2026 Players to Watch
January 31, 2026
-26_374-bji-845x476-0126_-jan-26.jpg)
Chess Master
On the chessboard and on the lanes, Deo Benard is poised to be the aggressor in 2026.
By Jill Winters
Deo Benard is living the dream.
The tall, slender, two-handed lefty with dark, curly hair has quickly made a name for himself, winning 14 PBA Regional titles and one PBA Tour title. He’s done it all while bowling for fewer than 10 years.
He closed out the 2025 season winning the BowlTV PBA Regional Players Invitational on Dec. 14 for $15,000 and three consecutive Southwest Region titles to secure back-to-back Southwest Region Player of the Year Awards. He also won the DV8 Nightmare Doubles, finished third at the New Mexico Open and won the SNBT/South Point Masters open division championship to earn an entry into the 2026 USBC Masters. However, he said his biggest accomplishment of his young and decorated career was being chosen by his peers as the PBA Tour’s 2025 Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award recipient.
“It makes me so thankful that I have the opportunity. Every day, I am always trying to get better,” he said. “I like to have a good time. I try to make friends on tour, be happy and be nice. It was so cool that they recognized me for that. Me being friends with people helped me bowl better.”
His mom, Amy, added proudly, “I have always seen his beauty and have known it. For other people to recognize that and see the soul that Deo has, it means everything. He is truly honored to be surrounded by the people he [has around him] because he looks up to each and every one of them.”
Deo, who turned 22 on Christmas Eve, has always had a different mentality. He quietly goes about his business while genuinely cheering for everybody. He believes being naturally calm is an amazing gift and feels like he has only gotten calmer over the years.
“I try to be unique and stand out as much as possible. I try to think of what is in front of me and not what other people are doing,” he said. “I can’t really change or affect what they are doing, so I might as well focus on what I am doing and try to master it and let it come to me.”
According to his dad, Rick, who owns three PBA regional titles, Deo’s demeanor is like Amy’s. And once he is focused on something, the young man is all-in.
Rick has been a bowling coach for 30 years. Typically, it takes those he coaches several days or even months to get the muscle memory down to be able to repeat. When Deo finally asked his dad to teach him how to bowl at the age of 13, Rick was impressed with his progression. Deo started out bowling traditionally left-handed but, after throwing a few shots two-handed, he made the switch because it was fun.
“He can do it the next shot and it looks like he has done it his whole life,” Rick said. “I told my wife, ‘There is something different about Deo.’ I have never coached anybody that I can tell them to do something and they do it the first time; it is unreal.”
Deo committed to constant practice and watching endless videos of Jason Belmonte to improve his game. Just two years later, he told his parents he was ready to make the professional leap.
“I wanted to learn at a young age, so I could get a head start. I figured if I just started with a few regionals and local tour events, that maybe I can learn quicker,” Deo recalled.
“That is the Deo I know. He picks up something, and he doesn’t stop until he masters it,” Amy said. “He watched every video and every step Belmo took. He puts his all into everything he does.”
Quick learner
Deo’s self-belief, commitment and determination paid off. He holds countless titles being the youngest PBA member to win a regional title at 16, youngest to his now 14 regional wins and counting, and the youngest to be named Southwest Region Player of the Year last year.
“If you can get more practice hours in than other people, you get more of an edge,” Deo said. “The more you learn, you can find ways to cash by doing something unique. Try to stand out, think outside the box as much as possible; being more aggressive with some unique ideas.”
He has proven his ability to think outside the box by winning a regional throwing a back-up ball and another throwing plastic.
“I had to bite my tongue. It was hard for me to sit back and watch,” Rick said. “I had to realize this is Deo. Let him do what he is good at and trust the process. Let Deo be Deo. I have learned when Deo says he is going to do something, just trust him because he can do it.”
For Deo, “The amount of support from my parents is amazing. They allowed me to do my thing, learn afterward how to do better and have fun on the side.”
One way Deo has been working on his mental game is by playing chess. It’s a game his dad has always been good at and, about four years ago, Deo told his dad he wanted to play. Rick has seen a correlation between Deo’s chess skills and his bowling skills. Both require focus on what you need to do while anticipating your opponent’s response.
“He is a lot more aggressive in chess now, too. That is why he is beating me. Before I could be aggressive and he was always playing defense,” Rick said. “Now, he is really strong on offense, and he is making moves before I see it. With bowling, he is more offensive and aggressive now in taking the risk.”
Throughout this season, Deo found himself behind the field early in qualifying before figuring out the right moves. Toward the end of the season, Rick saw Deo be more aggressive, making quicker moves and the results showed.
“It is so easy to put pressure on yourself with all of the distractions of comparing yourself to others. That is the hardest thing,” Deo said. “If people can be confident, go out there and do the thing that they are best at, it causes them to bowl really good. I’ve learned that.”
Rick added, “It is really easy to get caught up in the limelight and start losing who you are. But this is who he is, and bowling is just something he loves to do.”
Off the lanes, Deo estimates he has produced between 500 and 1,000 songs that he only shares with friends and family. His leans toward “jazz and a little pop; more chill,” he explained.
“It is very calming, natural music. I told him he needs to put it out there for people to meditate to because it’s calming,” Amy said. “It matches Deo all around.”
Maybe in the future, we will enjoy a collaboration between Deo and fellow two-handed lefty musician Keven Williams. Regardless, Deo hopes to win his second national title and to keep piling up the regional titles, too. He ended 2025 with a lot of confidence, and his focus is on being even more aggressive as he carries his new knowledge and outside the box thinking into the 2026 season.
“I am living the dream,” Deo said. “I want to be known as the nicest person who was one of the best bowlers.”
No Average 12-Year-Old
With a power that far exceeds his age, Nehemiah Keefer
is determined to dominate the youth-bowling landscape.
By Emil Williams Jr.
At just 4 years old, Nidiea Yarbrough knew there was something special about her grandson,
Nehemiah Keefer.
“We would go watch my dad and my son bowl,” said Yarbrough, with a laugh, “and we would look up and Nehemiah would be out on the approach. My dad looked back and said, ‘Get this boy. He's going to get hurt, or somebody's going to hurt him. Get this baby.’”
Nehemiah wasn’t the typical toddler who would have been enthralled by the adventures of the arcade. As Yarbrough said, “We couldn’t keep him in the game room.”
No, the sights and sounds of pins crashing and bowling balls bouncing is what caught Nehemiah’s early attention.
“What I love about bowling is the competition and meeting new friends,” Nehemiah said. “Bowling challenges you a lot.”
Yarbrough recalls signing him up for the Stardust Snackers youth league as a 5-year-old at Stardust Bowl in Addison, Illinois, and he quickly excelled while using a one-handed backup release. In fact, Nehemiah asked his grandmother if he could bowl without bumpers, because he already was seeking the next challenge.
His backup release drew attention because it wasn’t the norm. But after seeing two-handed pros on TV, Nehemiah wanted to give two-handed bowling a try, which was becoming a new standard at the time.
However, Yarbrough had set ground rules regarding a possible switch, which included practicing one-handed for one hour before working on his two-handed delivery. As she said, “We were at the bowling alley every freaking day.”
After a new ball didn’t fit him correctly and the influence from Belmonte, Nehemiah made the switch with his grandmother’s blessing.
“One reason I wanted to switch was because of Jason Belmonte,” said Nehemiah, who rolled his first certified 300 game in 2025. “His power was so interesting. I just wanted to do it. That's why I wanted to become two-handed, and that's why I stick to it.”
Last summer, Nehemiah gave the bowling world a glimpse into what the future might hold for the tall, soon-to-be 13-year-old excellent student from the western suburbs of Chicago as he appeared on CBS Sports Network not once, but twice.
First, he helped Dem Midwest Boyz, the Lower Great Lakes Regional Champions, win the USA Bowling National Championships in the 12-and-under division after defeating the Atlantic East region’s Lane Damage team, 3-1.
The show was contested inside the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on specially constructed lanes that were prepared for the stepladder finals of the PWBA Anniversary Open. Nehemiah and his teammates won on the same lanes that saw Josie Barnes take home the Anniversary Open title in front of more than 6,500 fans, including himself.
“It was very exciting, especially when we won,” said Nehemiah, who enjoys playing video games like PBA Bowling 2023, NBA 2K and Rocket League. “Our 268 game was incredible and when I threw those last three shots … it was very intriguing.”
The following week, Nehemiah found himself rolling through the U12 boys competition at the Junior Gold Championships, which also was contested in Green Bay. After five days of competition, Nehemiah earned the No. 1 seed for the TV finals at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, where he fell to Noah Ausderau in the title match, 201-154.
Like any good athlete, Nehemiah takes the good with the bad and keeps an honest assessment of each performance.
“It was very nerve-wracking,” said Nehemiah, referring to the title match. “I lost and I missed two 10 pins on TV. It was kind of embarrassing, but the nerves were insane.”
Nehemiah has quickly developed a winning mindset with his natural gifts, plus a little assistance from his grandmother, his dad, Steven Smith, and his youth league coaches who’ve all helped shape his foundation. Those coaches include Linda Avent (Stardust Bowl), Roman Barnes (Stardust Bowl) and Derrick Gunn (Hillside Bowl).
It was Barnes who suggested to Yarbrough that Nehemiah needed a new challenge outside of league bowling, which came in the form of the Elite Youth Tour founded by Diandra Asbaty and Belmonte in 2012.
Nehemiah competed in the EYT for the first time in 2024 and it didn’t take long to leave an impression on Asbaty, who also was impressed with his power, similar to that of her friend Belmonte.
“I remember how strong he looked as a bowler in the U12 division,” Asbaty said. “He was bigger than the other kids. He was taller, and he just had a lot more power behind him. In the beginning, when he first started bowling the EYT, he really didn't know where his ball was going. He just wanted it to be as strong and powerful as possible, which is how most kids start. But his ball was more powerful and stronger than any U12 bowler I've seen in a really long time.”
Nehemiah has since racked up 12 career EYT titles, including 10 in U12 and two in the new U14 division. He’s nearly halfway to 30 titles, which is the record for EYT and held by Team USA member Landin Jordan, who now bowls collegiately at Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah.
But, perhaps more impressive than his jaw-dropping physical abilities is his empathetic and compassionate attitude toward his opponents. There have been multiple moments where Nehemiah has hugged an emotional opponent after he had locked up victories.
“As much as he is a winner, he's really empathetic,” Asbaty said. “There have been moments that have made me emotional, because he was hard to beat in the U12 division. And, I think just talking about it kind of makes me emotional because I like to be able to sense that in another competitor. And, of course, you want to win and you believe you can, but to be empathetic toward the one that lost and acknowledge that he knew that it was hard in that moment for them showed me everything I needed to know about his character.”
While Nehemiah is just getting started, his list of goals is clear: Roll an 800 series, win a PBA Regional, win a PBA National title in his mid-20s, and, of course, more EYT titles.
“I want 30,” said Nehemiah, referring to Jordan’s record. “I want at least 30.”
Creating Her Own Lane
Why Sweden’s Nora Johansson may change women’s bowling forever.
By Emil Williams Jr.
“I still remember it very strongly,” said Robert Andersson, Sweden National Team Manager and Captain. “It was during a national team camp before we picked the team for a youth championship in 2019. She didn't have that high of an average, but it was for sure the first time I saw a female bowl two-handed.”
That female is 22-year-old Nora Johansson of Sweden, and she is the same woman who showed more than 6,500 fans inside the Resch Center last July at the PWBA Anniversary Open, and those watching live on CBS Sports Network, why she could be the first two-handed woman to win a PWBA title and change women’s bowling forever.
Johansson is shy by nature, but you don’t have to say much when you have the boldness of her physical game and unapologetic nature of her bowling ball as it powers through the pins.
“She stands out a bit because she has a background in gymnastics,” Andersson added. “So, she's very strong. What was very different to see was that she bowled just like the guys and had the same rev rate as the men. Her parents are not from bowling, so they had a lot of questions about how she bowled differently from all the other girls. So, that's my first memory.”
Johansson picked up the style by watching another youth male bowl two-handed at her bowling center. First, she just admired his style. Then, she tried it. Her coach at the time said to her, “You should probably stick with that.”
“I think I developed my own style, because there were no women,” Johansson said. “I was the first [two-handed] woman to play at the (European) championships in youth. So, I was kind of on my own for a while.”
The solo act in this case can be appreciated because Johansson didn’t want to directly mimic a male two-handed bowler, but she did watch multiple players like fellow Swede Jesper Svensson or Jason Belmonte to compare what may or may not work for her. Belmonte often is credited for the two-handed influence which can be seen amongst every level of youth bowling, including boys and girls.
Johansson simply wanted to create her own lane.
“I watched a lot of good two-handed men as well, but I didn't want to be like someone else,” Johannson said. “I just want to have my own style. I don't want to be a copy of Jesper because we don't bowl alike. I don't want to be a Belmo copy, either. I just want to have my own style.”
Johansson’s jet-setting pace has now seen a 30 percent increase in two-handed women in Sweden, according to Andersson. Across Europe, Osku Palermaa’s niece, Emma Palermaa, recently won the European Championship of Champions event at just 15 years old as a two-handed player.
Palermaa made waves with his two-handed style when he became the first two-handed player to make a PBA stepladder finals appearance at the 2004 U.S. Open.
Johansson has been trying to make memories on the PWBA Tour since her first short stint in 2023, but it was her performance in 2025, specifically near the end of the season, that left you believing she will eventually add to her story. Her first real opportunity came in Green Bay, as she became the first two-handed woman to advance to a PWBA stepladder final.
“The atmosphere was really amazing,” said Johansson, who lost to Colombia’s Rocio Restrepo, 215-209, in the opening match. “And all those people cheering, it was amazing to make that show. With all those people watching, it was a lot of pressure, but I'm so happy that I made it to that show. And, when I look back at it now, I just want to go back and do it all over again.”
Johansson’s bar is trending upward after making a second stepladder appearance at the PWBA Pepsi Open in Rochester, New York, where she lost to PWBA and USBC Hall of Famer Liz Johnson in the semifinal match. That provides a stark contrast to the beginning of the season, when she flew to the U.S. “with expectations,” but was met again with the harsh reality of life on tour with travel and lifestyle adjustments along with the “challenging lane conditions and extra friction” she encounters in comparison to Sweden.
When the tour ended in August, Johansson continued to bowl well back in Europe. She took down the Norwegian Open title as part of the European Bowling Tour, won the Eslöv Ladies Open crown to qualify for the finals of the 2026 Elite Swedish Championship and was selected to represent Sweden at the International Bowling Federation World Championships in Hong Kong.
She also received an invitation to participate in an event in Korea to close out 2025, which began with a bronze medal in singles at the IBF World Cup in January.
At just 22, she is far from a finished product, but Johansson truly is starting to show consistency across varying lane conditions and lower scoring environments after struggling in those areas just a short time ago.
But make no mistake about it, the journey is hers, and she will go as far as she wants to despite any pressure or expectations from the outside world. The only pressure is the type she puts on herself.
“I just want to win,” Johansson said. “It doesn't matter. I just want to win. I don't care what other people want me to do. It's just me thinking that I should be able to win, and that is the pressure I put on myself.
“When I lose, it sucks. It really sucks. I just want to be the best two-handed woman, and the first to win. And, you know, be like Belmo and Jesper and all of them, but on the women's side of course. That would be cool, but I'm just happy if I can win.”
A Leader Through and Through
Why Zac Andresen’s leadership abilities may be Mount Mercy’s key to glory in 2026.
By Emil Williams Jr.
During the first semester of his freshman season at Mount Mercy, Zach Andresen found himself as a major player in a match that would become his favorite college bowling moment to date and a key foundational building block for the men’s program.
Andresen and his teammates had worked their way to the title match of the 2023 Leatherneck Classic, a tournament widely considered to be the toughest Tier II tournament in the country. And, who opposed them in the title match? Just college bowling’s version of a blue-blood team, Wichita State.
As Andresen recalled, Mount Mercy was the underdog in the bout and competing on a pair of lanes that provided more tricks than treats. Specifically, one lane was more difficult to combat than the other, with each team rolling games in the 160s on the tougher of the two lanes.
It was a moment in college sports when a young team looking to prove that it belongs can either fold its hand at the behest of its historical counterpart or go all in and let the chips fall as they may.
Mount Mercy went all in as a family and outlasted the Shockers in a program-changing victory.
“It was a really cool experience because we were huge underdogs,” Andresen said. “It showed what we were really all about. Having a deep connection with all the guys and having good team chemistry can really set yourself apart.”
Fast forward two seasons and Andresen, now a junior, has set himself apart with his on-lane performance, and most importantly, his leadership qualities since that championship day in 2023.
As a sophomore, Andresen was selected as the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player, a First-Team All-American and the International Bowling Media Association Bowler of the Year. According to collegebowling.bowl.com, he led the country in average (229.56) and average differential (42.486) and garnered three individual tournament wins, which tied him with Brandon Bohn of Webber International and Zachary Oliver-Davis of Fresno State for the most amongst the men’s division.
As a freshman, Andresen earned a spot as an NCBCA Honorable Mention All-American along with capturing the NCBCA Rookie of the Year award.
Andresen’s youth résumé includes a $5,000 win at the Midwest Junior Championships, a runner-up finish at the PBA Jr. National Championship, 11 Minnesota Junior Bowlers Tour titles, MJBT Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, a fifth-place finish at Junior Gold in 2022 (U18), two high school state championships and more.
Part of the reason for his success is that Andresen taught himself how to bowl two-handed after spending his early years (5-12) as a one-handed bowler in Princeton, Minnesota. He believes that teaching himself and watching many hours of video of seven-time PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte helped his physical game, but also his mental game and quick decision-making.
He also gives an assist to high-school teammate, Bryce Keykal, who bowled two-handed. Watching Keykal gave Andresen something to think about.
“I think it was good for me mentally, just being self-taught,” Andresen said. “I spent a lot of time in high school just watching old PBA bowling shows and just learning through that. I consumed a bunch of content and, for me, that was so beneficial. I was able to learn through my mistakes and once I saw progress, I saw success. Being self-taught and not having to rely on anybody for answers really made learning the game a lot easier.”
But, it’s his leadership that elevates him from a good collegiate player to a great collegiate player. As the starting varsity point guard for the Princeton High School basketball team, Andresen led on a different type of hardwood and worked as an extension of his head coach while on the floor.
If you ask Cassidy Courey about Andresen’s value, she’ll confirm the former point guard is right at home as a leader with Mount Mercy. Courey is the assistant coach for the bowling program, but she is the leader of the men’s team as head coach Andy Diercks works with the women’s team.
When Andresen originally committed to Mount Mercy, Courey wasn’t the coach, and she is grateful he decided to honor his commitment and lace up for the Mustangs after she was hired. She trusts what Andresen sees on the lane, whether it’s his own ball reaction or his teammates, and his teammates also trust Andresen to suggest and share advice.
Courey, who was an NCBCA and NAIA All-American and All-Conference selection at Mount Mercy as a player, said Andresen “didn’t want to step on any toes during his freshman year, but he still understood what it took to be a successful team.”
“I'm very grateful to have him as a player,” Courey said. “The way that he sees the lane, and his natural leadership abilities, are amazing. With a little bit of mentoring and work, he quickly realized what leadership qualities he had and how he could use them to help the team. With that, we've had a lot of conversations, a lot of talk just about the team in general, and he's always very invested in it. If there's anything he can do, or any way he can help the team be more successful, he's always willing to do that.”
Make no mistake about it: Andresen wants to win a national championship. He believes Mount Mercy is ready to do it as a family. He preaches to incoming freshmen about “bowling for each other, which creates good team chemistry.” He has helped fill the leadership void of former player Kai Yamada, who graduated last season and was a leader Andresen looked up to during his first two seasons.
“What I truly focus on and try to bring to Mount Mercy, is once you step up to college bowling, there's no such thing as ‘I'm Zach Andresen bowling for Mount Mercy,’” Andresen said. “‘No, I'm just a Mount Mercy bowler. There is no Zach Andresen.’ College bowling is all about putting your ego aside and just bowling for one another. That family feeling is what we’re looking for. It's putting everything aside and coming together to bowl for each other. That's all it is.”
On the chessboard and on the lanes, Deo Benard is poised to be the aggressor in 2026.
By Jill Winters
Deo Benard is living the dream.
The tall, slender, two-handed lefty with dark, curly hair has quickly made a name for himself, winning 14 PBA Regional titles and one PBA Tour title. He’s done it all while bowling for fewer than 10 years.
He closed out the 2025 season winning the BowlTV PBA Regional Players Invitational on Dec. 14 for $15,000 and three consecutive Southwest Region titles to secure back-to-back Southwest Region Player of the Year Awards. He also won the DV8 Nightmare Doubles, finished third at the New Mexico Open and won the SNBT/South Point Masters open division championship to earn an entry into the 2026 USBC Masters. However, he said his biggest accomplishment of his young and decorated career was being chosen by his peers as the PBA Tour’s 2025 Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award recipient.
“It makes me so thankful that I have the opportunity. Every day, I am always trying to get better,” he said. “I like to have a good time. I try to make friends on tour, be happy and be nice. It was so cool that they recognized me for that. Me being friends with people helped me bowl better.”
His mom, Amy, added proudly, “I have always seen his beauty and have known it. For other people to recognize that and see the soul that Deo has, it means everything. He is truly honored to be surrounded by the people he [has around him] because he looks up to each and every one of them.”
Deo, who turned 22 on Christmas Eve, has always had a different mentality. He quietly goes about his business while genuinely cheering for everybody. He believes being naturally calm is an amazing gift and feels like he has only gotten calmer over the years.
“I try to be unique and stand out as much as possible. I try to think of what is in front of me and not what other people are doing,” he said. “I can’t really change or affect what they are doing, so I might as well focus on what I am doing and try to master it and let it come to me.”
According to his dad, Rick, who owns three PBA regional titles, Deo’s demeanor is like Amy’s. And once he is focused on something, the young man is all-in.
Rick has been a bowling coach for 30 years. Typically, it takes those he coaches several days or even months to get the muscle memory down to be able to repeat. When Deo finally asked his dad to teach him how to bowl at the age of 13, Rick was impressed with his progression. Deo started out bowling traditionally left-handed but, after throwing a few shots two-handed, he made the switch because it was fun.
“He can do it the next shot and it looks like he has done it his whole life,” Rick said. “I told my wife, ‘There is something different about Deo.’ I have never coached anybody that I can tell them to do something and they do it the first time; it is unreal.”
Deo committed to constant practice and watching endless videos of Jason Belmonte to improve his game. Just two years later, he told his parents he was ready to make the professional leap.
“I wanted to learn at a young age, so I could get a head start. I figured if I just started with a few regionals and local tour events, that maybe I can learn quicker,” Deo recalled.
“That is the Deo I know. He picks up something, and he doesn’t stop until he masters it,” Amy said. “He watched every video and every step Belmo took. He puts his all into everything he does.”
Quick learner
Deo’s self-belief, commitment and determination paid off. He holds countless titles being the youngest PBA member to win a regional title at 16, youngest to his now 14 regional wins and counting, and the youngest to be named Southwest Region Player of the Year last year.
“If you can get more practice hours in than other people, you get more of an edge,” Deo said. “The more you learn, you can find ways to cash by doing something unique. Try to stand out, think outside the box as much as possible; being more aggressive with some unique ideas.”
He has proven his ability to think outside the box by winning a regional throwing a back-up ball and another throwing plastic.
“I had to bite my tongue. It was hard for me to sit back and watch,” Rick said. “I had to realize this is Deo. Let him do what he is good at and trust the process. Let Deo be Deo. I have learned when Deo says he is going to do something, just trust him because he can do it.”
For Deo, “The amount of support from my parents is amazing. They allowed me to do my thing, learn afterward how to do better and have fun on the side.”
One way Deo has been working on his mental game is by playing chess. It’s a game his dad has always been good at and, about four years ago, Deo told his dad he wanted to play. Rick has seen a correlation between Deo’s chess skills and his bowling skills. Both require focus on what you need to do while anticipating your opponent’s response.
“He is a lot more aggressive in chess now, too. That is why he is beating me. Before I could be aggressive and he was always playing defense,” Rick said. “Now, he is really strong on offense, and he is making moves before I see it. With bowling, he is more offensive and aggressive now in taking the risk.”
Throughout this season, Deo found himself behind the field early in qualifying before figuring out the right moves. Toward the end of the season, Rick saw Deo be more aggressive, making quicker moves and the results showed.
“It is so easy to put pressure on yourself with all of the distractions of comparing yourself to others. That is the hardest thing,” Deo said. “If people can be confident, go out there and do the thing that they are best at, it causes them to bowl really good. I’ve learned that.”
Rick added, “It is really easy to get caught up in the limelight and start losing who you are. But this is who he is, and bowling is just something he loves to do.”
Off the lanes, Deo estimates he has produced between 500 and 1,000 songs that he only shares with friends and family. His leans toward “jazz and a little pop; more chill,” he explained.
“It is very calming, natural music. I told him he needs to put it out there for people to meditate to because it’s calming,” Amy said. “It matches Deo all around.”
Maybe in the future, we will enjoy a collaboration between Deo and fellow two-handed lefty musician Keven Williams. Regardless, Deo hopes to win his second national title and to keep piling up the regional titles, too. He ended 2025 with a lot of confidence, and his focus is on being even more aggressive as he carries his new knowledge and outside the box thinking into the 2026 season.
“I am living the dream,” Deo said. “I want to be known as the nicest person who was one of the best bowlers.”
No Average 12-Year-Old
With a power that far exceeds his age, Nehemiah Keefer
is determined to dominate the youth-bowling landscape.
By Emil Williams Jr.
At just 4 years old, Nidiea Yarbrough knew there was something special about her grandson,
Nehemiah Keefer.
“We would go watch my dad and my son bowl,” said Yarbrough, with a laugh, “and we would look up and Nehemiah would be out on the approach. My dad looked back and said, ‘Get this boy. He's going to get hurt, or somebody's going to hurt him. Get this baby.’”
Nehemiah wasn’t the typical toddler who would have been enthralled by the adventures of the arcade. As Yarbrough said, “We couldn’t keep him in the game room.”
No, the sights and sounds of pins crashing and bowling balls bouncing is what caught Nehemiah’s early attention.
“What I love about bowling is the competition and meeting new friends,” Nehemiah said. “Bowling challenges you a lot.”
Yarbrough recalls signing him up for the Stardust Snackers youth league as a 5-year-old at Stardust Bowl in Addison, Illinois, and he quickly excelled while using a one-handed backup release. In fact, Nehemiah asked his grandmother if he could bowl without bumpers, because he already was seeking the next challenge.
His backup release drew attention because it wasn’t the norm. But after seeing two-handed pros on TV, Nehemiah wanted to give two-handed bowling a try, which was becoming a new standard at the time.
However, Yarbrough had set ground rules regarding a possible switch, which included practicing one-handed for one hour before working on his two-handed delivery. As she said, “We were at the bowling alley every freaking day.”
After a new ball didn’t fit him correctly and the influence from Belmonte, Nehemiah made the switch with his grandmother’s blessing.
“One reason I wanted to switch was because of Jason Belmonte,” said Nehemiah, who rolled his first certified 300 game in 2025. “His power was so interesting. I just wanted to do it. That's why I wanted to become two-handed, and that's why I stick to it.”
Last summer, Nehemiah gave the bowling world a glimpse into what the future might hold for the tall, soon-to-be 13-year-old excellent student from the western suburbs of Chicago as he appeared on CBS Sports Network not once, but twice.
First, he helped Dem Midwest Boyz, the Lower Great Lakes Regional Champions, win the USA Bowling National Championships in the 12-and-under division after defeating the Atlantic East region’s Lane Damage team, 3-1.
The show was contested inside the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on specially constructed lanes that were prepared for the stepladder finals of the PWBA Anniversary Open. Nehemiah and his teammates won on the same lanes that saw Josie Barnes take home the Anniversary Open title in front of more than 6,500 fans, including himself.
“It was very exciting, especially when we won,” said Nehemiah, who enjoys playing video games like PBA Bowling 2023, NBA 2K and Rocket League. “Our 268 game was incredible and when I threw those last three shots … it was very intriguing.”
The following week, Nehemiah found himself rolling through the U12 boys competition at the Junior Gold Championships, which also was contested in Green Bay. After five days of competition, Nehemiah earned the No. 1 seed for the TV finals at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, where he fell to Noah Ausderau in the title match, 201-154.
Like any good athlete, Nehemiah takes the good with the bad and keeps an honest assessment of each performance.
“It was very nerve-wracking,” said Nehemiah, referring to the title match. “I lost and I missed two 10 pins on TV. It was kind of embarrassing, but the nerves were insane.”
Nehemiah has quickly developed a winning mindset with his natural gifts, plus a little assistance from his grandmother, his dad, Steven Smith, and his youth league coaches who’ve all helped shape his foundation. Those coaches include Linda Avent (Stardust Bowl), Roman Barnes (Stardust Bowl) and Derrick Gunn (Hillside Bowl).
It was Barnes who suggested to Yarbrough that Nehemiah needed a new challenge outside of league bowling, which came in the form of the Elite Youth Tour founded by Diandra Asbaty and Belmonte in 2012.
Nehemiah competed in the EYT for the first time in 2024 and it didn’t take long to leave an impression on Asbaty, who also was impressed with his power, similar to that of her friend Belmonte.
“I remember how strong he looked as a bowler in the U12 division,” Asbaty said. “He was bigger than the other kids. He was taller, and he just had a lot more power behind him. In the beginning, when he first started bowling the EYT, he really didn't know where his ball was going. He just wanted it to be as strong and powerful as possible, which is how most kids start. But his ball was more powerful and stronger than any U12 bowler I've seen in a really long time.”
Nehemiah has since racked up 12 career EYT titles, including 10 in U12 and two in the new U14 division. He’s nearly halfway to 30 titles, which is the record for EYT and held by Team USA member Landin Jordan, who now bowls collegiately at Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah.
But, perhaps more impressive than his jaw-dropping physical abilities is his empathetic and compassionate attitude toward his opponents. There have been multiple moments where Nehemiah has hugged an emotional opponent after he had locked up victories.
“As much as he is a winner, he's really empathetic,” Asbaty said. “There have been moments that have made me emotional, because he was hard to beat in the U12 division. And, I think just talking about it kind of makes me emotional because I like to be able to sense that in another competitor. And, of course, you want to win and you believe you can, but to be empathetic toward the one that lost and acknowledge that he knew that it was hard in that moment for them showed me everything I needed to know about his character.”
While Nehemiah is just getting started, his list of goals is clear: Roll an 800 series, win a PBA Regional, win a PBA National title in his mid-20s, and, of course, more EYT titles.
“I want 30,” said Nehemiah, referring to Jordan’s record. “I want at least 30.”
Creating Her Own Lane
Why Sweden’s Nora Johansson may change women’s bowling forever.
By Emil Williams Jr.
“I still remember it very strongly,” said Robert Andersson, Sweden National Team Manager and Captain. “It was during a national team camp before we picked the team for a youth championship in 2019. She didn't have that high of an average, but it was for sure the first time I saw a female bowl two-handed.”
That female is 22-year-old Nora Johansson of Sweden, and she is the same woman who showed more than 6,500 fans inside the Resch Center last July at the PWBA Anniversary Open, and those watching live on CBS Sports Network, why she could be the first two-handed woman to win a PWBA title and change women’s bowling forever.
Johansson is shy by nature, but you don’t have to say much when you have the boldness of her physical game and unapologetic nature of her bowling ball as it powers through the pins.
“She stands out a bit because she has a background in gymnastics,” Andersson added. “So, she's very strong. What was very different to see was that she bowled just like the guys and had the same rev rate as the men. Her parents are not from bowling, so they had a lot of questions about how she bowled differently from all the other girls. So, that's my first memory.”
Johansson picked up the style by watching another youth male bowl two-handed at her bowling center. First, she just admired his style. Then, she tried it. Her coach at the time said to her, “You should probably stick with that.”
“I think I developed my own style, because there were no women,” Johansson said. “I was the first [two-handed] woman to play at the (European) championships in youth. So, I was kind of on my own for a while.”
The solo act in this case can be appreciated because Johansson didn’t want to directly mimic a male two-handed bowler, but she did watch multiple players like fellow Swede Jesper Svensson or Jason Belmonte to compare what may or may not work for her. Belmonte often is credited for the two-handed influence which can be seen amongst every level of youth bowling, including boys and girls.
Johansson simply wanted to create her own lane.
“I watched a lot of good two-handed men as well, but I didn't want to be like someone else,” Johannson said. “I just want to have my own style. I don't want to be a copy of Jesper because we don't bowl alike. I don't want to be a Belmo copy, either. I just want to have my own style.”
Johansson’s jet-setting pace has now seen a 30 percent increase in two-handed women in Sweden, according to Andersson. Across Europe, Osku Palermaa’s niece, Emma Palermaa, recently won the European Championship of Champions event at just 15 years old as a two-handed player.
Palermaa made waves with his two-handed style when he became the first two-handed player to make a PBA stepladder finals appearance at the 2004 U.S. Open.
Johansson has been trying to make memories on the PWBA Tour since her first short stint in 2023, but it was her performance in 2025, specifically near the end of the season, that left you believing she will eventually add to her story. Her first real opportunity came in Green Bay, as she became the first two-handed woman to advance to a PWBA stepladder final.
“The atmosphere was really amazing,” said Johansson, who lost to Colombia’s Rocio Restrepo, 215-209, in the opening match. “And all those people cheering, it was amazing to make that show. With all those people watching, it was a lot of pressure, but I'm so happy that I made it to that show. And, when I look back at it now, I just want to go back and do it all over again.”
Johansson’s bar is trending upward after making a second stepladder appearance at the PWBA Pepsi Open in Rochester, New York, where she lost to PWBA and USBC Hall of Famer Liz Johnson in the semifinal match. That provides a stark contrast to the beginning of the season, when she flew to the U.S. “with expectations,” but was met again with the harsh reality of life on tour with travel and lifestyle adjustments along with the “challenging lane conditions and extra friction” she encounters in comparison to Sweden.
When the tour ended in August, Johansson continued to bowl well back in Europe. She took down the Norwegian Open title as part of the European Bowling Tour, won the Eslöv Ladies Open crown to qualify for the finals of the 2026 Elite Swedish Championship and was selected to represent Sweden at the International Bowling Federation World Championships in Hong Kong.
She also received an invitation to participate in an event in Korea to close out 2025, which began with a bronze medal in singles at the IBF World Cup in January.
At just 22, she is far from a finished product, but Johansson truly is starting to show consistency across varying lane conditions and lower scoring environments after struggling in those areas just a short time ago.
But make no mistake about it, the journey is hers, and she will go as far as she wants to despite any pressure or expectations from the outside world. The only pressure is the type she puts on herself.
“I just want to win,” Johansson said. “It doesn't matter. I just want to win. I don't care what other people want me to do. It's just me thinking that I should be able to win
“When I lose, it sucks. It really sucks. I just want to be the best two-handed woman, and the first to win. And, you know, be like Belmo and Jesper and all of them, but on the women's side of course. That would be cool, but I'm just happy if I can win.”
A Leader Through and Through
Why Zac Andresen’s leadership abilities may be Mount Mercy’s key to glory in 2026.
By Emil Williams Jr.
During the first semester of his freshman season at Mount Mercy, Zach Andresen found himself as a major player in a match that would become his favorite college bowling moment to date and a key foundational building block for the men’s program.
Andresen and his teammates had worked their way to the title match of the 2023 Leatherneck Classic, a tournament widely considered to be the toughest Tier II tournament in the country. And, who opposed them in the title match? Just college bowling’s version of a blue-blood team, Wichita State.
As Andresen recalled, Mount Mercy was the underdog in the bout and competing on a pair of lanes that provided more tricks than treats. Specifically, one lane was more difficult to combat than the other, with each team rolling games in the 160s on the tougher of the two lanes.
It was a moment in college sports when a young team looking to prove that it belongs can either fold its hand at the behest of its historical counterpart or go all in and let the chips fall as they may.
Mount Mercy went all in as a family and outlasted the Shockers in a program-changing victory.
“It was a really cool experience because we were huge underdogs,” Andresen said. “It showed what we were really all about. Having a deep connection with all the guys and having good team chemistry can really set yourself apart.”
Fast forward two seasons and Andresen, now a junior, has set himself apart with his on-lane performance, and most importantly, his leadership qualities since that championship day in 2023.
As a sophomore, Andresen was selected as the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player, a First-Team All-American and the International Bowling Media Association Bowler of the Year. According to collegebowling.bowl.com, he led the country in average (229.56) and average differential (42.486) and garnered three individual tournament wins, which tied him with Brandon Bohn of Webber International and Zachary Oliver-Davis of Fresno State for the most amongst the men’s division.
As a freshman, Andresen earned a spot as an NCBCA Honorable Mention All-American along with capturing the NCBCA Rookie of the Year award.
Andresen’s youth résumé includes a $5,000 win at the Midwest Junior Championships, a runner-up finish at the PBA Jr. National Championship, 11 Minnesota Junior Bowlers Tour titles, MJBT Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, a fifth-place finish at Junior Gold in 2022 (U18), two high school state championships and more.
Part of the reason for his success is that Andresen taught himself how to bowl two-handed after spending his early years (5-12) as a one-handed bowler in Princeton, Minnesota. He believes that teaching himself and watching many hours of video of seven-time PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte helped his physical game, but also his mental game and quick decision-making.
He also gives an assist to high-school teammate, Bryce Keykal, who bowled two-handed. Watching Keykal gave Andresen something to think about.
“I think it was good for me mentally, just being self-taught,” Andresen said. “I spent a lot of time in high school just watching old PBA bowling shows and just learning through that. I consumed a bunch of content and, for me, that was so beneficial. I was able to learn through my mistakes and once I saw progress, I saw success. Being self-taught and not having to rely on anybody for answers really made learning the game a lot easier.”
But, it’s his leadership that elevates him from a good collegiate player to a great collegiate player. As the starting varsity point guard for the Princeton High School basketball team, Andresen led on a different type of hardwood and worked as an extension of his head coach while on the floor.
If you ask Cassidy Courey about Andresen’s value, she’ll confirm the former point guard is right at home as a leader with Mount Mercy. Courey is the assistant coach for the bowling program, but she is the leader of the men’s team as head coach Andy Diercks works with the women’s team.
When Andresen originally committed to Mount Mercy, Courey wasn’t the coach, and she is grateful he decided to honor his commitment and lace up for the Mustangs after she was hired. She trusts what Andresen sees on the lane, whether it’s his own ball reaction or his teammates, and his teammates also trust Andresen to suggest and share advice.
Courey, who was an NCBCA and NAIA All-American and All-Conference selection at Mount Mercy as a player, said Andresen “didn’t want to step on any toes during his freshman year, but he still understood what it took to be a successful team.”
“I'm very grateful to have him as a player,” Courey said. “The way that he sees the lane, and his natural leadership abilities, are amazing. With a little bit of mentoring and work, he quickly realized what leadership qualities he had and how he could use them to help the team. With that, we've had a lot of conversations, a lot of talk just about the team in general, and he's always very invested in it. If there's anything he can do, or any way he can help the team be more successful, he's always willing to do that.”
Make no mistake about it: Andresen wants to win a national championship. He believes Mount Mercy is ready to do it as a family. He preaches to incoming freshmen about “bowling for each other, which creates good team chemistry.” He has helped fill the leadership void of former player Kai Yamada, who graduated last season and was a leader Andresen looked up to during his first two seasons.
“What I truly focus on and try to bring to Mount Mercy, is once you step up to college bowling, there's no such thing as ‘I'm Zach Andresen bowling for Mount Mercy,’” Andresen said. “‘No, I'm just a Mount Mercy bowler. There is no Zach Andresen.’ College bowling is all about putting your ego aside and just bowling for one another. That family feeling is what we’re looking for. It's putting everything aside and coming together to bowl for each other. That's all it is.”