Junior bowler Madysen Keller helps the team secure their first tournament win this season. Keller was also named all-tournament team, alongside Stephanie Zavala after bowling for 300.
Keller started bowling at a young age. She played in a local pee-wee league and wasn’t very dedicated to the sport. It took some time, but after a while, the sport came along to her and soon she decided she wanted to bowl in college.
“I started bowling when I was five years old,” Keller said. “It was a pee-wee league and if you bowled 100 you would get a stuffed animal. I wasn’t dedicated to the game, but once I got into the eighth-grade that when I knew I wanted to have a career in bowling.”
Keller started playing competitively in her early teens. When starting in her first tournament, she bowled a 96. Keller feels that she has came a long way from her first tournament.
“I started to do competitions when I was 13 years old,” Keller said. “I honestly was not that great when I first started. My first tournament I bowled a 96 so I’ve came a long way.”
Keller has indeed came a long way from here early tournaments. Keller bowled a 300 at the Sugar Bowl and became the first player ever at Sam Houston to do so.
“My 300 was crazy honestly,” Keller said. “My coach was helping me through out. I knew that I had to hit my marks and if I didn’t, I would be fine with that. It’s just crazy how I’m the first at Sam Houston to bowl a 300.”
Keller’s transition to collegiate wasn’t easy. Her freshman year was her chance to grow as a player. After that it was up hill from there
“My freshman year was my developmental year,” Keller said. “I defiantly had to work and put a lot of time into the game. I had to work on my spares, timing, and my hands. Me and coach were in the bowling alley a lot. My sophomore year is when I got into the spot light. I made two all-tournament team and got an MVP.”
Keller felt that all her hard work played off in her sophomore year.
“That year was when all my hard work showed and I would say it was my most consistent year,” Keller said. “This year start off rough, when I came back I didn’t start off great and I wasn’t the same as I was last year. I pulled it back together and we are looking to make a run this year.”
Keller performance helped the team secure their first tournament win this season. The team beat the school rival SFA and went on the play the host Tulane to win the first-place title. The win helps the Kats’ rank as they hope to be ranked top three going forward.
“It means a lot for the rest of the season,” Keller said. “It gives us a strong chance that we will be ranked top three going into these future tournaments which is huge.”
The Bearkats will now prepare for the McKendree Bearkat Open taking place at Fairview Heights, Ill. From Fri, Oct 27- Sun, Oct 29.