Prior to the beginning of the 2023-24 Viterbo University bowling season, the athletic department announced the hiring of Terry McKinney as the new head men’s and women’s team coach, replacing Jim Socha who became the full-time men’s and women’s Golf coach. McKinney has had much success in the city of La Crosse, playing for the UW-La Crosse team that went to the 1985 Collegiate Bowling Championship. McKinney then became the head men’s and women’s bowling coach at UW-La Crosse and led the women’s team to a national tournament appearance in 1990. Since then, he was inducted to the La Crosse River Valley Association Hall of Fame. Based on this historic success, it was a no-brainer to hire McKinney as head coach for our V-Hawks.
Nathan Arias is a first-year on the bowling team, and even in the limited time he has attended the university he knows how big of an impact McKinney has had on the program. Arias states, “Our new coach Terry is amazing and is really changing the program for the better. He has improved my consistency from shot to shot and my confidence on the lanes.”
Throughout the season, McKinney’s experience and coaching has shown full effect. The women’s team found much success this season, finishing a season high second in their fourth Great Lakes Bowling Conference (GLBC) meet going along with a top five finish at the Clarke Invite and a top 10 finish at the GLBC meet three.
Likewise, the men’s team had great accomplishments finishing with a first-place medal at the UW-Stout invite to pair with a top four finish at the fourth GLBC meet and a third-place finish at their home invitational. Arias was ecstatic about hosting a home invitational this year saying, “Hosting the V-Hawk Invitational was awesome. We got to see ourselves perform at our home alley of Pla-Mor. Although we didn’t win, it was a huge learning experience.”
With the men’s team outstanding performance at their own home invitational and being the “67th ranked team in the nation” via Arias, the V-Hawks were able to qualify for the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Sectional Meet. The V-Hawks are looking to carry on their success to this meet March 8-10.
