Courtesy of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletic Communications
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has tapped former college and professional bowler and industry pro Roger Petrin as the program's fourth coach of the NCAA era. Petrin comes to The Shore from NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan, where he officially began his college coaching career in 2020 after spending several years in other aspects of the industry.
"This is really a dream job for me right here," Petrin said. "When I was in college at Wichita State (2009-2013) that was obviously a powerhouse program. I didn't know a lot about the other bowling schools in the nation, but at that time it was also when Maryland Eastern Shore was at its peak. Winning the NCAA title in 2008 and then going on to win the three titles back-to-back-to back in 2011 (USBC, NCAA) and 2012 (NCAA).
Roger Petrin
"I remember watching the players and the team chemistry and how they were doing it differently than all the other schools. They were the first in my opinion to really start recruiting internationally and really start recruiting minority bowlers. It really laid out a blueprint for a lot of smaller colleges and new programs. The Hawks basically changed the landscape of college bowling in my opinion to what it is today."
Petrin, led the Panthers women to a 10th-place finish at the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championship Sectional qualifier and a No. 10 ranking in the National Tenpin Coaches Association DII/DIII poll and No. 23 in the poll for all divisions — both the program's highest ever rankings.
"Coach Petrin is well respected in the bowling industry and highly-regarded by those with a long connection to our program," Director of Athletics Keith Davidson said. "He brings with him what I see as a passionate, but measured approach that will benefit our bowlers now and as we move forward."
As a professional bowler who bowled regularly on the tour from 2013-15, Petrin won three regional titles, advanced to match play at three national tour stops and was the PBA South Rookie of the Year in 2014.
He played the long game when it came to a career in coaching first fulfilling his professional bowling aspirations and working other jobs, while his wife Tamara pursued her Master's degree in Social Work.
While living in Wichita, Kan., he stayed active in the sport while serving as an assistant coach for Kapuan Mt. Carmel High School from 2013-15 and Derby High School in 2019-20. Petrin holds a USBC Bronze coaching certification as well as certifications from The National Center for Safety Initiative and The United States Center for SafeSport.
He arrived at Wesleyan after a two-year run with the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) serving as Regional Manager for the Association. He was responsible for cultivating and stewarding over 500 association charters in the Midwest and provided the membership with educational seminars over that same time. He was also at one time a Youth Development Specialist with USBC based out of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas.
As a bowler for the USBC powerhouse Shockers program, his teams finish second (2012) and third (2011) at the USBC Championships. He was on the development squad when the team captured championships in 2009-10. One of Petrin's Wichita teammates, current PBA bowler Nathan Bohr, is married to the Hawks most decorated bowler — three-time national champion, four-time All-American and current PWBA member Maria Rodriguez.
"One of the things that struck me about Roger very early on was that he really wanted to be a part of our program," Davidson said. "He understands our history as well as our contributions to the sport and he wants to be a part of continuing that. His family was looking for a place to belong and to our fortune they felt like this was that place."
Coaching both the women's NCAA team and the men's USBC squad for the Panthers — a bowling program in just its third year of existence — was a task that was made much easier with the help and support of his wife Tamara, who he knows will be a big part both of his and the program's future success.
"This is a one-two punch," Petrin said. "My wife is just as valuable to this program as me. She is going to get a chance to create curriculum and programs for the team to help them develop team chemistry. It feels like mine and Tamara's road was somehow directed to end up at Maryland Eastern Shore."
A college bowler herself at both Pikeville University and Wichita where she was a member of the Shockers development team, she was a volunteer assistant at Wesleyan and is a licensed Master Social Worker. Her time at Wichita coincided with that of former Hawk Tatiana Munoz who was a classmate of hers.
The Shore opted out of competition during the 2020-21 athletic year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Hawks last hit the lanes competitively, they finished the regular season with an 84-29 record, were 24-0 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play and were looking forward to a postseason run that never came because of the cancellation of conference and national championships.
The Hawks currently have seven returning bowlers slated to be on what looks to be a very talented 2021-22 roster. They include: 2019-20 NTCA Honorable Mention All-American Chloe Skurzynski, 2019-20 MEAC Rookie of the Year Brooke Roberts — who recently won a Junior Gold Championship and qualified for Junior Team USA — and Team Puerto Rico member Paulina Torres. Vanderbilt transfer Elizabeth Ross, junior Alejandra Amezcua and sophomore Gabriella Ochoa Hubbard and Brooke Driver round out the rest of a talented roster hungry to return to action.
"Let's just say that I'm pretty excited about the program that I have inherited," Petrin said. "I recognize that the program is where it is at right now — nationally acclaimed — and I'm loving the opportunity that I have to be a part of the legacy of the program and the chance to help it excel past the level where it has been. That's a tall order to ask, but my hope is to be a part of that legacy."