May 16, 2022 at 3:12 p.m.
Teammates Litzen, Walkowski to bowl together at Marian
Teammates Litzen, Walkowski to bowl together at Marian
Both Litzen and Walkowski will bowl for Marian University in Fond du Lac beginning next fall.
Both were part of a Rhinelander/Tomahawk/Three Lakes club bowling team that finished third in the Wisconsin High School Bowling Club Division 1, District 9 standings this year and Litzen won the District 9 singles tournament before taking 12th at the WiHSBC state meet in March. Both Litzen and Walkowski took part in the WiHSBC All-Star Team challenge, helping District 9 sweep the boys' and girls' team titles.
"I just wanted to thank everybody who's been part of my bowling career, my teammates, my coaches, all the people standing here, the whole bowling community," Litzen said during a signing ceremony at Nick's Hodag Lanes. "It's been a pleasure to be able to bowl for the Rhinelander program and now I'm excited to bowl for Marian."
Added Walkowski, "I'd like to thank everyone, (coaches) Mike (Bourcier), Kevin (Litzen) for all those late nights at the bowling alley, drilling balls, getting yelled at because I'm not listening and my mom also for pushing me to join bowling."
Litzen and Walkowski were both pursued by Marian head coach Dan Mueller. Litzen said Mueller first contacted him as he was getting Marian's fledgling program off the ground heading into the 2019-20 academic year. Walkowski said Mueller first reached out to her two years ago when she was at the WiHSBC state tournament to watch the Hodag boys' team play.
"It felt like one of my own coaches already," she said. "When I finally decided I wanted to go for bowling and pursue it in college, Dan was really helpful in the process. He sent my scholarship (applications) and said, 'Hey, do this, it will help you.' He was very responsive in that and ultimately played a really big role."
"He's always pushed me to be better and has always said, if you come to this program, we'll make you great, better than you already are," Litzen added.
Litzen and Walkowski are the fifth and sixth bowlers to go on to complete collegiately under Hodag head coach Mike Bourcier, joining Tommy Strauss (Midland University), former state champion Darin Bloomquist (Mount Mercy), Calvin Schneider (Viterbo University) and Katrina McCarthy (Mount Mercy).
"It's a good feeling, having more kids come out of Rhinelander, up north," he said. "Our kids have put a name on the board around the state. We're known up here, which is good. That's a good feeling. They have the potential and it sounds like they are going to a good program, coaches that will teach them even more than we can teach them."
Walkowski was quick to point out that she made up her mind to head to Marian before Litzen did. Litzen admitted that having a teammate along for the ride aided his decision.
"Other schools contacted me, but Marian's just the one that was stuck in my heart. That's why I wanted to go here," he said. "When (Bella) was coming too, it was just another added bonus. She's always been hard-working ever since she started bowling and just being able to bowl together. We're on different teams, but we'll still be able to bowl and still be able to talk to each other."
Walkowski, who did not begin bowling at the club level until her eighth-grade year, credited Litzen for being essentially a third coach as she grew into the her role on the team.
"Any time that Kevin or Mike wasn't there, Kody was able to help me and he really pushes me to be a better bowler," she said. "People like Katrina and Kody, they really pushed me to be just out there and be a better teammate. I think they really helped me."
Additional, both Walkowski and Litzen thanked Hodag Lanes owner Nick Plouff for his support of youth and interscholastic bowling.
"Nick's been really great with everything, especially last summer, being down here during summer league, a lot of the guys were super helpful and they kept pushing me," Walkowski said. "It's been a really great experience."
Bourcier said both have the work ethic to succeed at the collegiate level.
"They're willing to work at it, put the time in," he said. "They're going to work for it, help their teammates out. They were always helping their other teammates out here. They're dedication to it is strong."
The Marian women's team competes at the NCAA Division III level, won the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championship this past season and went 22-1 overall in dual meet play. The men's program competes at the club level and advanced to the Collegiate Club Championship tournament last month, where it was eliminated in the sixth round by Fresno State.
"Their program is becoming more and more known, showing better results down there, and growing," Bourcier said. "I think that's what helped, listening to these two talk about it, meeting with (Mueller) and what they have to offer."
Walkowski said she plans to focus on secondary English education while at Marian. Litzen said he is undecided on his major, but leaning toward a path in the education field.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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