The PWBA Podcast: Recent Episodes
Aaron Smith, Emil Williams Jr.
The PWBA Podcast is your top spot to catch up with all the stars of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour. Join hosts Jason Thomas and Aaron Smith as they discuss the latest news and chat with some of the most talented athletes in the sport of bowling.
Visit BowlTV.com for more episodes of The PWBA Podcast, bowling tips, classic TV bowling and live tournament coverage of the PWBA, Team USA, Collegiate and Youth bowling.
Julia Bond, the winner of the 2021 PWBA Hall of Fame Classic, joins Aaron Smith to chat about her first PWBA national tour victory.
After setting the Illinois state record for the highest series by a woman (868), Brandi Branka is guest for Episode 49 of The PWBA Podcast! We catch up with Brandi to discuss her career on the PWBA Tour, her role as head coach at Maryville University, her knowledge of Star Wars lore and much more!
On this episode, we welcome Sarah Rosales (VP of Corporate Sponsorships) and Susan Brown (Sr. Director of Education and Patient Education and Patient Support) from Susan G. Komen and #PWBATour competitor and breast cancer survivor Chelsea Gilliam.
PWBA Director of Operations Tennelle Milligan helps us recap the PWBA Kickoff Classic, from the competition, surprises, and a behind-the-scenes viewpoint on the COVID-19 protocols and procedures that were put in place for the event.
Erin McCarthy joins the show to talk about some of her harrowing experiences serving as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic and also her preparations for the PWBA Kickoff Classic.
Fran Deken is our guest on The PWBA Podcast! Deken will spend some time talking about the recent countdown of the top 20 seasons in the history of professional women's bowling as well as her time as a pro bowler, and later the tournament director on the PWBA Tour, for which she was inducted to the USBC and PWBA Halls of Fame.
On our 50th episode, we welcome 5-time PWBA champion Danielle McEwan to the show to discuss her recent TV appearance at the PBA League All Star Clash and look ahead to the start of the 2021 PWBA Tour season in January.
Lindsay Boomershine joins the show to talk about her best friend winning the first PWBA event after the re-launch, getting pranked by PWBA Director of Operations Tennelle Milligan, her stellar collegiate career at Nebraska and how she plans to turn her luck on TV around in 2021.
PWBA regional champion and collegiate bowling star Taylor Bulthuis talks about her stellar collegiate career at Webber International, looking to become a winner on the PWBA Tour and the merits of never having watched a Star Wars movie.
On this show, Swedish PWBA star Sandra Andersson talks about her big win in the 2019 PWBA Fountain Valley Open, what she's been doing to stay sharp for the upcoming 2021 tour season and her best binge-watch recommendations.
PWBA starlet Pamela Alvarez graces the show with her presence to discuss the best places in the U.S. for Mexican food, her skincare and cosmetics endorsement deal with DSBELLEZA, why her hometown is THE place for fish tacos, and her fascination with the true crime genre. Oh, and bowling too!
Two-time PWBA Player of the Year Shannon O'Keefe joins the show and discusses her recent appearance in the PBA League with the Phoenix Fury, what's going on in the world of college bowling, the state of the Buffalo Bills and how her dogs are keeping her and husband Bryan busy.
On this show, JT and Aaron talk about the action that took place over the weekend from the PBA League. Surprises from qualifying, and the first-round matches of both the Miami Waves and Phoenix Fury, including Liz Johnson's rare mistake and the clutch performances by Shannon O'Keefe and Maria Jose Rodriguez that allowed Phoenix to move on to the next round.
PBA League managers Bob Learn Jr. and Kim Kearney join the show to discuss their teams' preparations and chances for victory on the eve of the 2020 PBA League competition.
GG Mason joins the show and discusses the progress made in the BLM movement, her own Black Girls Can Bowl 2 program, her successful collegiate and Team USA career and how she's prepping for her second season on the PWBA Tour.
In this episode, 17-time PWBA champion Robin Romeo talks about growing up in New York, the pressures of being one of bowling's biggest stars and what makes the PWBA stars of today so great.
On this episode, we sit down with a PWBA legend, 25-time champion Tish Johnson, and talk about things you can learn in a bowling center parking lot, the one thing that's missing from her trophy case and why it's important to learn something new every day.
On this episode, Kayla Bandy talks about her work as coach of the UMES women's collegiate bowling team, the difficulty of making the jump from all-world collegiate bowler to the PWBA Tour and her Bandy Lane website and seminar series.
On this episode, Summer Jasmin talks about becoming just the ninth woman ever to roll a 300 game at the USBC Open Championships, the pitfalls of studying organic chemistry and almost becoming a doctor, and that time she beat the great Liz Johnson to win one of her two PWBA Regional titles.
Giselle Poss joins the show to discuss why making a TV finals in just her fourth event as a PWBA member was the worst thing that could have happened to her, explain what a Technical Sourcer does, and why the Black Lives Matter movement is important to her.
Tannya Roumimper joins the show and talks about finishing high school while also being a member of the Indonesian National Team, going to college in the U.S. with limited English-speaking skills, and what the heck a "Mukbang" is.
Ashly Galante joins the show and discusses what it will take for her to make it to the next level on the PWBA Tour, how to stay calm when going for the last strike of a 300 game, her Logo Infusion jersey line and her favorite video games.
GG Mason and Clara Guerrero join the show for a special edition discussing their appearances on the PBA King of the Lanes series on FS1.
Breanna Clemmer joins the show and talks about her stellar collegiate career, preparing for her rookie season on the PWBA Tour and which PWBA pros are the most intimidating.
Rocio Restrepo joins the show and discusses her return to action after an injury-plagued 2019 season, her take on the PBA League and missing out on being selected, and her inspirational speech after winning the 2017 QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open.
PBA League team The Phoenix Fury join the show to discuss their chances against the men in the upcoming PBA League and also answer some fun questions about which team member is most likely to call out a member of an opposing team.
Caitlyn Johnson joins the show and talks about her senior season at Webber International being cut short by COVID-19, looking forward to joining the PWBA as a rookie as soon as events resume and what she's learned so far from her now-famous Webber teammates.
Stefanie Johnson joins the show and talks about her signature PWBA victory in the 2018 Players Championship, coming up just one strike short for PWBA Player of the Year in 2015 and what makes her best friend Shannon O'Keefe the greatest female bowler in the world.
Members of the newly drafted Miami Waves PBA League team join us for a special edition episode of the show. Listen as they discuss their chances in the upcoming PBA League, and answer some fun questions about which members of the team will fill certain roles, like who most likely to fire up the crowd!
Valerie Bercier joins the show and talks about winning PWBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, the physical and mental challenges of competing on Tour and her successful business as a registered dietician, where she helps people improve their lives through better nutrition.
Diandra Asbaty joins the show and discusses becoming the most famous woman bowler in the world after the Tour ceased operations in 2003, being a YouTube bowler, and what role she played in making Jason Belmonte the greatest bowler on the PBA Tour.
Bryanna Coté joins the show and discusses the recent news about the PWBA being invited to participate in the PBA League, her first win on Tour, life during the COVID-19 pandemic and a ridiculous stone 8 that may have cost her a second career title last season.
Jordan Richard quickly ascended toward superstar status on the PWBA Tour, winning her first title in just her fourth career event as a professional on the way to be named the 2018 PWBA Rookie of the Year. The two-time tour champion joins The PWBA Podcast for Episode 23.
Maria José Rodriguez has claimed two major championships in her young career, the 2014 USBC Queens and 2018 PWBA Tour Championship. She won five medals at the 2019 World Bowling Women’s Championships for Colombia, including gold in team and all-events competition, and is the guest for Episode 22 of The PWBA Podcast.
Missy Parkin is an 11-time Team USA member and the 2011 USBC Queens champion. Catch up with one of the tour’s most consistent performers in Episode 21 of The PWBA Podcast.
Diana Zavjalova is a two-time major champion (2013 and 2017 USBC Queens) and owns four PWBA Tour titles. The collegiate standout from Webber International joins The PWBA Podcast for Episode 20.
Poland’s Daria Pajak became an instant star on the PWBA Tour in 2017, claiming PWBA Rookie of the Year after winning the PWBA Greater Detroit Open and earning the top seed at the U.S. Women’s Open. The national champion from Webber International is the guest for episode 19 of The PWBA Podcast.
England’s Verity Crawley is searching for her first PWBA Tour title after several close calls during her first three seasons. The former collegiate standout from Webber International joins The PWBA Podcast for Episode 18.
Carolyn Dorin-Ballard rolled to one of the most historic seasons in PWBA Tour history in 2001, claiming seven titles and earning PWBA Player of the Year. The 20-time titlist joined the USBC Hall of Fame in 2008 and is part of the 2020 PWBA Hall of Fame class. The iconic ‘CDB’ is the guest for Episode 17 of The PWBA Podcast.
Sandra Gongora is on the verge of a breakthrough win on the PWBA Tour, with a runner-up finish to her credit at the 2019 PBA Lincoln Open. The longtime Team Mexico standout joins The PWBA Podcast for Episode 16.
Dasha Kovalova made the leap to superstar status on the PWBA Tour in 2019. She won the USBC Queens for her first major championship and rolled a 300 game in the title match of the Pepsi PWBA Louisville Open. Kovalova is the guest on Episode 14 of The PWBA Podcast.
PWBA and USBC Hall of Famer Leanne Hulsenberg has won 27 titles in her illustrious career, including the 1999 USBC Queens and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open. The 1990 and 1991 PWBA Player of the Year is the guest on Episode 13 of The PWBA Podcast.
USBC Hall of Famer Liz Johnson has captured 24 PWBA Tour titles and 10 major championships in her legendary career. The three-time PWBA Player of the Year is the guest on Episode 12 of The PWBA Podcast.
USBC Hall of Famer Kelly Kulick is one of the most decorated bowlers in the history of the sport. The six-time major champion joins The PWBA Podcast for Episode 11, and talks about many topics including her home improvement projects during the COVID-19 crisis, her passion for line dancing, and some of her favorite memories throughout her time spent on the PWBA Tour, and Team USA.
Team USA’s Sydney Brummett is one of the brightest young stars on the PWBA Tour after an incredible collegiate career at Wichita State. The 2017 Intercollegiate Singles Championships winner and National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Player of the Year is on Episode 10 of The PWBA Podcast.
Team USA’s Julia Bond is one of the up-and-coming stars on the PWBA Tour and has found instant success on the regional circuit, claiming three wins and the Go Bowling! PWBA Regional Showdown title on CBS Sports Network. The former collegiate standout at Nebraska joins The PWBA Podcast for Episode 9.
PWBA Tour champion Elysia Current is the guest for Episode 8 of The PWBA Podcast. Current won the first standard event of the newly relaunched tour in 2015 (PWBA Storm Sacramento Open) and is the women’s head bowling coach at Delaware State. A former collegiate standout at Fairleigh Dickinson and Wichita State, Current also spent two years on Junior Team USA and is a USBC Women’s Championships titlist.
PWBA Director of Operations and USBC Hall of Famer Tennelle Milligan joins Emil Williams Jr. and Aaron Smith for Episode 7 of The PWBA Podcast. Milligan also is a three-time major champion and former competitor on the PWBA Tour. Some of the topics include quarantine activities at home with the family, 2020 PWBA status update, and some of her favorite stories from her time on the PWBA Tour!
Team USA's Shannon Pluhowsky joins Emil and A-A-Ron for Episode 6! Pluhowsky discusses the process of how she landed the job as assistant coach at her alma mater, Nebraska, including some very specific rules her from daughter, Autumn, before accepting the position. Pluhowsky shares some of her favorite stories on legendary Nebraska coach Bill Straub, including airport races, lucky pants and playing catch with him (with a bowling ball) at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Josie Barnes to The PWBA Podcast! The last time fans saw Barnes was at the Tour Championship, prior to giving birth to her daughter, Lisa Ruth. Barnes joins the podcast to discuss how life has changed since becoming a mother. She also opens up about her tough week in Hartford in 2019 following the passing of her mother, what her family has meant to her and Lisa Ruth, a couple of Erin McCarthy stories, binge-watch recommendations and much more.
It's time for Episode 4 of The PWBA Podcast, featuring 2019 U.S. Women's Open champion Danielle McEwan! McEwan discusses how closely she had been following news on COVID-19 earlier this year, which resulted in her skipping the Brunswick Euro Challenge in Germany to bowl the World Series of Bowling in Las Vegas in early March. The five-time tour champion also explains why she doesn’t make her goals public, what it’s like to have her siblings embrace the sport and lists the top five countries she’s visited along with her best and worst travel stories.
Two-time and reigning PWBA Player of the Year Shannon O'Keefe joins the guys in the third installment of The PWBA Podcast! O’Keefe hits on a wide array of subjects during the show, including a heartfelt look at the collegiate bowling season being cut short due to COVID-19 health concerns, differences between her 2018 and 2019 seasons and welcomes a cameo appearance from Sonoma.
Emil and Aaron sit down with 2018 U.S. Women's Open champion Liz Kuhlkin who works as a produce clerk at Price Chopper in Albany, New York, when she’s not ripping racks on the PWBA Tour. Kuhlkin joins the show to discuss her first-hand experiences at the store since the outbreak of COVID-19, the ups and downs of her PWBA Tour journey, beginning with an early victory as a rookie in 2015, her struggles in 2016 and 2017, becoming a major champion in 2018 and much more!
The first edition of The PWBA Podcast is here! Join Emil Williams Jr. and Aaron Smith as they talk to PWBA champion Erin McCarthy who spends her time away from the lanes as a registered nurse. McCarthy shares what it’s like to be working on designated COVID-19 units, reflects on her 2018 PWBA Louisville Open title and discusses why a U.S. Women’s Open title is in her sights.