October 23, 2007

Elite women's cast added to Team USA 2008

By Kevin Hazaert
USBC Communications

Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Wendy Macpherson, legends in the world of women's bowling, will represent the United States for the first time as they highlight a star-studded women's cast named to Team USA 2008 on Wednesday.

Also added to Team USA 2008 are five others who have made plenty of history between them - Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick, Kim Terrell, Diandra Asbaty and Missy Bellinder.

In August, the World Tenpin Bowling Association voted to allow members of professional organizations to compete in international events, prompting USBC to change the selection procedures for Team USA in 2008.

A USBC committee selected the seven from the pool of players that included Team USA members since 1998 and former Professional Women's Bowling Association/Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour members.

"I decided to be a pro bowler and didn't think I'd ever have this opportunity," said Dorin-Ballard, a 20-time winner on the PWBA Tour who was an All-American at West Texas State in the late 1980s. "This is icing on the cake for my career.

"You gain so much more from team competition than you do from singles. It's great to win, no matter what, but to share it and represent your country, there is no better feeling."

More on the Team USA selections:

Dorin-Ballard

Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, North Richland Hills, Texas: A spokesperson for the USBC High School program, Dorin-Ballard won seven titles - including the USBC Queens - in the 2001 season, tying the record for most in a season. She rolled back-to-back 300 games in a Professional Bowlers Association regional event in August 2005, and also has a PBA regional title to her credit.

Macpherson

Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev.: Macpherson, who has six major titles among her 20 PWBA Tour victories, and Millie Ignizio are the only three-time USBC Queens champions. She is the PWBA's all-time earnings leader with more than $1.2 million and owns 10 PWBA records. Macpherson made history in 2006 when she won the Regular Singles title at the USBC Open Championships, becoming the first woman to win a Regular Division event.

Johnson

Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y.: An 11-time PWBA Tour titlist and recent winner of her second U.S. Open title, Johnson made history in 2005 by becoming the first woman to win a PBA regional and advance to the TV finals of Denny's PBA Tour event. Johnson won consecutive U.S. Amateur titles in 1994 and 1995, and was a Team USA member from 1994-96.

Kulick

Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J.: Kulick, the reigning USBC Queens champion, became the first woman to earn a Denny's PBA Tour exemption and went on to compete in 19 events during the 2006-07 season. She was PWBA Rookie of the Year in 2001 and, two years later, won her first tour title at the 2003 U.S. Women's Open. Kulick won the 2000 U.S. Amateur title and was a Team USA member from 1998-2001.

Terrell

Kim Terrell, Antioch, Calif.: Terrell, the women's head coach at Delaware State, a Junior Team USA assistant coach and spokesperson for the USBC Collegiate program, won nine PWBA titles that includes two majors - the 2001 U.S. Women's Open and the 2002 USBC Queens. She was named PWBA Rookie of the Year in 1989 after being a part of Team USA in 1988.

Asbaty

Diandra Asbaty, Chicago: A member of Team USA every year since 1999, Asbaty is the only current amateur selected from the pool. Asbaty, a spokesperson for the USBC Youth program, is the reigning QubicaAMF World Cup champion and has twice won the Masters gold medal at the World Championships. At age 25, she was inducted into the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame.

Bellinder

Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif.: A Team USA member in 2000 and 2001, Bellinder was the first woman to own a PBA membership and recently became the only woman to win a second PBA regional title. She won the first U.S. Junior Amateur title thanks to a win at the 1998 USBC Junior Gold Championships.

"I'm very excited. It'll be great to wear the red, white and blue again," said Bellinder, who recently advance to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Women's Open and was the collegiate player of the year at Cal State-Fullerton in 2002-03. "Competing with the men in the PBA has definitely improved my game a lot. I've learned a lot more versatility and it's definitely better to be back on Team USA with that added experience."

They will join Lynda Barnes, Shannon O'Keefe, Tennelle Milligan and Shannon Pluhowsky, all of whom earned spots on Team USA 2008 due to their performance at the 2007 USBC Team USA Trials.

Four additional women will be added at the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials, with the top two finishers earning automatic selections and two more players selected from the field by the National Selection Committee.

Six women from Team USA 2008 will represent the United States at the 2008 Women's American Zone Championships, scheduled for October in Santiago, Chile.

On Tuesday, Denny's PBA Tour stars Walter Ray Williams Jr., Parker Bohn III, Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen and Sean Rash were added to Team USA 2008. They join David Haynes, Bill Hoffman, David O'Sullivan and Rhino Page, all of whom earned spots on Team USA 2008 due to their performance at the 2007 USBC Team USA Trials.

Four additional men will be added at the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials, with the top two finishers earning automatic selections and two more players selected from the field by the National Selection Committee.

The 2008 USBC Team USA Trials will take place Jan. 13-18 at Sunset Station in Las Vegas. The event is open to any USBC member, including those who were in the pool but were not selected for Team USA. Denny's PBA Tour players are also eligible but must receive an exemption from the PBA in order to compete.