Minnesota State bowler makes National noise
The Minnesota State Mavericks bowling team has found lofty success yet again this season. MNSU is going to sectionals in Addison, Illinois, where Will Mateffy has performed at a phenomenal level to get invited to the individual national’s event, making him the second person in Minnesota State program history to make it to this stage.
“Will was a transfer student, came in with one year of experience under his belt which helped a lot, but he got the momentum going really early and he never stopped,” said MNSU bowling Head Coach Kyle Bischoff. “He bowled incredible this year and kept it going all the way through sectionals and hopefully now nationals he can bring home MSU’s first colligate individuals title.”
For the men’s sectionals, it is an invite only for the top 80 bowlers in the country, spread between four different sites. The top four bowlers at each section event head to nationals, making the stakes at Addison extremely high. There is also the option to compete in a singles event to head to nationals, which is what Mateffy chose to compete and excel in, playing at a level high enough to send him to nationals and become the second MNSU bowler ever to make it to the stage.
“He has made the transition this year from more of a competitive bowler to getting close to that pro level bowler,” said Bischoff of Mateffy’s progress through the season. “He liked to see the ball move right to left in the lane, where in competitive bowling you read front to back. So, the biggest thing we have been working with Will on is teaching him to watch where it’s hooking while it’s traveling, and he has taken that inspired and really done well.”
Out of 261 bowlers, Mateffy grabbed 6th in route to his conquest to nationals in the individual event, which is how he could make the trip. Now, he gets an all-expenses paid trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to compete against 23 other bowlers for the best individual collegiate bowler title, with the opportunity to make top-five and put him on the CBS sports channel for the events finally. A great way to cap what Mateffy says has been his most successful year as a bowler.
“The last tournament was really crazy, I didn’t have a really good start and I made a judgment call, switched balls and then made it to the cut,” said Mateffy after sectionals, also mentioning his excitement for nationals. “There a lot of guys that I know there, so it’s not going to be foreign, but it will be a lot of fun seeing them, especially guys from Minnesota, and competing along-side them and just going to a new area and a new bowling center.”
Good luck to Will Mateffy, as he represents the Mavericks in Louisiana!