Koff siblings selected to Dexter/USBC All-America Team
May 27, 2010
Andrew Koff of Miami, Fla., has been named to the 2009-10 Dexter/United States Bowling Congress High School All-America Team for the third consecutive season and is joined on this year's team by his sister, Ana.
Andrew Koff, who recently graduated from Gulliver Preparatory School, is the first person to make the Dexter team three times. He also was named to the team in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Ana, a junior at Gulliver Preparatory School, won the Florida High School Athletic Association state singles title this season.
Megan Buja of Rockford, Ill., and Nicole Parkhurst of Utica, N.Y., were named to the girls' team for the second consecutive season. They are the third and fourth females to be two-time Dexter All-Americans.
"The student-athletes on this year's Dexter All-America Team are not only outstanding bowlers, but they are successful in the classroom and active in their communities," said Bud Clapsaddle, Vice President of Dexter Bowling. "Each has worked diligently to achieve success on and off the lanes, and we are proud to recognize their efforts."
Selection to the team is based on the student-athlete's bowling accomplishments from the current school year, academic achievement (minimum 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale), letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, community involvement, and submitted essays and resumes.
Five boys and five girls have been selected for the honor since the 2005-06 school year.
The five male athletes selected for this year's team:
> Kevin Donovan. Donovan, of Painted Post, N.Y., helped start the bowling program at Corning West High School and led the team to two Southern Tier Athletic Conference titles. He set a single-season conference record for average (227.1) this season. He is a member of the school's Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
> Frank Rivers Jones. He was named team captain by teammates each of his four years at Redemptorist High School. Jones, of Clinton, La., also was a member of the Southern Louisiana Youth Travel League. He volunteered at the Baton Rogue Zoo-Boo at the Zoo, the Zoo Dreamnight for local children with cancer and at the Farr Park-Therapeutic recreation for disabled children.
> Andrew Koff. In his senior season at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, Koff finished eighth at the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament. A two-time member of Junior Team USA, he is a founding member of the BowlForAll program, which has raised and spent more than $6,000 in support of high school programs.
> William Paul. A four-year varsity member of Wichita High School South bowling team, Paul won the Kansas Class 6A state singles title this season. A National Honor Society member, he assisted the school's Site Technology Specialist with computers and participated in neighborhood cleanups.
> Christian Weber. A four-year starter on the St. Xavier High School bowling team, he led the team to two state appearances. He was selected bowler of the year by the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2010. He volunteered with Big Buddies and has worked with Housing Rehab and the Williamstown Lake Cleanup.
The five female athletes selected for this year's team:
> Megan Buja. She led Jefferson High School of Rockford, Ill., to a runner-up finish at the 2010 Illinois state championships and had only the fourth 300 game in state tournament history. She was editor of the school yearbook and worked on the school's newspaper. She has been coaching middle school bowlers the last three years.
> Morgan Brown. The East Brunswick (N.J.) High School junior was the top qualifier at the New Jersey state tournament and finished second in the individual championship. She was selected first team all-state by the Star-Ledger. She has volunteered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and several animal rights organizations.
> Ana Koff. A junior at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, the 2009 Florida state singles champion is one of two underclassman on this year's Dexter team. She is a founding member of BowlForAll, which promotes high school bowling with free lessons and equipment, and has served as a fourth-grade teacher's assistant at an elementary school.
> Nicole Parkhurst. Parkhurst, of Utica, N.Y., led Proctor High School to the Section III team title and won the singles title. She was second at the New York state high school tournament. She has been actively involved with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and as team captain has helped raise more than $50,000.
> Rachel Sather. Sather, of Orlando, Fla., was captain of the Cypress Creek High School bowling team from 2006-09, leading them to a district title this season. A USBC Bronze coach, she has worked with Special Olympics and Junior Achievement on bowling events. She also had done volunteer work with Best Buddies, Salvation Army, Make-A-Wish and Toys for Tots.
For being selected to the 2009-10 Dexter/USBC High School All-America Team, each student-athlete will receive a $1,000 scholarship and an All-America Team award that will be presented at the 2010 USBC Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis in July.
"Bowling is one of the fastest-growing high school sports and there are many qualified applicants for this team," USBC High School Manager Breanne Eoff said. "To be recognized as a Dexter All-American is quite an accomplishment."
2009-10 DEXTER/USBC HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Female (from left)
Morgan Brown, Junior, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, N.J.
Megan Buja, Senior, Thomas Jefferson High School, Rockford, Ill.
Ana Koff, Junior, Gulliver Prep High School, Miami, Fla.
Nicole Parkhurst, Senior, Thomas R. Proctor High School, Utica, N.Y.
Rachel Sather, Senior, Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, Fla.
Male
Kevin Donovan, Senior, Corning-Painted Post West High School, Painted Post, N.Y.
Rivers Jones, Senior, Redemptorist High School, Clinton, La.
Andrew Koff, Senior, Gulliver Prep High School, Miami
William Paul, Senior, Wichita High School South, Wichita, Kan.
Christian Weber, Senior, St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, Ohio
Andrew Koff, who recently graduated from Gulliver Preparatory School, is the first person to make the Dexter team three times. He also was named to the team in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Ana, a junior at Gulliver Preparatory School, won the Florida High School Athletic Association state singles title this season.
Megan Buja of Rockford, Ill., and Nicole Parkhurst of Utica, N.Y., were named to the girls' team for the second consecutive season. They are the third and fourth females to be two-time Dexter All-Americans.
"The student-athletes on this year's Dexter All-America Team are not only outstanding bowlers, but they are successful in the classroom and active in their communities," said Bud Clapsaddle, Vice President of Dexter Bowling. "Each has worked diligently to achieve success on and off the lanes, and we are proud to recognize their efforts."
Selection to the team is based on the student-athlete's bowling accomplishments from the current school year, academic achievement (minimum 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale), letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, community involvement, and submitted essays and resumes.
Five boys and five girls have been selected for the honor since the 2005-06 school year.
The five male athletes selected for this year's team:
> Kevin Donovan. Donovan, of Painted Post, N.Y., helped start the bowling program at Corning West High School and led the team to two Southern Tier Athletic Conference titles. He set a single-season conference record for average (227.1) this season. He is a member of the school's Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
> Frank Rivers Jones. He was named team captain by teammates each of his four years at Redemptorist High School. Jones, of Clinton, La., also was a member of the Southern Louisiana Youth Travel League. He volunteered at the Baton Rogue Zoo-Boo at the Zoo, the Zoo Dreamnight for local children with cancer and at the Farr Park-Therapeutic recreation for disabled children.
> Andrew Koff. In his senior season at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, Koff finished eighth at the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament. A two-time member of Junior Team USA, he is a founding member of the BowlForAll program, which has raised and spent more than $6,000 in support of high school programs.
> William Paul. A four-year varsity member of Wichita High School South bowling team, Paul won the Kansas Class 6A state singles title this season. A National Honor Society member, he assisted the school's Site Technology Specialist with computers and participated in neighborhood cleanups.
> Christian Weber. A four-year starter on the St. Xavier High School bowling team, he led the team to two state appearances. He was selected bowler of the year by the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2010. He volunteered with Big Buddies and has worked with Housing Rehab and the Williamstown Lake Cleanup.
The five female athletes selected for this year's team:
> Megan Buja. She led Jefferson High School of Rockford, Ill., to a runner-up finish at the 2010 Illinois state championships and had only the fourth 300 game in state tournament history. She was editor of the school yearbook and worked on the school's newspaper. She has been coaching middle school bowlers the last three years.
> Morgan Brown. The East Brunswick (N.J.) High School junior was the top qualifier at the New Jersey state tournament and finished second in the individual championship. She was selected first team all-state by the Star-Ledger. She has volunteered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and several animal rights organizations.
> Ana Koff. A junior at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, the 2009 Florida state singles champion is one of two underclassman on this year's Dexter team. She is a founding member of BowlForAll, which promotes high school bowling with free lessons and equipment, and has served as a fourth-grade teacher's assistant at an elementary school.
> Nicole Parkhurst. Parkhurst, of Utica, N.Y., led Proctor High School to the Section III team title and won the singles title. She was second at the New York state high school tournament. She has been actively involved with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and as team captain has helped raise more than $50,000.
> Rachel Sather. Sather, of Orlando, Fla., was captain of the Cypress Creek High School bowling team from 2006-09, leading them to a district title this season. A USBC Bronze coach, she has worked with Special Olympics and Junior Achievement on bowling events. She also had done volunteer work with Best Buddies, Salvation Army, Make-A-Wish and Toys for Tots.
For being selected to the 2009-10 Dexter/USBC High School All-America Team, each student-athlete will receive a $1,000 scholarship and an All-America Team award that will be presented at the 2010 USBC Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis in July.
"Bowling is one of the fastest-growing high school sports and there are many qualified applicants for this team," USBC High School Manager Breanne Eoff said. "To be recognized as a Dexter All-American is quite an accomplishment."
2009-10 DEXTER/USBC HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Female (from left)
Morgan Brown, Junior, East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, N.J.
Megan Buja, Senior, Thomas Jefferson High School, Rockford, Ill.
Ana Koff, Junior, Gulliver Prep High School, Miami, Fla.
Nicole Parkhurst, Senior, Thomas R. Proctor High School, Utica, N.Y.
Rachel Sather, Senior, Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, Fla.
Male
Kevin Donovan, Senior, Corning-Painted Post West High School, Painted Post, N.Y.
Rivers Jones, Senior, Redemptorist High School, Clinton, La.
Andrew Koff, Senior, Gulliver Prep High School, Miami
William Paul, Senior, Wichita High School South, Wichita, Kan.
Christian Weber, Senior, St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, Ohio