Former Team USA member joins Webber International University bowling team
One of the most heralded and decorated bowlers in women’s bowling, Ashly Galante of Palm Harbor, Fla., has decided to sit-out a year to join the fledgling WIU bowling team as a transfer student.
“We are extremely pleased to have Ashly joining us as a foundation for our women’s program. Her experience and many successes will immediately help us build a nationally competitive team beginning in 2009-10,” said Joe Slowinski, head coach. “She is one of the hardest working and most tenacious bowlers I have ever met.”
“I am really excited about coming to Webber,” Galante said. “The training that I will get will be amazing. And, it will be nice to be around an international team comprised of people from different cultures. I will learn so much from my teammates.”
Galante has had much success in her short bowling career. Ashley was a member of Team USA in 2007, at 18 years old, and she finished seventh at the 2008 Team USA Trials as well 12th in 2007 and 13th in 2006.
“Ashly is one of those rare athletes that combines talent with incredible drive and determination. These traits will certainly help her new teammates and us as coaches,” added Assistant Coach Del Warren.
Galante has earned the USBC Sport Bowling Star Award for Female Youth National High Average for three consecutive years, 2005 (194), 2006 (200) and 2007 (206).
In 2008, she competed, as anchor, on the National Championship Pikeville College team, where she was named as a First Team All America as well as Female Collegiate Rookie of the Year by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches of America. She was also named to the Intercollegiate Bowling Team Championship All Tournament Team as well as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
In 2007, Galante won the Teen Masters title a year after finishing runner-up in the grueling youth tournament featuring the top players in the United States. She was a triple Gold medal winner at the Tournament of the Americas winning All Events, Team and National All Events. She also earned Silver Medals in Doubles and Mixed Doubles.
In 2005, Galante was a member of the Kegel Elite Team that was victorious at the World Junior Team Championships. And, she was 12th at Junior Gold in 2004.
“She is, without a doubt, the most determined, totally committed individual to the sport of bowling, male or female, that I have met in the past decade,” added Randy Stoughton, assistant coach. “It has been a pleasure to watch her grow. I look forward to seeing her achieve more in the future. I am excited about the potential of her influencing WIU’s pursuit of excellence.”
Galante is also a USBC Bronze-Level certified coach and graduated in 2007, Magna cum Laude, from Tarpon Springs High School, Tarpon Springs, Fla. She is transferring from Pikeville College in Kentucky, another NAIA school, and as such will sit out the upcoming season which will be Webber’s first.
Article found in The Lake Wales News
