would join P.J. Haggerty and Bill O’Neill as the only three-time winners.

The 2016 winners will be announced at the Night of Champions banquet and reception on Wednesday, April 20th beginning at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Wichita East. The evening festivities will conclude with the announcement of the IBMA Bowlers of the Year as well as presentations to the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBA) All Americans, NCBCA Gordon Teigen Award winner (volunteer service to collegiate bowling) and NCBCA Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year Award.

Many professional and high-ranking amateur bowlers have received the College Bowlers of the Year award which was established in 1987 to honor the sport’s finest young players and bring media attention to college bowling.

Notable past winners of the award include Kayla Bandy (2), Chris Barnes, Lynda (Norry) Barnes (2), Missy (Bellinder) Parkin, Josh Blanchard, Joe Ciccone, PJ Haggerty (3), A.J. Johnson, Liz Johnson, Marshall Kent, Daria Kovalova (2), Kelly Kulick (2), Dan MacLelland (2), Bill O’Neill (3), Shannon Pluhowsky, Rick Steelsmith, Jazreel Tan and Michael Tang.

Herbert Bickel