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Fresno State's Haggerty, Pikeville's Bandy Named 2006-07 NCBCA Most Valuable Players
courtesy of the BWAA

Fresno State senior P.J. Haggerty and Pikeville junior Kayla Bandy were named Most Valuable Players for the 2006-07 collegiate bowling season by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association. They also were named 2006-07 Bowling Writers Association of America Collegiate Players of the Year.

Haggerty and Bandy were honored along with the rest of the All-Americans at the "Night of Champions" banquet held in conjunction with the 2007 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships.

Haggerty became the first individual to win three NCBCA Most Valuable Player awards and second to be named BWAA Collegiate Player of the Year three times, joining current Denny's PBA Tour star Bill O'Neill of Saginaw Valley State. Haggerty is the first to win BWAA's top player award three straight years.

Leading the nation with a 212.99 average, Haggerty helped lead the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs to their sixth straight championships appearance as they won the Las Vegas Sectional. The Weimar, Calif., native also was a second-team All-American in 2003-04.

He's joined on the first team by two Fresno State teammates, sophomore Josh Blanchard of Upland, Calif., and junior Matt Robinson of Richmond, Calif. "That's something special to be proud of as a team," said Haggerty, who is a current member of Team USA and will look for his second USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships title next month in Huntsville,Ala.

"I can't say enough about our great coaches, Chris Preble and Glenn Carlson, helping us put in long practices and a lot of time and effort. It's a great accomplishment but we have work to do this week."

Haggerty, Blanchard and Robinson are joined on the men's first team by Saginaw Valley State sophomore Dan MacLelland, Windsor, Ontario; William Paterson junior Matthew Deuire, Kingston, N.Y., and William Paterson sophomore Matt O'Grady, South Amboy, N.J.

O'Grady, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion and two-time Junior Team USA member, also was honored as Men's Rookie of the Year.

This marks the second consecutive year as a first-team All-American for Bandy, a Danville, Va., native who helped lead the No. 2-ranked Bears to the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Sectional title and their sixth consecutive championships appearance.

Bandy, who was third in the nation with a 195.08 average this season, earned Rookie of the Year honors and a second-team All-American selection in her freshman season in 2004-05.

Joining Bandy on the women's first team are Wichita State junior Emily Maier, Sparks. Nev.; Fresno State senior Karen Rosprim, Hanford, Calif.; Wichita State senior Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., and Pikeville freshman Jamie Foster, Dallas. Foster also was honored as Women's Rookie of the Year.

"This feels amazing. Winning Player of the Year was one of my goals this year," said Bandy, a former two-time Junior Team USA member who also will be competing at the USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships for a second time. "We've had great team chemistry and for us to have the Rookie of the Year as well is a testament to the success our team has had this season."

Fresno State's Chris Preble and Wichita State's Mark Lewis were tabbed as Coach of the Year in the men's and women's divisions, respectively.

Former USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships tournament director Andy VanRemortal was named recipient of the NCBCA Gordon Teigen Meritorious Service Award.

BWAA 2006-07 COLLEGIATE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Male: P.J. Haggerty, Fresno State

Female: Kayla Bandy, Pikeville

Male Runnersup: Dan MacLelland, Saginaw Valley State; Josh Blanchard, Fresno State; Matt O'Grady, William Paterson; Matt Robinson, Fresno State. Honorable Mention: William Haverland, West Texas A&M; J.R. Raymond, Saginaw Valley State; Matthew Deuire, William Paterson. Female Runnersup: Emily Maier, Wichita State; Karen Rosprim, Fresno State; Elysia Current, Wichita State; Jamie Foster, Pikeville. Honorable Mention: Sara O'Brien, Briarcliffe;

Kerry Smith, Shippensburg; Jennifer Ridilla, Lindenwood.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOWLING COACHES ASSOCIATION

2006-07 ALL-AMERICANS: MEN--First Team: P.J. Haggerty, Fresno State; Dan MacLelland, Saginaw Valley State; Josh Blanchard, Fresno State;Matt Robinson, Fresno State; Matthew Deuire, William Paterson; Matt O'Grady, William Paterson. Second Team: J.R. Raymond, Saginaw Valley State; William Haverland, West Texas A&M; Shea Bittenbender, Lindenwood, George Lambert IV, Wichita State. Honorable Mention: Steve Elson, Wichita State; Jon Schalow, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Pete Maduri, Canisius; Brett Cunningham, Mohawk Valley CC; Steve Kosier, Toledo; Michael Dole, Lindenwood. Most Valuable Player:P.J. Haggerty, Fresno State; Rookie of the Year:Matt O'Grady, William Paterson; Coach of the Year:Chris Preble, Fresno State. WOMEN--First Team: Kayla Bandy, Pikeville; Emily Maier, Wichita State; Karen Rosprim, Fresno State; Elysia Current, Wichita State; Jamie Foster, Pikeville. Second Team: Brigette Harrelson, Central Florida; Jennifer Ridilla, Lindenwood; Michelle Quirk, Fresno State; Sara O'Brien, Briarcliffe; Kerry Smith, Shippensburg. Honorable Mention: Jen Donahue, Lindenwood; Amy Corbin, Morehead State; Michelle Carcagente, Central Florida; Hayley Beavis, Martin Methodist; Jody Fetterhoff, Shippensburg. Most Valuable Player:Kayla Bandy, Pikeville; Rookie of the Year: Jamie Foster, Pikeville; Coach of the Year: Mark Lewis, Wichita State.

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