Illinois high school senior named Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow
March 28, 2017
ARLINGTON, Texas – Natalie Koprowitz of Girard, Illinois, has been selected as the 2017 Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow.
Determined by the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee, the prestigious award recognizes star qualities in a female United States Bowling Congress Youth bowler, including accomplishments on the lanes, academic achievement and community service. The award winner receives a $6,000 scholarship.
“I cannot begin to explain what it means to have been given this award,” Koprowitz said. “The first word that comes to mind is ‘validation.’ The last several years, I have really committed myself to my schoolwork, my community and bowling. This award shows how much it has truly paid off. Also, to have my name on this award with some amazing young women is a huge honor.”
Koprowitz is the top-ranked student at North Mac High School with a 4.33 grade-point average (4.0 scale). She has taken college prep classes is algebra, biology, physics, trigonometry, calculus and genetics, is an Illinois State Scholar and president of the National Honor Society.
She is a Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering and Gifted Olympiad member, is president of the Science Club and Student Council vice president. As secretary of the Key Club, she helped organize quarterly blood drives through the Central Illinois Community Blood Center. She also volunteers at the Girard Food Pantry.
Koprowitz was introduced to the sport of bowling when she was 3.
“My father bowled growing up, and he started my three older brothers and me in league at young ages,” Koprowitz said. “Having my older brothers to compete against on the lanes really pushed me. It wasn’t until my early teenage years that I really began to bowl competitively. Both of my parents have been a huge support for me, and I can’t thank them enough.”
On the lanes, she won high school regional and sectional individual titles in 2017 and finished eighth in the Illinois High School Association state tournament. She had top-four individual finishes in the IHSA regionals and sectionals both her sophomore and junior seasons and was named to the 2015-2016 Dexter/USBC All-America Team.
She finished 87th in the U20 division at the 2016 Junior Gold Championships and was 32nd in U20 in 2015. As a U15 participant in 2015, she qualified for match play but lost in her third match in the bracket.
Koprowitz will continue her bowling career at St. Ambrose University in the fall. She plans to major in nursing and currently is enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant course, so she can get an early start in the field.
The Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award is named in honor of the USBC Hall of Fame member who was a seven-term president of the Women’s International Bowling Congress. It first was awarded in 1961.
Koprowitz will receive her award at the 2017 USBC Convention, which will take place April 24-27 at The Orleans in Las Vegas.
Go to BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards to learn more about scholarship opportunities and national awards for youth bowlers.
ALBERTA E. CROWE STAR OF TOMORROW AWARD WINNERS
Year, winner, hometown
1961 Betty Kuczynski, Cicero, Ill.
1962 Joy Abel, Lansing, Ill.
1963 Judy Soutar, Leawood, Kan.
1964 Ann Bosworth, Belleville, Ill.
1965 Karen Linton, El Paso, Texas
1966 Betty Jo Crow, Fairway, Kan.
1967 Mildred Ignizio, Rochester, N.Y.
1968 Pamela Carver, Phoenix, Ariz.
1969 Janice Sue Reichley, Dallas
1970 Cheryl Robinson, Destrehan, La.
1971 Rosalyn Raab, San Antonio, Texas
1972 Karen Gustafson, Sunland, Calif.
1973 Leslie Ferris, Arlington, Va.
1974 Pam Dusek, Ontario, Calif.
1975 Donna Adamek, Apple Valley, Calif.
1976 Regina Loveall, Amarillo, Texas
1977 Kathy Kirst, San Antonio, Texas
1978 Nikki Gianulias, Vallejo, Calif.
1979 Audrey Gable, Whitehall, Pa.
1980 Tish Johnson, Panorama City, Calif.
1981 Shelley Johnson, Toledo, Ohio
1982 Vicki Parker, Pelham, N.H.
1983 Laura Dulisse, Blauvelt, N.Y.
1984 Kristine Gross, Citrus Heights, Calif.
1985 Becky Kregling, Stratford, Conn.
1986 Lori Benge, Wichita, Kan.
1987 Dionne Lee, Modesto, Calif.
1988 Lynda Norry, Concord, Calif.
1989 Stefanie Marek, Wilmington, Del.
1990 Kelly Everding, Arvada, Colo.
1991 Laura Ross, Mahwah, N.J.
1992 Kari Murph, Dayton, Ohio
1993 Elizabeth Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
1994 Pamela Inloes, Modesto, Calif.
1995 Kassy Hyman, Dyer, Ind.
1996 Michelle Ewald, St. Clair Shores, Mich.
1997 Kimberly Claus, Mesquite, Texas
1998 Diandra Hyman, Dyer, Ind.
1999 Amy Rocco, Phoenix
2000 Robin Crawford, Hendersonville, Tenn.
2001 Melissa Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif.
2002 Anita Manns, Austin, Texas
2003 Lindsey Coulles, Centerville, Ohio
2004 Amanda Burgoyne, Newport, Minn.
2005 Cassandra Leuthold, Blackhawk, S.D.
2006 Josie Earnest, Vandalia, Ill.
2007 Joi Bell, Pflugerville, Texas
2008 Brittni Hamilton, Webster, N.Y.
2009 Ricki Williams, Wichita, Kan.
2010 Heather D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y.
2011 Nicole Mosesso, Centerville, Ohio
2012 Megan Buja, Rockford, Ill.
2013 Melanie Hannon, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
2014 Melanie Crawford, Plano, Texas
2015 Emma Kuhn, Texas City, Texas
2016 Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I.
2017 Natalie Koprowitz, Girard, Ill.
Determined by the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee, the prestigious award recognizes star qualities in a female United States Bowling Congress Youth bowler, including accomplishments on the lanes, academic achievement and community service. The award winner receives a $6,000 scholarship.
“I cannot begin to explain what it means to have been given this award,” Koprowitz said. “The first word that comes to mind is ‘validation.’ The last several years, I have really committed myself to my schoolwork, my community and bowling. This award shows how much it has truly paid off. Also, to have my name on this award with some amazing young women is a huge honor.”
Koprowitz is the top-ranked student at North Mac High School with a 4.33 grade-point average (4.0 scale). She has taken college prep classes is algebra, biology, physics, trigonometry, calculus and genetics, is an Illinois State Scholar and president of the National Honor Society.
She is a Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering and Gifted Olympiad member, is president of the Science Club and Student Council vice president. As secretary of the Key Club, she helped organize quarterly blood drives through the Central Illinois Community Blood Center. She also volunteers at the Girard Food Pantry.
Koprowitz was introduced to the sport of bowling when she was 3.
“My father bowled growing up, and he started my three older brothers and me in league at young ages,” Koprowitz said. “Having my older brothers to compete against on the lanes really pushed me. It wasn’t until my early teenage years that I really began to bowl competitively. Both of my parents have been a huge support for me, and I can’t thank them enough.”
On the lanes, she won high school regional and sectional individual titles in 2017 and finished eighth in the Illinois High School Association state tournament. She had top-four individual finishes in the IHSA regionals and sectionals both her sophomore and junior seasons and was named to the 2015-2016 Dexter/USBC All-America Team.
She finished 87th in the U20 division at the 2016 Junior Gold Championships and was 32nd in U20 in 2015. As a U15 participant in 2015, she qualified for match play but lost in her third match in the bracket.
Koprowitz will continue her bowling career at St. Ambrose University in the fall. She plans to major in nursing and currently is enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant course, so she can get an early start in the field.
The Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award is named in honor of the USBC Hall of Fame member who was a seven-term president of the Women’s International Bowling Congress. It first was awarded in 1961.
Koprowitz will receive her award at the 2017 USBC Convention, which will take place April 24-27 at The Orleans in Las Vegas.
Go to BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards to learn more about scholarship opportunities and national awards for youth bowlers.
ALBERTA E. CROWE STAR OF TOMORROW AWARD WINNERS
Year, winner, hometown
1961 Betty Kuczynski, Cicero, Ill.
1962 Joy Abel, Lansing, Ill.
1963 Judy Soutar, Leawood, Kan.
1964 Ann Bosworth, Belleville, Ill.
1965 Karen Linton, El Paso, Texas
1966 Betty Jo Crow, Fairway, Kan.
1967 Mildred Ignizio, Rochester, N.Y.
1968 Pamela Carver, Phoenix, Ariz.
1969 Janice Sue Reichley, Dallas
1970 Cheryl Robinson, Destrehan, La.
1971 Rosalyn Raab, San Antonio, Texas
1972 Karen Gustafson, Sunland, Calif.
1973 Leslie Ferris, Arlington, Va.
1974 Pam Dusek, Ontario, Calif.
1975 Donna Adamek, Apple Valley, Calif.
1976 Regina Loveall, Amarillo, Texas
1977 Kathy Kirst, San Antonio, Texas
1978 Nikki Gianulias, Vallejo, Calif.
1979 Audrey Gable, Whitehall, Pa.
1980 Tish Johnson, Panorama City, Calif.
1981 Shelley Johnson, Toledo, Ohio
1982 Vicki Parker, Pelham, N.H.
1983 Laura Dulisse, Blauvelt, N.Y.
1984 Kristine Gross, Citrus Heights, Calif.
1985 Becky Kregling, Stratford, Conn.
1986 Lori Benge, Wichita, Kan.
1987 Dionne Lee, Modesto, Calif.
1988 Lynda Norry, Concord, Calif.
1989 Stefanie Marek, Wilmington, Del.
1990 Kelly Everding, Arvada, Colo.
1991 Laura Ross, Mahwah, N.J.
1992 Kari Murph, Dayton, Ohio
1993 Elizabeth Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
1994 Pamela Inloes, Modesto, Calif.
1995 Kassy Hyman, Dyer, Ind.
1996 Michelle Ewald, St. Clair Shores, Mich.
1997 Kimberly Claus, Mesquite, Texas
1998 Diandra Hyman, Dyer, Ind.
1999 Amy Rocco, Phoenix
2000 Robin Crawford, Hendersonville, Tenn.
2001 Melissa Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif.
2002 Anita Manns, Austin, Texas
2003 Lindsey Coulles, Centerville, Ohio
2004 Amanda Burgoyne, Newport, Minn.
2005 Cassandra Leuthold, Blackhawk, S.D.
2006 Josie Earnest, Vandalia, Ill.
2007 Joi Bell, Pflugerville, Texas
2008 Brittni Hamilton, Webster, N.Y.
2009 Ricki Williams, Wichita, Kan.
2010 Heather D’Errico, Rochester, N.Y.
2011 Nicole Mosesso, Centerville, Ohio
2012 Megan Buja, Rockford, Ill.
2013 Melanie Hannon, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
2014 Melanie Crawford, Plano, Texas
2015 Emma Kuhn, Texas City, Texas
2016 Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I.
2017 Natalie Koprowitz, Girard, Ill.