TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Stillman College is growing its sports offerings for the 2022-2023 season with the addition of men's and women's bowling, and appears to be the only historical black college or university (HBCU) offering the sport to both men and women in 2022.
"We are excited to expand opportunities for student-athletes to compete and represent Stillman College by becoming the only active HBCU bowling program in the NAIA and Southern State Athletic Conference," said Athletic Director Terrance Whittle.
The Tigers will join fellow Southern States Athletic Conference member University of Mobile in adding the sport in 2022-2023, becoming the first two men's programs in the state. Blue Mountain College and incoming SSAC member Life University also sponsor the sport.
Alumnus Dondrae' Collins will serve as head coach to lead Stillman's inaugural men's and women's bowling programs for the 2022-2023 season.
"Please join me in extending a huge Tiger welcome to Dondrae' Collins, an alumnus of Stillman College, who will serve as the Head Bowling Coach for our new Bowling program," Whittle said. "Coach Collins, having been a high school bowling coach in the Tuscaloosa area brings a huge knowledge of the local area that will serve Stillman College in a number of ways, especially with recruiting. We are excited to experience the first season and look forward to watching and supporting Coach Collins and the future bowling student-athletes."
A native of Macon, Georgia, Collins came to Stillman on a baseball and marching band scholarship in 2007 and completed his degree in December 2012 before walking in May 2013. He is a former Blue Pride Marching Band drum major. His interest in bowling began as an undergrad at Stillman and he began bowling in weekly leagues at Bama Lanes after graduation.
In 2016, Collins started the bowling program at Central High School in Tuscaloosa and coached the Falcons to the inaugural AHSAA regional tournament and was 72 pins shy of advancing to the state tournament. Collins has taught at The Alberta School of Performing Arts since 2014 and coached football and baseball at Central from 2014-2020. He's coached baseball and football at Paul. W. Bryant High School the last two seasons.
"It's a blessing and a thrill to get this opportunity," Collins said. "It's going to be a work in progress just getting off the ground, but it's going to be an amazing experience, not only for me, but these kids. Most high school bowlers' careers are over after their senior year, because most colleges do not have a bowling program. To be able to bring this program to my alma mater is amazing. I think it's going to be a hit."
Stillman and Mobile will be the only men's bowling programs in the state of Alabama and will join Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University and UAB in offering women's bowling.
While women's bowling has been an HBCU sport at the NCAA Division I level for more than a decade, Stillman is believed to be the only HBCU men's or women's program to be active in 2022. Jarvis Christian College in Texas added both programs in 2015, but has not competed since 2018.
As of 2020, more than half of the total college bowling opportunities are at the NAIA level with now more than 60 institutions offering the sport. Only a handful of NCAA institutions offer a men's program, while the NAIA is strong in both men's and women's bowling.
The sport crossed the 25 institution threshold to become an NAIA emerging sport in 2010, allowing the NAIA to create the NAIA Invitational Championship for spring 2011. It grew into an NAIA Championship sport (50 or more teams) prior to the 2019-2020 season.
Stillman College students interested in trying out for the bowling teams and prospective athletes can reach out to Coach Collins at dcollins@stillman.edu. The first open tryout for uncommitted 2022 seniors and transfers will be held Wednesday, June 1 at 5 p.m. at Shindig Entertainment Center on McFarland Blvd.
