Schwartz and Kraushaar Named 2017 NTCA All-Americans
4/12/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Bowling
WHITEWATER, Wis. – A pair of Stephen F. Austin bowlers have been recognized as 2016-17 All-Americans, announced today by the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA). Junior Stephanie Schwartz has been honored as a first team All-American while senior Paige Kraushaar earned honorable mention recognition.
The duo have been a key factor in helping SFA establish itself as one of the top bowling programs nationally, leading the Ladyjacks to three-straight NCAA tournament appearances, including capturing the 2016 national championship. Both Schwartz and Kraushaar have rewritten the SFA record book, establishing their claim among the program’s all-time greats.
“This is an incredible honor for both Stephanie and Paige as they have been incredibly consistent throughout their careers,” said head coach Amber Lemke. “Both of them have been integral in our success, not just this year, but in building the program over the last few years. They have been incredibly hard workers and great teammates and I couldn’t be happier for them and their accomplishments.”
For Schwartz, it is the third-straight first team All-America honor of her storied Ladyjack career, becoming the first player in SFA Athletic Department history to be named an All-American in three-straight seasons. This season, Schwartz continues to be the anchor of the Ladyjack program with a team-best 209.57 average, including 34 games of 200-or-better. She has captured four all-tournament team honors on the year, placing second at the season-opening Bethune-Cookman Wildcat Invitational.
Entering this weekend’s NCAA Championships, Schwartz sits atop the Ladyjack record book in a number of categories, including holding the mark as the program’s all-time leader in scoring average (210.78), total pins (35,200) and 200-pin games (103). She holds the top-three season scoring averages and is the owner of 13 of the top-20 individual games in Ladyjack history.
It is the latest in a long line of accolades for Schwartz, who was the NTCA National Player of the Year in 2016 and the organization’s Freshman of the Year in 2015. The 2016 U.S. National Amateur Female champion, Schwartz has been a member of both Team USA and Junior Team USA for the past few seasons.
Kraushaar earns her second NTCA honorable mention All-American honor, mirroring the accomplishment from 2015. Kraushaar ranks second on the Ladyjacks in 2016-17, boasting a 201.62 scoring average in 37 matches with 19 200-pin games on the year. She has earned a pair of all-tournament honors, finishing fourth at both the Prairie View A&M Invitational and the Vanderbilt Columbia 300 Music City Classic.
The senior from Crown Point, Indiana, has also made her presence felt in the Ladyjack record books, sitting fifth all-time in career scoring average (195.60) while ranking first in career matches played (171), second in career total pins (33,448) and third in career 200-in games (72). She has also earned recognition for her efforts in the classroom, being named a two-time NTCA Academic All-American as well as a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
With the honors for Schwartz and Kraushaar, SFA has now had five players garner nine All-America honors, joined by Melanie Crawford (Third team – 2014), Chelsea King (HM – 2015) and Nicole Parkhurst (HM – 2013; Second team – 2014).
The recognition was announced as part of the 2017 NCAA Championship banquet Wednesday evening at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center on the eve of the 2017 NCAA Championships. Schwartz and Kraushaar will team up with the rest of their Ladyjack teammates to begin defense of their 2016 national title at 12:50 a.m. CT Thursday morning, beginning the seven-match pool play.
-SFA-
