RENO, Nev. - The accomplishments of eight new members of the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame were celebrated Thursday night as the group earned bowling's ultimate honor.

The eight individuals were formally inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame at the Eldorado Hotel and Casino.

Jason Couch of Clermont, Fla., and Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, were inducted for superior performance, while Don McCune of Las Vegas was inducted in the Veterans category.

The Outstanding USBC Performance category welcomed four new members - Rick Steelsmith of Wichita, Kan., Sandra Postma of Lansing, Ill., Shirley Levens of Titusville, Fla., and the late Frank Santore of New York City. Tamoria Adams of Charlotte, N.C., was inducted for Meritorious Service.

Couch made history in 2002 by becoming the only bowler in Professional Bowlers Association Tour history to win three consecutive Tournament of Champions titles. His 16 career PBA titles include four majors - the three TOC victories and the 1993 PBA Touring Players Championship.

"When you're born into a bowling family, you never think of halls of fame and being a pro on the PBA Tour for 21 years; you dream of being a great bowler like your mother and father," said Couch, who finished in the top 10 at the USBC Masters four times, with his best finish being second in 2001. "I always looked up to my parents in bowling and in life. That's why I'm so proud to thank my parents for giving me my passion for this great game."

Barnes, a two-time USBC Queens champion (1998, 2008), had six top-five finishes at the U.S. Women's Open and has won dozens of international medals competing for Team USA, including the 2005 QubicaAMF World Cup. Barnes owns four USBC Women's Championships titles and was a standout collegiate bowler at San Jose State.

"I have often wondered what it would feel like to be inducted, and now that it is here it's very hard for me to put into words what is in my heart," Barnes said. "It's truly an honor to be a part of this amazing class of inductees."

McCune enjoyed success at multiple levels of the game. His 10 top-10 finishes at the USBC Open Championships between 1968 and 1974 included Classic Team (1968) and Classic Doubles (1969) titles, but his biggest impact came on the PBA Tour. He collected eight PBA Tour victories, including six on the way to PBA and International Bowling Media Association Player of the Year honors in 1973.

"In my career, I never in my wildest dreams started out thinking I would make it into the Hall of Fame," McCune said. "But people do make it, and when they get here, they are really, really thankful for the opportunity."

Postma won the USBC Queens in 1995, but made a bigger impact at the senior level. She is the only three-time winner of the USBC Senior Queens, taking the title in 2004, 2006, and 2008. She was the first of two bowlers to have won both a Queens and a Senior Queens title. She owns seven city titles and six state crowns.

"I'd like to thank the Hall of Fame committee for giving me this honor," Postma said. "This is something I never thought I would get, and I'm eternally grateful."

A former Team USA member and collegiate national champion at Wichita State, Steelsmith was the player to beat in the late 1980s. The four-time All-American was the World Bowling Writers, International Bowling Media Association and Collegiate Bowler of the Year in 1987. He won the USBC Masters in 1987 and returned to the tournament lanes in 1988 to win Regular All-Events and Team All-Events at the USBC Open Championships.

"I think the greatest reward that comes with this induction is the gift of reflection that this night brings with it," Steelsmith said. "Being a recipient of an award of this magnitude forces you to reflect on what led to this night."

Levens won three titles at the USBC Women's Championships - Classic Doubles in 1982 and back-to-back Classic Team titles in 1993 and '94 - and was dominant at the state and local level with 16 Florida Queens titles, 14 state championships and 12 city tournament victories. She was the first two-time winner of the USBC Senior Queens (2002, 2005).

"I had a great career spanning 40 some years with many, many wonderful memories," Levens said. "This sport has not only given me the joy of success and results for hard work but it has also given me a handful of amazing friendships that I have carried on long past my professional career."

Adams is a USBC Life Member and current USBC board member, and her service to the sport of bowling spans four decades. She has served a number of leadership and delegate roles in local and state associations, and was on the first USBC Board of Directors in 2005 following her time as a Women's International Bowling Congress Board member and vice president. Her committee assignments over the years include college bowling, legislation, diversity, volunteer services and now USBC National Policy and Legal/Legislative.

"It has said by many people before that one does not arrive at this destination alone," Adams said. "You are helped along the way by many people. I've been very fortunate to have such wonderful folks who mentored me, gave me opportunities, encouraged me and followed me while I was on this journey."

Santore, who was inducted posthumously, was a New York City and New York State Hall of Famer and a standout individual during the heyday of team bowling. He claimed three individual titles at the USBC Open Championships - Regular All-Events in 1950 and 1953, and Regular Singles in 1953. He also had third-place finishes in Regular Singles and Regular Team in 1950, and a fifth-place team effort in 1949.

With the eight inductees Thursday, there now are 402 members of the USBC Hall of Fame - 267 in Performance, 115 in Meritorious Service and 20 Pioneers.

The USBC Hall of Fame was created in 2005 by merging the former American Bowling Congress and Women's International Bowling Congress halls of fame.

For more information on the USBC Hall of Fame, visit BOWL.com/HallofFame.