Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Valparaiso bowling head coach Matt Nantais announced today the addition of three incoming freshmen to the program. Kelsey Fader, Katherine Sulaitis and Tedra Tado will all join the Crusader bowling program as freshmen for the 2012-2013 season.

Fader, a right-hander out of Anchor Bay [Mich.] H.S., helped lead the Tars to the Michigan Division I state title in 2011 while also finishing 17^th individually at states. A three-time qualifier for the individual state finals, Fader finished in third place as a senior, earning All-Conference, All-County and All-State accolades. She also earned the All Events, Team and Doubles championships at the 2011 Metro Detroit USBC event, finished as the runner-up at the 2011 Michigan State Pepsi tournament and was also a Junior Gold qualifier in 2011.

Sulaitis, a right-hander out of St. Charles East [Ill.] H.S., was a three-time All-Conference honoree, including a First Team All-Conference recipient as a junior. She also qualified for the state tournament in each of her final two seasons, earning team MVP honors in both years as well. A two-time member of the Kane County Winter Girls All-Area Team, Sulaitis finished fifth in the Illinois State Youth Leaders (ISYL) standings in 2012 and was also a Junior Gold qualifier.

Tado, a right-hander from Elk Grove [Ill.] H.S., earned All-Conference honors in each of her final three years, qualifying for the state tournament all three years as well, including a fifth-place finish as a junior. In her final year, Tado won the individual conference title after earning a runner-up finish the previous season. Over her career, she helped the Grenadiers to three conference titles, two sectional titles and a pair of 13th-place state finishes. A two-time Junior Gold qualifier, Tado placed fifth at the 2011 Illinois State Pepsi Tournament and bowled at the Junior World Team Challenge in Las Vegas each of the last two years.

“With losing four seniors from last year's team, we looked for players that could come in and make an impact right away, and I feel we have found that with these three bowlers,” said Nantais. “They have all competed in pressure situations in high school, as well as in Junior scholarship tournaments. Though it will be hard to replace the senior class, we still have bowlers with experience returning, and with these new additions, I think we will be competing for the national championship this upcoming season.”