Lemont's Kyra Udziela Signs to Bowl in College

Lemont High School senior Kyra Udziela will join one of the nation’s top bowling programs next season after signing a National Letter-of-Intent to bowl at St. Francis (Pa.) University beginning next season.

Udziela is a four-year varsity starter and two-time team captain for head coach Mark Hollatz, and is expected to anchor the Indians as they seek a return trip to state finals competition. Udziela has helped Lemont to consecutive South Suburban Conference-Blue Division titles, a 30-7 mark in dual matches, and the program’s first team IHSA State Finals appearance since 2008. Udziela is a two-time All-SSC performer who has twice competed in the IHSA State Finals.

After averaging 161 as a freshman in 2011-12, Udziela made a big leap as a sophomore in 2012-13 and averaged 189 for the season. She earned All-SSC honors with her fourth-place finish at the SSC Meet, which helped the Indians to the SSC Blue crown. Udziela finished seventh at the IHSA Plainfield North Sectional, which earned her a berth to compete at the 2013 IHSA State Finals. There, she averaged 206.2 over 12 games to finish 28th in the individual standings. She had the team’s best game (279) three-game series (713) and six-game series (1,310) of the season as a sophomore.

Udziela’s junior year was one for the record books. She posted a school single-season record 205 average in 2013-14, and cemented team MVP honors with three medalist finishes in as many weeks in postseason play. Udziela averaged 207 over six games to win individual honors at the SSC Meet, which helped the squad to its second straight SSC Blue crown.

She was outstanding at the IHSA Sandburg Regional, putting together a career-best 1,354 series - a 225.7 average - over six games to become the individual IHSA Regional champion and help Lemont to a third-place finish at the event. She followed that up by averaging 222.0 at the IHSA Morgan Park Sectional; that effort not only was good enough for the IHSA Sectional title, but keyed the Indians to an event runner-up finish and an accompanying state finals berth. Lemont finished 23rd in the team standings at the 2014 IHSA State Finals, but Udziela once again advanced to the final day of competition and averaged 200.3 over 12 games to place 52nd in the individual standings. She again posted the team’s best game (279), three-game series (733) and six-game series (1,354) as a junior.

Udziela finished among the top 20 percent of the nation’s participants in her first appearance at the National Junior Gold event in Buffalo, N.Y., in 2014, posting a 182 sport shot average. She has qualified to compete in the National Junior Gold event again in Chicago in 2015.

A high honor roll student and National Honor Society inductee, Udziela will bowl for head coach Tom Falbo at St. Francis, an NCAA Division I institution located in Loretto, Pa., and a member of the Northeast Conference. The Flash bowling program is in just its fifth season, but already ranks among the country’s top teams. In 2014, Falbo earned NEC Coach of the Year honors after guiding St. Francis to its first-ever NEC regular-season and tournament championships. The Flash finished last season ranked No. 10 in the nation, and currently are a top-10 team this season as well.