onefrombills
10-29-2008, 03:25 AM
The women take the stage on the PBA Tour this week as the 2008-09 PBA Women’s Series kicks off at the Pepsi Viper Championship at Thunder Alley in Omaha, Neb., Oct. 29-Nov. 2.
The PBA Women’s Series will feature a diverse field including veterans Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Tennelle Milligan, fresh, young faces in Adrienne Miller and Trisha Reid, and international stars Clara Guerrero and Shalin Zulkifli, of Colombia and Malaysia, respectively.
“I think everyone can identify with at least one woman on the tour,” Zulkifli said. “We all have so many different styles and come from different backgrounds.”
The 16 exempt-bowler field was determined at the 2008 PBA Women’s Tour Trials, which were held in conjunction with the 2008 Women’s U.S. Open, a United States Bowling Congress (USBC) event. The top 12 women advanced through the PBA Women’s Tour Trials, while the four winners of last season’s events --- Diandra Asbaty, Dorin-Ballard, Joy Esterson and Shannon Pluhowsky --- received automatic berths.
The 2008 PBA Women’s Series, which is sponsored by the USBC, marks the only opportunity for women to bowl on Tour since the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) folded in 2003. Five of the current PBA Women’s Series players were PWBA Alum ---- Dorin-Ballard, Milligan, Brenda Mack, Michelle Feldman and Shannon O’ Keefe.
The PBA Women’s Series, which debuted in 2007, proved to be so popular that the PBA increased the series to seven events as part of the 50th anniversary PBA Tour season.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Dorin-Ballard said. “I think going from four events to seven is definitely a step in the right direction.”
The championship match of each event will be televised live on ESPN as part of the regular PBA Tour telecast. Each PBA Women’s Series event, which will run concurrently with seven Lumber Liquidators’ PBA Tour events, including this week’s Pepsi Viper Championship, will feature a $51,100 prize fund, including a $10,000 top prize.
The 16 exempt women bowlers for the 2008-2009 season include: Asbaty, Missy Bellinder, Dorin-Ballard, Esterson, Feldman, Guerrero, Mack, Miller, Milligan, Stefanie Nation, O’Keefe, Jen Petrick, Pluhowsky, Reid, Jodi Woessner and Zulkifli.
The PBA Women’s Series will feature a diverse field including veterans Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Tennelle Milligan, fresh, young faces in Adrienne Miller and Trisha Reid, and international stars Clara Guerrero and Shalin Zulkifli, of Colombia and Malaysia, respectively.
“I think everyone can identify with at least one woman on the tour,” Zulkifli said. “We all have so many different styles and come from different backgrounds.”
The 16 exempt-bowler field was determined at the 2008 PBA Women’s Tour Trials, which were held in conjunction with the 2008 Women’s U.S. Open, a United States Bowling Congress (USBC) event. The top 12 women advanced through the PBA Women’s Tour Trials, while the four winners of last season’s events --- Diandra Asbaty, Dorin-Ballard, Joy Esterson and Shannon Pluhowsky --- received automatic berths.
The 2008 PBA Women’s Series, which is sponsored by the USBC, marks the only opportunity for women to bowl on Tour since the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) folded in 2003. Five of the current PBA Women’s Series players were PWBA Alum ---- Dorin-Ballard, Milligan, Brenda Mack, Michelle Feldman and Shannon O’ Keefe.
The PBA Women’s Series, which debuted in 2007, proved to be so popular that the PBA increased the series to seven events as part of the 50th anniversary PBA Tour season.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Dorin-Ballard said. “I think going from four events to seven is definitely a step in the right direction.”
The championship match of each event will be televised live on ESPN as part of the regular PBA Tour telecast. Each PBA Women’s Series event, which will run concurrently with seven Lumber Liquidators’ PBA Tour events, including this week’s Pepsi Viper Championship, will feature a $51,100 prize fund, including a $10,000 top prize.
The 16 exempt women bowlers for the 2008-2009 season include: Asbaty, Missy Bellinder, Dorin-Ballard, Esterson, Feldman, Guerrero, Mack, Miller, Milligan, Stefanie Nation, O’Keefe, Jen Petrick, Pluhowsky, Reid, Jodi Woessner and Zulkifli.