USBC Collegiate Class of 2025 inducted, awards issued at annual Night of Champions banquet
April 17, 2025
Members of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame Class of 2025 pose with their awards at the conclusion of the annual Night of Champions banquet, which was held inside the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. Pictured (from left to right) are Vicki Vallie of Nashua, New Hampshire; Bill Straub of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Roger Dalkin of Greendale, Wisconsin. Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, was unable to attend, and Gordon Teigen was inducted posthumously and was represented at the ceremony by his sons.
LAS VEGAS – The United States Bowling Congress Collegiate Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was inducted and the Most Valuable Players of the 2024-2025 collegiate season were named by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) and the Storm/International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) during the annual Night of Champions banquet at South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
Roger Dalkin of Greendale, Wisconsin; Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and Vicki Vallie (née Parker) of Nashua, New Hampshire, earned induction for their on-lane performances as Student-Athletes. Bill Straub of Lincoln, Nebraska, joined this year’s class in the Coach category. Gordon Teigen of Onalaska, Wisconsin, completed the Class of 2025 for his dedication to collegiate bowling as a Contributor.
Speaking of contributions, Mount Mercy’s Zach Andresen and Brooke Salzman and Wichita State’s Sara Duque all delivered standout performances for their respective teams this season, which led to each one being awarded some extra hardware during the Night of Champions celebration.
For the men, Andresen was named NCBCA Most Valuable Player and IBMA Bowler of the Year for the 2024-2025 USBC Collegiate season. On the women’s side, Duque took home NCBCA MVP honors while Salzman was named the women’s IBMA Bowler of the Year.
The inductions took place and honors were bestowed during the annual Night of Champions banquet, which was broadcast live at BowlTV.com and served as the kickoff to the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Andresen, who was named NCBCA Rookie of the Year last season, averaged just under 230 over 10 events and posted an average differential of 42.49 to lead the nation in both categories as a sophomore. He also led in Tier I average (231.82) and was second in Tier I differential (41.92), which helped the Mustangs to the top of the team rankings for the regular season.
He collected one individual victory and three top-five finishes during the year. That victory came at the Collegiate Shoot-Out (Tier 1 event) in December, where Andresen led the men’s field after authoring a five-game total of 1,232 (a 246.4 average).
Andresen was joined on this year’s NCBCA All-America first team by Brandon Bohn of Webber International, Pikeville’s Bryce Oliver, 2023 and 2024 NCBCA Player of the Year Spencer Robarge of Wichita State and fellow Mount Mercy bowler Blake Walsh.
Walsh was named the NCBCA Rookie of the Year after securing one win, three top-five finishes, four top-10 finishes and averaging 221 this season.
During her sophomore year at Mount Mercy, Salzman finished the regular season fifth in average (209.47) and fourth in average differential (37.25) over 10 total events; however, she was second in both statistics across five Tier I events (210.79 and 34.88).
Also, the 2024 NCBCA Rookie of the Year posted two individual wins and six top-five finishes to help the Mustangs secure first place in the women’s regular season team rankings.
Meanwhile, Duque, the 2024 ISC women’s national champion, finished the regular season third in overall average (210.14) while recording two top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes for Wichita State.
Duque and Salzman were joined on the 2025 NCBCA All-American first team by Brystal Beyer of Stephen F. Austin, Denise Blankenzee of Sam Houston State and Mount Mercy’s Jaelle Hamman.
This year’s women’s NCBCA Rookie of the Year honors went to Mareana Pilyih of Saint Vincent, who posted five top-five finishes and six top 10s in 11 events while finishing the year with an average of 189.13.
The NCBCA Gordon Vadakin and Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year awards were presented to Mount Mercy’s Cassidy Courey and Judson’s Vince Biondo, respectively.
Both Courey and Biondo were first-time winners. Courey helped the Mount Mercy men to the No. 1 overall ranking in this year’s final poll while Biondo led the Judson women to their first ITC national finals appearance.
The Gordon Vadakin Coach of the Year award recognizes the top coach in the men’s division, and the Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year award is given to the top coach in the women’s division.
Newman’s Billy Murphy was recognized as the Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award winner for 2025.
Murphy, who served two terms as NCBCA President, including during COVID, has created many new processes and procedures to help grow the NCBCA. He also has been a tournament director of the Mid States Championships for over 15 years and was a major contributor to and driver for the creation of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
The Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award is an annual award presented to an individual for outstanding service to collegiate bowling.
Wednesday night’s five hall of fame inductees certainly made their own contributions to the world of collegiate bowling.
Dalkin was a standout at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) from 1969-1972, during which time he won a combined 15 Association of College Unions International (ACUI) titles, five at the national level and 10 during regional competition.
He was crowned ACUI Region VI champion in team, singles and all-events in 1969, team in 1970, doubles and all-events in 1971 and team, doubles, singles and all-events in 1972.
That gave Dalkin an incredible 10 regional titles in 16 events against the best collegiate bowlers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi over that stretch, during which he qualified for the national tournament three times.
Dalkin’s ACUI National Championship record is equally impressive as he won national titles in five different events over the course of his four years at Georgia Tech, winning the doubles championship with Joseph Hill of Oklahoma State in 1969, singles and all-events in 1971 and doubles (with Kenneth Knowles of Florida State) and all-events in 1972.
Those five titles tie Dalkin with Jack Connaughton of Wisconsin-La Crosse – who was inducted into the inaugural USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame class in 2024 – for the most national championship victories in collegiate bowling history.
Dalkin’s collegiate successes earned him the right to represent Team USA at the 1971 AMF World Cup in Hong Kong, where he emerged as champion. The following year, Dalkin finished fourth while attempting to successfully defend his title at the 1972 event in Hamburg, Germany.
Once his competitive bowling days were behind him, Dalkin went on to serve the sport of bowling in multiple administrative positions, including USBC CEO. Those contributions led to Dalkin’s induction into the USBC Hall of Fame in the Meritorious Service category in 2008.
“Being in the USBC Hall of Fame for meritorious service, I love it, but I call it doing a job. I did my job,” Dalkin said. “But being inducted into the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame as an athlete, that’s what I did on the lanes, actually performing. That’s what the game is, what you do on the lanes. Anybody can run an organization; not everybody can bowl. I’m proud to go in as a bowler, as an athlete.”
O’Neill was certainly a star athlete in his own right while at Saginaw Valley State University from 2001-2004.
The talented right-hander wasted no time making a name for himself upon joining the Cardinals’ program as he earned NCBCA All-American honors as a freshman during the 2000-2001 season.
O’Neill would repeat the feat during each of his final three seasons at SVSU, adding his name to the short but impressive list of collegiate bowlers to reach four-time First-Team All-American status.
That wasn’t the only honor bestowed upon O’Neill, however, as he was named NCBCA Men’s Player of the Year for both the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons.
O’Neill’s efforts helped the Cardinals to a runner-up finish at the 2004 Intercollegiate Team Championships.
After leaving Saginaw Valley State, O’Neill went on to enjoy success as a seven-time member of Team USA, where he was a four-time world championship gold medalist, and as a standout performer on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, where he is a 15-time titlist and three-time major champion.
O’Neill considered jumping directly to the professional ranks in lieu of bowling in college; however, as he reflects upon all that he’s accomplished throughout his career, O’Neill is quick to acknowledge the role that collegiate bowling played in his many successes.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without collegiate bowling,” O’Neill said. “I grew so much as a player and a human being because of that experience. I owe everything that I am today to college bowling. To be honored like this, to go in to the second class of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame, is just insane. I never would have thought I would be in this position. It’s a crazy thing to even think about.”
Vallie enjoyed a crazy amount of success while competing for Indiana State University from 1983-1986.
Big things were expected of Vallie from her very first days competing on the lanes for the Sycamores. That’s because she came to Indiana State after having won the Alberta E. Crowe Award – given to one of the nation’s top female high school bowlers – in 1982.
Vallie didn’t buckle under the weight of the expectations though; instead, she thrived.
She earned NCBCA First-Team All-American honors and was the women’s Rookie of the Year during her freshman season in 1983, helping the Indiana State team to a runner-up finish at the national tournament in the process.
The Sycamores got over the hump and secured the women’s national title in 1984 with Vallie contributing heavily during another First-Team All-American season.
During her final two seasons at Indiana State, Vallie brought home a singles national championship (1985), recorded another runner-up team performance at the national tournament (1985) and earned two more First-Team All-American awards.
At the time, that made Vallie the first four-time First-Team All-American in collegiate bowling history.
She would go on to record a sixth-place finish while competing for Team USA at the 1986 World Cup.
All of those accomplishments led to Vallie’s induction into the Indiana State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
When asked how it felt to now be enshrined in the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame, Vallie expressed a bit of surprise.
“I never even dreamed of this,” Vallie said. “I knew I had a very successful career in college, but I didn’t realize how successful it was compared to other people. This is a dream come true. It’s hard to explain because it’s more of a feeling. I’m just so proud, and I made my family proud.”
Straub certainly had plenty to be proud of as well as he was at the helm of the University of Nebraska men’s bowling program from 1984-2003 and the women’s squad from 1988-2019, helping the Cornhuskers claim 12 national titles between both teams over that stretch.
During Straub’s tenure, the Nebraska women’s program qualified for the national tournament for 32 consecutive years between 1988 and 2019, bringing home 10 national titles (1991, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015).
The men’s squad was equally impressive under Straub’s direction, reaching the national finals in 15 out of 16 seasons between 1988 and 2003 and emerging as national champions twice (1990 and 1996).
Straub-led teams were a permanent fixture in the top five in the end-of-year rankings throughout his coaching career with the Nebraska men’s team finishing no worse than ranked fifth every year from 1988-2003 – when Straub stopped coaching the men’s team – and the Cornhuskers’ women’s team landing in the top five in the final poll each season from 1988-2019.
From 1997-2019, Straub led the Nebraska women to an overall record of 2,370 wins against just 467 losses, a winning percentage of nearly 84%.
Those accolades and many others led to Straub being named National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) National Coach of the Year four times (2005, 2013, 2017 and 2018).
Straub’s accomplishments are impressive enough on their own, but they’re even more remarkable considering how he got into coaching in the first place.
“When I was hired at Nebraska in 1984, at the time, I couldn’t spell coach,” Straub said. “I could talk it okay, and I had some scores that were okay, but as far as coaching capabilities, I didn’t have any. Dick Ritger was doing a camp in Minnesota, and I signed up as a student.
“I needed to learn how to coach, and to learn to coach, I went to basketball. Bob Knight said it very succinctly ‘the sport really doesn’t matter; give me a book on the fundamentals, and I can make you a team.’ I tried to apply that to the teaching, and I looked at John Wooden from a standpoint of how to handle myself. I figured if I could study those two, it could help me out some, and I owe a debt of gratitude to each of them for getting me to understand a little bit about how you handle athletes.”
Handle athletes he did, and as Straub’s coaching prowess grew, his teams found more and more success, which, in turn, prompted even more talented athletes to bowl collegiately for Nebraska.
Straub was grateful that the Cornhuskers’ program basically sold itself because he didn’t fancy himself a particularly strong recruiter.
“I’ve been blessed; I’ve been blessed my whole life,” Straub said. “I was unbelievably lucky that people saw the success we had and wanted to come here because I’m a lousy recruiter; I couldn’t sell space heaters to Eskimos. Recruiting is a sales pitch, and I don’t have that. I can tell you what I think I can do for you, and if you believe me, terrific. If not, you’re going to go someplace else, and I wish you the best.”
But many of collegiate bowling’s star athletes did bowl for Straub and Nebraska, and the combination of his coaching skills and their on-lane abilities are a big reason why Straub was enshrined in the 2025 class of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
Teigen, who passed away in March of 2011 at the age of 88, was inducted posthumously in the Contributor Category and was represented at the Night of Champions Banquet by his son, Tom Teigen of Fort Worth, Texas.
Teigen dedicated his life to bowling, serving as a successful collegiate coach, mentor and administrative leader at the local, state and national levels.
He worked for the American Bowling Congress (ABC) from 1964-1967, during which time he was tasked with organizing the collegiate division of the ABC and Women’s International Bowling Congress. Teigen’s work there led to him being considered one of the founders of the ABC/WIBC Collegiate Division – now USBC Collegiate.
From 1969-1971, Teigen worked for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), serving as chairman of the bowling sports section.
All the while, he molded some of the best collegiate bowlers of the day while serving as a collegiate coach, first at North Dakota State – then North Dakota Agricultural University – and then at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Teigen founded the North Dakota State University bowling program in 1954.
During his 11 seasons as head coach, Teigen’s Bison amassed a dual-match record of 118 wins and 50 losses and won three state titles (1960, 1961 and 1963).
Teigen also was responsible for helping establish the Tri-State Collegiate Bowling Conference, the North Dakota State Bowling Conference and the North Dakota Bowling Proprietors Association, an organization he served as executive secretary for three years.
After transitioning to UW-La Crosse, Teigen’s men’s team won nine conference championships while his women’s squads brought home eight.
His team won an NAIA title in 1968 and NAIA and National Intercollegiate Bowling Association (NIBA) crowns in 1969.
For his contributions to collegiate bowling both on and off the lanes, Teigen was inducted into the NAIA, North Dakota Bowling and North Dakota Sports Halls of Fame.
In 1980, he was awarded the National Bowling Coaches Service Award, which has since been renamed the Gordon Teigen Service Award.
The bowling lanes at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Cartwright Center also were renamed Teigen Lanes in his honor.
Speaking on behalf of his father, Tom Teigen believes that Gordon would be very pleased with the current collegiate bowling landscape as it reflects what he worked so hard to help create.
“I think what you see today in college bowling would very well match what he hoped it would become, the quality of bowling you see and the widespread nature of it throughout the major colleges,” Tom Teigen said. “That’s the type of thing he was looking for within the bowling community.”
Tom Teigen was similarly straightforward when addressing how he thinks his father would have responded to earning enshrinement in the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
“He was a very thankful man, and I think he’d be very humble and thankful for this award,” Tom Teigen said. “My dad would say thank you to the USBC for giving him this honor, he’d say thank you to his wife, my mother, for the sacrifices on her side when he was on the road, he’d say thank you to all the people who worked with him and helped him accomplish what he accomplished and he’d say thank you to all of his bowlers for their hard work and dedication.”
The formation of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame was announced in November 2022.
The USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame Committee is comprised of 13 individuals, featuring representatives appointed by the USBC Collegiate Advisory Committee, USBC Hall of Fame members and veteran bowling writers. The committee only considered collegiate achievements when reviewing applications for the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
For more information on USBC Collegiate, CLICK HERE.
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOWLING COACHES ASSOCIATION
2024-2025 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
MEN
First Team – Zach Andresen, Mount Mercy; Brandon Bohn, Webber International; Bryce Oliver, Pikeville; Spencer Robarge, Wichita State; Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
Second Team – Brandon Bonta, Wichita State; Costa Gastouniotis, Lawrence Tech; Bobby Habetler, Saint Xavier; Carter Street, Wichita State; Evan Thro, Muskingum
Honorable Mention – Mason Doan, Calumet; Alexander Evans, Milligan; Hayden Hale, Trine; Liam Hardman, Newman; Christian Liquori, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah; Brett Lloyd, Webber International; Elijah Mayberry, Pikeville; Connor Nowak, Lawrence Tech; C.J. Petrin, Oklahoma Christian; Michael Weber, Lawrence Tech
All Rookie Team – Aidan Furukawa, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah; Liam Hardman, Newman; Christian Liquori, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah; Andrew Robitaille, Pikeville; Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
Most Valuable Player – Zach Andresen, Mount Mercy
Rookie of the Year – Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
Gordon Vadakin Coach of the Year – Cassidy Courey, Mount Mercy
WOMEN
First Team – Brystal Beyer, Stephen F. Austin; Denise Blankenzee, Sam Houston State; Sara Duque, Wichita State; Jaelle Hamman, Mount Mercy; Brooke Salzman, Mount Mercy
Second Team – Katie Paris, Sam Houston State; Brianna Rogers, Pikeville; Shannon Small, Duquesne; Paige Wagner, Wichita State; Ashtyn Woods, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Nada Nawwarah Abdul Jalil, Mount Mercy; Hope Bunk, Sacred Heart; Kristina Catoe, Pikeville; Breana Chewens, Sam Houston State; Paige Donovan, Sacred Heart; Juliana Kerrigan, Stephen F. Austin; Rachel Moore, Culver-Stockton; Emily Newbauer, Viterbo; Mary Orf, Wichita State; Madilyn Yockel, Sacred Heart
All Rookie Team – Kayla Cameron, Indiana Tech; Amber Lymenstull, Missouri Baptist; Mareana Pilyih, Saint Vincent; Jenna Ritchie, Governors State; Ashley Soto, Newman
Most Valuable Player – Sara Duque, Wichita State
Rookie of the Year – Mareana Pilyih, Saint Vincent
Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year – Vince Biondo, Judson
Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award – Billy Murphy, Newman
STORM/INTERNATIONAL BOWLING MEDIA ASSOCIATION
2024-2025 COLLEGIATE AWARDS
MEN
Bowler of the Year – Zach Andresen, Mount Mercy
Runners-Up – Brandon Bohn, Webber International; Brandon Bonta, Wichita State; Joshua Hammons, Wichita State; Spencer Robarge, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Gabe Castro, Purdue; Bryce Oliver, Pikeville; Kyle Perillo, SUNY – Stony Brook; Evan Thro, Muskingum; Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
WOMEN
Bowler of the Year – Brooke Salzman, Mount Mercy
Runners-Up – Rachel Moore, Culver-Stockton; Emily Newbauer, Viterbo; Chloe Siezega, Judson; Ashtyn Woods, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Kristina Catoe, Pikeville; Jaelle Hamman, Mount Mercy; Katie Paris, Sam Houston State; Brianna Rogers, Pikeville; Shannon Small, Duquesne; Paige Wagner, Wichita State
LAS VEGAS – The United States Bowling Congress Collegiate Hall of Fame Class of 2025 was inducted and the Most Valuable Players of the 2024-2025 collegiate season were named by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) and the Storm/International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) during the annual Night of Champions banquet at South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
Roger Dalkin of Greendale, Wisconsin; Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and Vicki Vallie (née Parker) of Nashua, New Hampshire, earned induction for their on-lane performances as Student-Athletes. Bill Straub of Lincoln, Nebraska, joined this year’s class in the Coach category. Gordon Teigen of Onalaska, Wisconsin, completed the Class of 2025 for his dedication to collegiate bowling as a Contributor.
Speaking of contributions, Mount Mercy’s Zach Andresen and Brooke Salzman and Wichita State’s Sara Duque all delivered standout performances for their respective teams this season, which led to each one being awarded some extra hardware during the Night of Champions celebration.
For the men, Andresen was named NCBCA Most Valuable Player and IBMA Bowler of the Year for the 2024-2025 USBC Collegiate season. On the women’s side, Duque took home NCBCA MVP honors while Salzman was named the women’s IBMA Bowler of the Year.
The inductions took place and honors were bestowed during the annual Night of Champions banquet, which was broadcast live at BowlTV.com and served as the kickoff to the Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Andresen, who was named NCBCA Rookie of the Year last season, averaged just under 230 over 10 events and posted an average differential of 42.49 to lead the nation in both categories as a sophomore. He also led in Tier I average (231.82) and was second in Tier I differential (41.92), which helped the Mustangs to the top of the team rankings for the regular season.
He collected one individual victory and three top-five finishes during the year. That victory came at the Collegiate Shoot-Out (Tier 1 event) in December, where Andresen led the men’s field after authoring a five-game total of 1,232 (a 246.4 average).
Andresen was joined on this year’s NCBCA All-America first team by Brandon Bohn of Webber International, Pikeville’s Bryce Oliver, 2023 and 2024 NCBCA Player of the Year Spencer Robarge of Wichita State and fellow Mount Mercy bowler Blake Walsh.
Walsh was named the NCBCA Rookie of the Year after securing one win, three top-five finishes, four top-10 finishes and averaging 221 this season.
During her sophomore year at Mount Mercy, Salzman finished the regular season fifth in average (209.47) and fourth in average differential (37.25) over 10 total events; however, she was second in both statistics across five Tier I events (210.79 and 34.88).
Also, the 2024 NCBCA Rookie of the Year posted two individual wins and six top-five finishes to help the Mustangs secure first place in the women’s regular season team rankings.
Meanwhile, Duque, the 2024 ISC women’s national champion, finished the regular season third in overall average (210.14) while recording two top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes for Wichita State.
Duque and Salzman were joined on the 2025 NCBCA All-American first team by Brystal Beyer of Stephen F. Austin, Denise Blankenzee of Sam Houston State and Mount Mercy’s Jaelle Hamman.
This year’s women’s NCBCA Rookie of the Year honors went to Mareana Pilyih of Saint Vincent, who posted five top-five finishes and six top 10s in 11 events while finishing the year with an average of 189.13.
The NCBCA Gordon Vadakin and Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year awards were presented to Mount Mercy’s Cassidy Courey and Judson’s Vince Biondo, respectively.
Both Courey and Biondo were first-time winners. Courey helped the Mount Mercy men to the No. 1 overall ranking in this year’s final poll while Biondo led the Judson women to their first ITC national finals appearance.
The Gordon Vadakin Coach of the Year award recognizes the top coach in the men’s division, and the Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year award is given to the top coach in the women’s division.
Newman’s Billy Murphy was recognized as the Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award winner for 2025.
Murphy, who served two terms as NCBCA President, including during COVID, has created many new processes and procedures to help grow the NCBCA. He also has been a tournament director of the Mid States Championships for over 15 years and was a major contributor to and driver for the creation of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
The Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award is an annual award presented to an individual for outstanding service to collegiate bowling.
Wednesday night’s five hall of fame inductees certainly made their own contributions to the world of collegiate bowling.
Dalkin was a standout at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) from 1969-1972, during which time he won a combined 15 Association of College Unions International (ACUI) titles, five at the national level and 10 during regional competition.
He was crowned ACUI Region VI champion in team, singles and all-events in 1969, team in 1970, doubles and all-events in 1971 and team, doubles, singles and all-events in 1972.
That gave Dalkin an incredible 10 regional titles in 16 events against the best collegiate bowlers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi over that stretch, during which he qualified for the national tournament three times.
Dalkin’s ACUI National Championship record is equally impressive as he won national titles in five different events over the course of his four years at Georgia Tech, winning the doubles championship with Joseph Hill of Oklahoma State in 1969, singles and all-events in 1971 and doubles (with Kenneth Knowles of Florida State) and all-events in 1972.
Those five titles tie Dalkin with Jack Connaughton of Wisconsin-La Crosse – who was inducted into the inaugural USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame class in 2024 – for the most national championship victories in collegiate bowling history.
Dalkin’s collegiate successes earned him the right to represent Team USA at the 1971 AMF World Cup in Hong Kong, where he emerged as champion. The following year, Dalkin finished fourth while attempting to successfully defend his title at the 1972 event in Hamburg, Germany.
Once his competitive bowling days were behind him, Dalkin went on to serve the sport of bowling in multiple administrative positions, including USBC CEO. Those contributions led to Dalkin’s induction into the USBC Hall of Fame in the Meritorious Service category in 2008.
“Being in the USBC Hall of Fame for meritorious service, I love it, but I call it doing a job. I did my job,” Dalkin said. “But being inducted into the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame as an athlete, that’s what I did on the lanes, actually performing. That’s what the game is, what you do on the lanes. Anybody can run an organization; not everybody can bowl. I’m proud to go in as a bowler, as an athlete.”
O’Neill was certainly a star athlete in his own right while at Saginaw Valley State University from 2001-2004.
The talented right-hander wasted no time making a name for himself upon joining the Cardinals’ program as he earned NCBCA All-American honors as a freshman during the 2000-2001 season.
O’Neill would repeat the feat during each of his final three seasons at SVSU, adding his name to the short but impressive list of collegiate bowlers to reach four-time First-Team All-American status.
That wasn’t the only honor bestowed upon O’Neill, however, as he was named NCBCA Men’s Player of the Year for both the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons.
O’Neill’s efforts helped the Cardinals to a runner-up finish at the 2004 Intercollegiate Team Championships.
After leaving Saginaw Valley State, O’Neill went on to enjoy success as a seven-time member of Team USA, where he was a four-time world championship gold medalist, and as a standout performer on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, where he is a 15-time titlist and three-time major champion.
O’Neill considered jumping directly to the professional ranks in lieu of bowling in college; however, as he reflects upon all that he’s accomplished throughout his career, O’Neill is quick to acknowledge the role that collegiate bowling played in his many successes.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without collegiate bowling,” O’Neill said. “I grew so much as a player and a human being because of that experience. I owe everything that I am today to college bowling. To be honored like this, to go in to the second class of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame, is just insane. I never would have thought I would be in this position. It’s a crazy thing to even think about.”
Vallie enjoyed a crazy amount of success while competing for Indiana State University from 1983-1986.
Big things were expected of Vallie from her very first days competing on the lanes for the Sycamores. That’s because she came to Indiana State after having won the Alberta E. Crowe Award – given to one of the nation’s top female high school bowlers – in 1982.
Vallie didn’t buckle under the weight of the expectations though; instead, she thrived.
She earned NCBCA First-Team All-American honors and was the women’s Rookie of the Year during her freshman season in 1983, helping the Indiana State team to a runner-up finish at the national tournament in the process.
The Sycamores got over the hump and secured the women’s national title in 1984 with Vallie contributing heavily during another First-Team All-American season.
During her final two seasons at Indiana State, Vallie brought home a singles national championship (1985), recorded another runner-up team performance at the national tournament (1985) and earned two more First-Team All-American awards.
At the time, that made Vallie the first four-time First-Team All-American in collegiate bowling history.
She would go on to record a sixth-place finish while competing for Team USA at the 1986 World Cup.
All of those accomplishments led to Vallie’s induction into the Indiana State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
When asked how it felt to now be enshrined in the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame, Vallie expressed a bit of surprise.
“I never even dreamed of this,” Vallie said. “I knew I had a very successful career in college, but I didn’t realize how successful it was compared to other people. This is a dream come true. It’s hard to explain because it’s more of a feeling. I’m just so proud, and I made my family proud.”
Straub certainly had plenty to be proud of as well as he was at the helm of the University of Nebraska men’s bowling program from 1984-2003 and the women’s squad from 1988-2019, helping the Cornhuskers claim 12 national titles between both teams over that stretch.
During Straub’s tenure, the Nebraska women’s program qualified for the national tournament for 32 consecutive years between 1988 and 2019, bringing home 10 national titles (1991, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015).
The men’s squad was equally impressive under Straub’s direction, reaching the national finals in 15 out of 16 seasons between 1988 and 2003 and emerging as national champions twice (1990 and 1996).
Straub-led teams were a permanent fixture in the top five in the end-of-year rankings throughout his coaching career with the Nebraska men’s team finishing no worse than ranked fifth every year from 1988-2003 – when Straub stopped coaching the men’s team – and the Cornhuskers’ women’s team landing in the top five in the final poll each season from 1988-2019.
From 1997-2019, Straub led the Nebraska women to an overall record of 2,370 wins against just 467 losses, a winning percentage of nearly 84%.
Those accolades and many others led to Straub being named National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) National Coach of the Year four times (2005, 2013, 2017 and 2018).
Straub’s accomplishments are impressive enough on their own, but they’re even more remarkable considering how he got into coaching in the first place.
“When I was hired at Nebraska in 1984, at the time, I couldn’t spell coach,” Straub said. “I could talk it okay, and I had some scores that were okay, but as far as coaching capabilities, I didn’t have any. Dick Ritger was doing a camp in Minnesota, and I signed up as a student.
“I needed to learn how to coach, and to learn to coach, I went to basketball. Bob Knight said it very succinctly ‘the sport really doesn’t matter; give me a book on the fundamentals, and I can make you a team.’ I tried to apply that to the teaching, and I looked at John Wooden from a standpoint of how to handle myself. I figured if I could study those two, it could help me out some, and I owe a debt of gratitude to each of them for getting me to understand a little bit about how you handle athletes.”
Handle athletes he did, and as Straub’s coaching prowess grew, his teams found more and more success, which, in turn, prompted even more talented athletes to bowl collegiately for Nebraska.
Straub was grateful that the Cornhuskers’ program basically sold itself because he didn’t fancy himself a particularly strong recruiter.
“I’ve been blessed; I’ve been blessed my whole life,” Straub said. “I was unbelievably lucky that people saw the success we had and wanted to come here because I’m a lousy recruiter; I couldn’t sell space heaters to Eskimos. Recruiting is a sales pitch, and I don’t have that. I can tell you what I think I can do for you, and if you believe me, terrific. If not, you’re going to go someplace else, and I wish you the best.”
But many of collegiate bowling’s star athletes did bowl for Straub and Nebraska, and the combination of his coaching skills and their on-lane abilities are a big reason why Straub was enshrined in the 2025 class of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
Teigen, who passed away in March of 2011 at the age of 88, was inducted posthumously in the Contributor Category and was represented at the Night of Champions Banquet by his son, Tom Teigen of Fort Worth, Texas.
Teigen dedicated his life to bowling, serving as a successful collegiate coach, mentor and administrative leader at the local, state and national levels.
He worked for the American Bowling Congress (ABC) from 1964-1967, during which time he was tasked with organizing the collegiate division of the ABC and Women’s International Bowling Congress. Teigen’s work there led to him being considered one of the founders of the ABC/WIBC Collegiate Division – now USBC Collegiate.
From 1969-1971, Teigen worked for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), serving as chairman of the bowling sports section.
All the while, he molded some of the best collegiate bowlers of the day while serving as a collegiate coach, first at North Dakota State – then North Dakota Agricultural University – and then at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Teigen founded the North Dakota State University bowling program in 1954.
During his 11 seasons as head coach, Teigen’s Bison amassed a dual-match record of 118 wins and 50 losses and won three state titles (1960, 1961 and 1963).
Teigen also was responsible for helping establish the Tri-State Collegiate Bowling Conference, the North Dakota State Bowling Conference and the North Dakota Bowling Proprietors Association, an organization he served as executive secretary for three years.
After transitioning to UW-La Crosse, Teigen’s men’s team won nine conference championships while his women’s squads brought home eight.
His team won an NAIA title in 1968 and NAIA and National Intercollegiate Bowling Association (NIBA) crowns in 1969.
For his contributions to collegiate bowling both on and off the lanes, Teigen was inducted into the NAIA, North Dakota Bowling and North Dakota Sports Halls of Fame.
In 1980, he was awarded the National Bowling Coaches Service Award, which has since been renamed the Gordon Teigen Service Award.
The bowling lanes at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Cartwright Center also were renamed Teigen Lanes in his honor.
Speaking on behalf of his father, Tom Teigen believes that Gordon would be very pleased with the current collegiate bowling landscape as it reflects what he worked so hard to help create.
“I think what you see today in college bowling would very well match what he hoped it would become, the quality of bowling you see and the widespread nature of it throughout the major colleges,” Tom Teigen said. “That’s the type of thing he was looking for within the bowling community.”
Tom Teigen was similarly straightforward when addressing how he thinks his father would have responded to earning enshrinement in the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
“He was a very thankful man, and I think he’d be very humble and thankful for this award,” Tom Teigen said. “My dad would say thank you to the USBC for giving him this honor, he’d say thank you to his wife, my mother, for the sacrifices on her side when he was on the road, he’d say thank you to all the people who worked with him and helped him accomplish what he accomplished and he’d say thank you to all of his bowlers for their hard work and dedication.”
The formation of the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame was announced in November 2022.
The USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame Committee is comprised of 13 individuals, featuring representatives appointed by the USBC Collegiate Advisory Committee, USBC Hall of Fame members and veteran bowling writers. The committee only considered collegiate achievements when reviewing applications for the USBC Collegiate Hall of Fame.
For more information on USBC Collegiate, CLICK HERE.
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOWLING COACHES ASSOCIATION
2024-2025 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
MEN
First Team – Zach Andresen, Mount Mercy; Brandon Bohn, Webber International; Bryce Oliver, Pikeville; Spencer Robarge, Wichita State; Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
Second Team – Brandon Bonta, Wichita State; Costa Gastouniotis, Lawrence Tech; Bobby Habetler, Saint Xavier; Carter Street, Wichita State; Evan Thro, Muskingum
Honorable Mention – Mason Doan, Calumet; Alexander Evans, Milligan; Hayden Hale, Trine; Liam Hardman, Newman; Christian Liquori, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah; Brett Lloyd, Webber International; Elijah Mayberry, Pikeville; Connor Nowak, Lawrence Tech; C.J. Petrin, Oklahoma Christian; Michael Weber, Lawrence Tech
All Rookie Team – Aidan Furukawa, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah; Liam Hardman, Newman; Christian Liquori, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah; Andrew Robitaille, Pikeville; Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
Most Valuable Player – Zach Andresen, Mount Mercy
Rookie of the Year – Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
Gordon Vadakin Coach of the Year – Cassidy Courey, Mount Mercy
WOMEN
First Team – Brystal Beyer, Stephen F. Austin; Denise Blankenzee, Sam Houston State; Sara Duque, Wichita State; Jaelle Hamman, Mount Mercy; Brooke Salzman, Mount Mercy
Second Team – Katie Paris, Sam Houston State; Brianna Rogers, Pikeville; Shannon Small, Duquesne; Paige Wagner, Wichita State; Ashtyn Woods, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Nada Nawwarah Abdul Jalil, Mount Mercy; Hope Bunk, Sacred Heart; Kristina Catoe, Pikeville; Breana Chewens, Sam Houston State; Paige Donovan, Sacred Heart; Juliana Kerrigan, Stephen F. Austin; Rachel Moore, Culver-Stockton; Emily Newbauer, Viterbo; Mary Orf, Wichita State; Madilyn Yockel, Sacred Heart
All Rookie Team – Kayla Cameron, Indiana Tech; Amber Lymenstull, Missouri Baptist; Mareana Pilyih, Saint Vincent; Jenna Ritchie, Governors State; Ashley Soto, Newman
Most Valuable Player – Sara Duque, Wichita State
Rookie of the Year – Mareana Pilyih, Saint Vincent
Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year – Vince Biondo, Judson
Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award – Billy Murphy, Newman
STORM/INTERNATIONAL BOWLING MEDIA ASSOCIATION
2024-2025 COLLEGIATE AWARDS
MEN
Bowler of the Year – Zach Andresen, Mount Mercy
Runners-Up – Brandon Bohn, Webber International; Brandon Bonta, Wichita State; Joshua Hammons, Wichita State; Spencer Robarge, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Gabe Castro, Purdue; Bryce Oliver, Pikeville; Kyle Perillo, SUNY – Stony Brook; Evan Thro, Muskingum; Blake Walsh, Mount Mercy
WOMEN
Bowler of the Year – Brooke Salzman, Mount Mercy
Runners-Up – Rachel Moore, Culver-Stockton; Emily Newbauer, Viterbo; Chloe Siezega, Judson; Ashtyn Woods, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Kristina Catoe, Pikeville; Jaelle Hamman, Mount Mercy; Katie Paris, Sam Houston State; Brianna Rogers, Pikeville; Shannon Small, Duquesne; Paige Wagner, Wichita State