Klempa Names Legendary Pluhowsky Assistant Coach

One of the greatest collegiate bowlers in history will be returning to Nebraska, as three-time National Collegiate Bowler of the Year Shannon Pluhowsky will rejoin the Huskers as an assistant coach for the 2019-20 season, Nebraska Head Coach Paul Klempa announced on Thursday, Sept. 24.

"I am extremely pleased that Shannon Pluhowsky has agreed to join the Nebraska Bowling staff. She brings a wealth of competitive experience from all around the world and will help our program in every facet. Shannon is a world-class athlete with multiple titles and awards, including being the most decorated player in the history of Nebraska Bowling. It is tremendous to bring Shannon back home to share her knowledge and expertise with the student-athletes in the program."

Pluhowsky, who won back-to-back National Bowler-of-the-Year honors in 2004 and 2005 while leading Nebraska to the first two NCAA titles in history, earned her first Bowler-of-the-Year award as a Husker freshmen in 2001, when she was also named the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA) Rookie of the Year. She was a first-team All-American again in 2002, before taking a redshirt year in 2003.

A four-time National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) All-American, Pluhowsky has gone on to an impressive professional and international career. She was also a member of the inaugural induction class into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.

The native of Pheonix, Arizona, is a 19-time member of Team USA and was the U.S. Olympic Committee Bowler of the Year in 2004. She won a gold medal in trios at the 2018 PABCON Women's Championships, while adding bronze medals in singles, doubles and all-events, while helping Team USA to a silver medal. She produced a dominant performance at the 2011 World Championships, capturing four gold medals (doubles, trios, team, Masters) for Team USA. She added golds at the 2014 PABCON Championships (team), 2015 Pan American Games (singles), 2016 PABCON Champion of Champions (doubles) and 2016 PABCON Women's Championships (trios, Masters).

In 2012, Pluhowsky was inducted into the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame, after being named the World Bowling Writers Bowler of the Year in 2011.

As a professional on the PWBA Tour, Pluhowsky has claimed five professional titles, including major championships at the USBC Queens in Reno (2006) and the 2014 BPAA Women's All-Star in Rockford, Illinois. Most recently, Pluhowsky finished third at the 2019 QubicaAMF PWBA Players Championship in Las Vegas in early September.

Before embarking on her pro career, Pluhowsky was the most dominant bowler in collegiate history. She powered Nebraska to national titles in 2001, 2004 and 2005. She was named the MVP of the first NCAA Championship in 2004, before bowling her way to the 2004 Collegiate Singles Championship.

After leading the Big Red to a national title by capturing Bowler of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors in 2001, Pluhowsky was named the 2002 World Bowling Writers' International Bowler of the Year. She was also the Bowling Journal International Amateur Bowler of the Year in 2002 after winning her first AMF Bowling World Cup Championship. She added her second AMF Bowling World Cup Championship in 2004, after taking runner-up honors in the event in 2003.

During her illustrious collegiate career, Pluhowsky claimed 12 individual tournament titles, including an NCAA-record individual tournament average of 254.30 at the 2004 Whitewater Invitational. She finished in the top 30 in 36 career college events, including 25 top-five individual performances. 

A three-time U.S. Bowling Congress Junior Gold Champion (1999, 2000, 2001), Pluhowsky was named the World Bowling Writers Female Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2004. She was the U.S. Amateur Champion in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

Born in Pheonix, Arizona in 1982, Pluhowsky came to Nebraska as a student-athlete from Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix, Ariz. She was a member of Junior Team USA while still in high school.