Thursday, April 16, 2009

Gongora and MacLelland Named Top Colliegiate Players

Wichita State University (KS) junior Sandra Gongora and Saginaw Valley State University (MI) senior Dan MacLelland were honored as 2009 Bowling Writers Association of America Collegiate Bowlers of the Year Wednesday prior to the start of the United States Bowling Congress' (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championships.

Gongora, who resides in Monterrey, Mexico, and MacLelland, from Windsor, Ontario, mark the first time since BWAA originated its Collegiate Bowler of the Year award in 1991 that two international players have swept the bowling writers' top honors.

Gongora, who helped the Wichita State women to a record 34th appearance in the Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC), led the nation with a 210.87 average, more than seven pins better than runner-up Rebekah Diers of McKendree College.

MacLelland, the Most Valuable Player in the 2007 and 2008 ITC and a Collegiate All-American both years, was second in average among the men with a 215.01, behind only Wichita State's John Szczerbinski who led the nation's collegiate men in average at 215.78.

Runners-up in the women's voting were Diers; Brigette Harrelson, Central Florida; Sarah O'Brien, Briarcliff, and Liz Siebel, Penn State. Jenn Boiselle, Central Florida; Kristie Petravich, Central Florida, and Kim Yioulos, Pikeville College, were honorable mention selections.

Runners-up in the men's voting were Josh Blanchard, Wichita State; Derek Hartnell, Newman University; J.R. Raymond, McKendree College, and Szczerbinski. Men's honorable mention selections were Larry Brande, Webber International; Shawn Naumann, Central Florida, and Toby Sambueno, Saginaw Valley State.

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