NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Indiana Tech’s Maryssa Carey and Wichita State’s Alec Keplinger have been named the Most Valuable Players of the 2021-2022 collegiate season by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA).
The announcement was made during the Night of Champions banquet Wednesday at the Embassy Suites Chicago Naperville. In addition to Carey and Keplinger being recognized, the NCBCA All-America teams and several other award winners were announced.
The ceremony was broadcast live at BowlTV.com.
The Storm/International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) Collegiate Award winners also were announced Wednesday, with Carey and Keplinger being named Bowlers of the Year.
Carey, who is in her fifth season with the Warriors, finishes her career with four appearances on NCBCA All-America teams. She also was on the first team during the 2019-2020 season and collected a pair of second team nominations in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
The right-hander recorded five wins and nine top-five finishes in 12 events during the 2021-2022 season. Carey also led the women’s division in average (211.07) and average differential (43.1).
Joining Carey on the women’s NCBCA All-America first team this season is Mount Mercy’s Ayra Aminuddin, Wichita State’s Juliana Botero, Duquesne’s Oliva Farwell and St. Ambrose’s Megan Hess.
Botero also was recognized as the top newcomer during the 2021-2022 season, winning the women’s NCBCA Rookie of the Year award.
Keplinger, a junior, earns his second NCBCA All-America nod after earning Honorable Mention during the 2020-2021 season, when he helped the Shockers claim the Intercollegiate Team Championships and finished as the runner-up at the Intercollegiate Singles Championships.
The right-hander posted two wins, three top-five finishes and seven top-10 placements during 11 events in the regular season. He was second in average differential (34.77) and third in average in the men’s division with 216.68.
Keplinger is joined on the men’s NCBCA All-America first team this season by Wichita State teammate Ryan Barnes, Tyrell Ingalls of Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah, Tennessee Southern’s Hayden Stippich and St. Ambrose’s Nathan Stubler.
The men’s NCBCA Rookie of the Year is Wichita State’s Spencer Robarge, who also earned a spot on the All-America second team.
The NCBCA Gordon Vadakin and Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year awards went to Katie Thornton of Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah and Andy Diercks of Mount Mercy, respectively.
Thornton earned the distinction for the first time in her career. Diercks claims the award for the third straight year, becoming the first coach to earn the honor on either the men’s or women’s side for three consecutive seasons.
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.
Bo Shipley was named the Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award winner for 2022. Shipley was recognized through his work in helping preserve and grow the Hoosier Classic, which typically serves as the final Tier I competition of the United States Bowling Congress Collegiate season. The annual award recognizes an individual for outstanding service to collegiate bowling.
For more information on USBC Collegiate, visit BOWL.com/Collegiate.
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOWLING COACHES ASSOCIATION
2021-2022 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
WOMEN
First Team – Ayra Aminuddin, Mount Mercy; Juliana Botero, Wichita State; Maryssa Carey, Indiana Tech; Olivia Farwell, Duquesne; Megan Hess, St. Ambrose
Second Team – Rebecca Dodson, Mount St. Mary’s; Hope Gramly, McKendree; Bea Hernandez, Sam Houston State; Addie Herzberg, Wichita State; Madison McCall, Tulane
Honorable Mention – Alyssa Alexander, Mount St. Mary’s; Denise Blankenzee, Sam Houston State; Kasey Eaton, Davenport; Olivia Komorowski, Wichita State; Allie Leiendecker, Louisiana Tech; Caitlin Lucas, Baker; Cassidy Potter, Rochester Institute of Technology; Laurin Prebelich, Lawrence Tech; Lauren Tomaszewski, North Carolina A&T; Jaqueline Witura, Webber International
Most Valuable Player – Maryssa Carey, Indiana Tech
Rookie of the Year – Juliana Botero, Wichita State
Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year – Andy Diercks, Mount Mercy
MEN
First Team – Ryan Barnes, Wichita State; Tyrell Ingalls, Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah; Alec Keplinger, Wichita State; Hayden Stippich, Tennessee Southern; Nathan Stubler, St. Ambrose
Second Team – James Bennett, Indiana Tech; David Hooper, Emmanuel; Joshua Imhoff, Oklahoma Christian; Marcus McClain, Indiana Tech; Spencer Robarge, Wichita State
Honorable Mention – Alex Acosta, Saint Xavier; Alex Glinski, Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah; Andrew Guba, Nevada-Las Vegas; Alexander Linnenbrink, Lincoln Memorial; CJ Petrin, Oklahoma Christian; Zachary Price, Tennessee Wesleyan; TJ Rock, Wichita State; Jorge Rodriguez-Rosas, McKendree; Evan Thro, Muskingum; AJ Wolstenholme, Webber International
Most Valuable Player – Alec Keplinger, Wichita State
Rookie of the Year – Spencer Robarge, Wichita State
Gordon Vadakin Coach of the Year – Katie Thornton, Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah
Teigen Meritorious Service Award – Bo Shipley, Hoosier Classic
STORM/INTERNATIONAL BOWLING MEDIA ASSOCIATION
2021-2022 COLLEGIATE AWARDS
WOMEN
Bowler of the Year – Maryssa Carey, Indiana Tech
Runners-Up – Ayra Aminuddin, Mount Mercy; Juliana Botero, Wichita State; Addie Herzberg, Wichita State; Caitlin Lucas, Baker
Honorable Mention – Oliva Farwell, Duquesne; Bea Hernandez, Sam Houston State; Megan Hess, St. Ambrose
MEN
Bowler of the Year – Alec Keplinger, Wichita State
Runners-Up – Tyrell Ingalls, Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah; Spencer Robarge, Wichita State; Hayden Stippich, Tennessee Southern; Nathan Stubler, St. Ambrose
Honorable Mention – Ryan Barnes, Wichita State; Joshua Imhoff, Oklahoma Christian; Marcus McClain, Indiana Tech
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