2011 Bowler of the Year Voting
MIKA KOIVUNIEMI, SHANNON PLUHOWSKY CHOSEN
AS 2011 BWAA BOWLERS OF THE YEAR
ARLINGTON, Texas - Mika Koivuniemi, the Finland star living in Hartland, Mich., and Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, added to their 2011 success by being selected male and female Bowlers of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America.
Voting in both divisions was fairly close with each first-place vote worth five points, second place three points and third place one point. Koivuniemi received 30 of 63 first-place votes to total 192 points and finish ahead of two-handed Australian sensation Jason Belmonte who earned 15 top votes and 145 overall points. Professional Bowlers Association Senior star Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, was third with 89 points (10 first-place votes) followed by Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, with 50 (7), Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla., with 33 (1) and Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., with 9 (0).
Pluhowsky earned 29 of 68 first-place votes and finished with 182 points, just 21 ahead of Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y. Johnson collected 21 top votes. Bowling's U.S. Women's Open winner Leanne Hulsenberg of Roseville, Calif., was third in the voting with 63 points (9 first-place votes), 2010 Bowler of the Year Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., placed fourth with 58 points (4), Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, was fifth with 47 points (2) and USBC Queens champion Missy Parkin of Lake Forest, Calif., was sixth with 30 points (3).
Koivuniemi won three tournaments in 2011, the PBA Tournament of Champions and World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour's Brunswick Ballmaster Open and World Bowling Tour Finals. He placed second in the U.S. Open and third in the Bayer United States Bowling Congress Masters. The player known as Major Mika had two other top-five PBA Tour finishes, fourth in the Shark Open and fifth in the One-A-Day Earl Anthony Memorial. He finished 2011 with a 224.29 average while earning a PBA-best $325,540 in prize money.
Pluhowsky, a member of the USBC Team USA, dominated the WTBA World Women's Championships in September in Hong Kong. She won gold medals in the doubles (with Liz Johnson), trios (with Stefanie Nation and Shannon O'Keefe) and team (with Johnson, Nation, O'Keefe, Kelly Kulick and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard) events before rolling 300 and 299 games to help her beat Singapore's Daphne Tan three games to one in the best-of-five games Masters championship match. She also earned a bronze medal in all-events. The left-hander placed sixth in the U.S. Women's Open in Euless, Texas, eighth in the USBC Women's Championships Diamond/Classic singles and ninth in Diamond/Classic all-events.
Awards for Koivuniemi and Pluhowsky will be presented during the BWAA Annual Meetings and International Bowl Expo in Reno, Nev.
Bowlers of the Year
IBMA Dick Weber Male Bowlers of the Year
2012 - Michael Fagan, Dallas, TX
2011 - Mika Koiuvniemi, Hartland, MI
2010 - Bill O'Neill, Southampton, PA
2009 - Norm Duke, Clermont, FL
2008 - Norm Duke, Clermont, FL
2007 - Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, FL
2006 - Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC
2005 - Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, NY
2004 - W.R. Williams Jr., Ocala, FL
2003 - W.R. Williams Jr., Ocala, FL
2002 - W.R. Williams Jr., Ocala, FL
2001 - Parker Bohn III, Jackson, NJ
2000 - Norm Duke, Clermont, FL
1999 - Parker Bohn III, Jackson, NJ
1998 - W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, CA
1997 - W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, CA
1996 - W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, CA
1995 - Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, IN
1994 - Norm Duke, Edmond, OK
1993 - W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, CA
1992 - Marc McDowell, Madison, WI
1991 - David Ozio, Vidor, TX
1990 - Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela
1989 - Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, IN
1988 - Brian Voss, Tacoma, WA
1987 - Marshall Holman, Medford, OR
1985 - Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, IN
1986 - W.R. Williams Jr., Stockton, CA
1984 - Mark Roth, Spring Lake Hts., NJ
1983 - Earl Anthony, Dublin, CA
1982 - Earl Anthony, Dublin, CA
1981 - Earl Anthony, Dublin, CA
1980 - Wayne Webb, Reheboth, MA
1979 - Mark Roth, N. Arlington, NJ
1978 - Mark Roth, N. Arlington, NJ
1977 - Mark Roth, N. Arlington, NJ
1976 - Earl Anthony, Dublin, CA
1975 - Earl Anthony, Dublin, CA
1974 - Earl Anthony, Dublin, CA
1973 - Don McCune, Munster, IN
1972 - Don Johnson, Akron, OH
1971 - Don Johnson, Akron, OH
1970 - Nelson Burton Jr., St. Louis, MO
1969 - Billy Hardwick, Louisville, KY
1968 - Jim Stefanich, Joliet, IL
1967 - Dave Davis, Phoenix, AZ
1966 - Wayne Zahn, Atlanta, GA
1965 - Dick Weber, St. Louis, MO
1964 - Billy Hardwick, San Mateo, CA
1963 - Dick Weber, St. Louis, MO
1962 - Don Carter, St. Louis, MO
1961 - Dick Weber, St. Louis, MO
1960 - Don Carter, St. Louis, MO
1959 - Ed Lubanski, Detroit, MI
1958 - Don Carter, St. Louis, MO
1957 - Don Carter, St. Louis, MO
1956 - Bill Lillard, Chicago, IL
1955 - Steve Nagy, Detroit, MI
1954 - Don Carter, St. Louis, MO
1953 - Don Carter, St. Louis, MO
1952 - Steve Nagy, Cleveland, OH
1951 - Lee Jouglard, Detroit, MI
1950 - Junie McMahon, Fair Lawn, NJ
1949 - Connie Schwoegler, Madison, WI
1948 - Andy Varipapa, Brooklyn, NY
1947 - Buddy Bomar, Chicago, IL
1946 - Joe Wilman, Chicago, IL
1945 - Buddy Bomar, Chicago, IL
1944 - Ned Day, Milwaukee, WI
1943 - Ned Day, Milwaukee, WI
1942 - Johnny Crimmins, Detroit, MI
IBMA Female Bowlers of the Year
2012 - Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, IL
2011 - Shannon Pluhowsky, Kettering, OH
2010 - Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ
2009 - Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY
2008 - Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, TX
2007 - Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY
2006 - Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ
2005 - Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, NY
2004 - Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, AZ
2003 - Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Dallas, TX
2002 - Leanne Barrette, Pleasanton, CA
2001 - Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Dallas, TX
2000 - Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, NV
1999 - Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, NV
1998 - Carol Gianotti-Block, Australia
1997 - Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, NV
1996 - Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, NV
1995 - Tish Johnson, Northridge, CA
1994 - Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, OK
1993 - Lisa Wagner, Palmetto, FL
1992 - Tish Johnson, Panorama City, CA
1991 - Leanne Barrette, Yukon, OK
1990 - Tish Johnson, Panorama City, CA
1989 - Robin Romeo, Newhall, CA
1988 - Lisa Wagner, Palmetto, FL
1987 - Betty Morris, Stockton, CA
1986 - Lisa Wagner, Palmetto, FL
1985 - Aleta Sill, Dearborn, MI
1984 - Aleta Sill, Dearborn, MI
1983 - Lisa Wagner, Palmetto, FL
1982 - Nikki Gianulias, Vallejo, CA
1981 - Donna Adamek, Apple Valley, CA
1980 - Donna Adamek, Apple Valley, CA
1979 - Donna Adamek, Apple Valley, CA
1978 - Donna Adamek, Apple Valley, CA
1976 - Patty Costello, Scranton, PA
1975 - Judy Soutar, Leawood, KS
1974 - Betty Morris, Stockton, CA
1973 - Judy Soutar, Leawood, KS
1972 - Patty Costello, Scranton, PA
1971 - Paula Carter, Miami, FL
1970 - Mary Baker Harris, Cent. Islip, NY
1969 - Dorothy Fothergill, Ossippee, NH.
1968 - Dorothy Fothergill, Ossippee, NH
1967 - Mildred Ignizio, Rochester, NY
1966 - Joy Abel, Lansing, IL
1965 - Betty Kuczynski, Chicago, IL
1964 - LaVerne Carter, Las Vegas, NV
1963 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1962 - Shirley Garms, Island Lake, IL
1961 - Shirley Garms, Island Lake, IL
1960 - Sylvia Martin, Philadelphia, PA
1959 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1958 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1957 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1956 - Anita Cantaline, Detroit, MI
1955 - Sylvia Martin, Philadelphia, PA
1954 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1953 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1952 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1951 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1950 - Marion Ladewig, Grand Rapids, MI
1949 - Val Mikiel, Detroit, MI
1948 - Val Mikiel, Detroit, MI
(back to top)
|
2011 DICK WEBER MALE BOWLER OF THE YEAR
MIKA KOIVUNIEMI
HARTLAND, MI
2011 FEMALE BOWLER OF THE YEAR
SHANNON PLUHOWSKY
KETTERING, OH
|