#13 Maria Bulanova

Student-Athlete Features

VUCommodores.com: Bulanova Finishes as One of the Best

As a Senior (2019-20):

• Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame female amateur athlete of the year
• NTCA first team All-American
• Southland Bowling League first team all-conference and Bowler of the Year
• Finished seventh at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic
• Columbia 300 Music City Classic all-tournament team
• Mid-Winter Invitational all-tournament team
• Southland Bowling League Bowler of the Month (January 2020)
• Northeastern Invitational MVP
• Individual champion and MVP at the Ladyjack Hammer Classic
• Finished sixth at the Prairie View Invitational
• Finished 14th at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Invitational
• Finished 20th at the Stormin Blue and White Classic
• Finished 46th at the World Bowling Championships

As a Junior (2018-19):

• 2019 NCAA Player of the Year and first-team All-American
• 2019 Southland Player of the Year
• Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame female amateur athlete of the year
• Made five all-tourney teams and was twice the tourney MVP
• Second in NCAA in overall average (21.09), Baker double (54%), makeable spares (89%)
• Competed for her native Russia at 2019 World Championship

As a Sophomore (2017-18)

• Voted second team NTCA All-American
• Made two all-tournament teams
• Individual winner at Wisconsin-Whitewater
• Led the nation in baker double percentage (58.2)
• Ranked third nationally in 10^thframe anchor double (30.2)
• Was No. 7 in overall scoring average (206.78)
• 6 in the nation in strike percentage
• Went to quarterfinal round of World Youth Championship in July (highest ever for a Russian bowler)

As a Freshman (2016-17)

• First team All-American
• National Rookie of the Year
• All-Southland Tournament team selection
• Southland Bowler of the Month (December 2016)
• Sugar Bowl Classic MVP
• Led Southland anchor bowlers with a 36.8 doubles percentage
• Was third nationally in overall scoring average (20.97)
• Second nationally in baker average
• Fourth nationally in strike percentage (53.3)

Junior Highlights

• Considered one of the top players on Federation of Bowling of Russia (FBR)
• Held title of Russian champion since 2013
• First Russian in history to win European Bowling Tour title
• Fifteen-time prize winner at European Youth Championships (three gold, six silver, six bronze)
• Youngest player ever (at 14) to win at European Bowling Tour title
• Was the first Russian to win gold in an international adult event in 2015 after winning the European Champions Cup
• Set record over six games winning European Youth Championship with an average of 245