|
Team USA's Asbaty, Hoffman named 2006 BWAA Amateurs of the Year
By Mark Miller // United States Bowling Congress // March 20, 2007
United States Bowling Congress Team USA members Diandra Asbaty and Bill Hoffman have been selected as the 2006 Amateur Bowlers of the Year by the Bowling Writers' Association of America.
The honor is the second for Asbaty, who also won in 2003, and the fifth for Hoffman who previously won in 2003, 2002, 2000 and 1999.
Chicago resident Asbaty opened her highly successful 2006 by earning the U.S. Amateur champion title at the United States Bowling Congress Team USA Championships. She later earned titles in the Malaysian Open and in doubles in the Cream of the Crop tournaments before capping her year with the gold medal in the QubicaAMF World Cup. She also was one of 16 women to compete in the inaugural USBC Women's Challenge in 2006.
The biggest moment of 2006 for Hoffman, who resides in Columbus, Ohio, was helping Team USA to the team event gold medal in the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships, the first time in 35 years his country had captured team gold. He rolled a 300 in the next-to-last game to help the Americans win. Hoffman finished ninth in the 2006 USBC Team USA Championships and was named to Team USA by the National Selection Committee. He also helped the U.S. capture the Weber Cup.
Asbaty topped fellow Team USA members Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, and Olivia Sandham, Wichita, Kan., in the women's voting. Hoffman edged Rhino Page, Fresno, Calif., in the men's voting with 2006 U.S. Amateur champion Dan Patterson, Buffalo, N.Y., in third place.
Asbaty and Hoffman will receive their honors June 26 during the BWAA Press Party in Las Vegas.
|
