North Carolina A&T

Kim Terrell-Kearney became the fifth head coach in the history of the North Carolina A&T bowling program when director of athletics Earl M. Hilton III announced her hiring on Aug. 15, 2016. 

Terrell-Kearney’s career as a professional bowler established her as a legend in the sport. In addition, she was a pioneer for black women as a professional in the sport of bowling. In addition, her coaching career has also established her as a legend. She owns five conference championships, five regular-season titles, four coach of the year accolades, and has led her teams to the NCAA tournament on five occasions. 

Terrell-Kearney’s arrival to the East Greensboro campus of A&T has brought the Aggies four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships, including three straight from 2021-23. A&T also won the title under Terrell-Kearney in 2018. In 2023, Terrell-Kearney led the

Aggies to a No. 2 national ranking in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll, the program’s highest ranking ever. 
In addition, the last three MEAC bowlers of the year awards have gone to bowlers who hailed from A&T, including Cameron Strombeck in 2021 and Melanie Katen in 2022 and ‘23. A&T has also had the last three most outstanding bowlers at the MEAC tournament, with Lauren Tomaszweski winning in 2022 and 2023 and Melanie Katen won in 2021. 

Under Terrell-Kearney’s tutelage, three Aggies secured National Tenpin Coaches’ Association (NTCA) All-Americans. Lauren Tomaszewski is a two-time NTCA All-American, becoming the first bowler in program history to earn first-team recognition when she captured the honor in 2022. She was named honorable mention in 2023. 

Melanie Katen grabbed third-team All-America honors in 2022 before earning honorable mention honors in 2023. Ericka Quesada earned third-team NTCA All-America honors in 2022. Katen and Tomaszewski have earned two NTCA All-Region honors apiece, while Quesada earned first-team All-Region from NTCA in 2022, and Pam Warr was a second-team member. 

Under Terrell-Kearney, the Aggies have secured 14 first-team All-MEAC recognitions by eight different players. Meanwhile, four different players have earned six second-team honors, and Mia Pope earned third-team honors under Terrell-Kearney. It gives Terrell-Kearney 21 all-conference recognitions during her time at A&T. 

In addition, seven different bowlers have earned 11 all-tournament recognitions at the MEAC tournament under Terrell-Kearney. In 2018, Ana Olaya won MEAC rookie of the year and followed that up with earning most outstanding bowler at the 2018 MEAC tournament, helping the Aggies claim the championship. 

It was an exciting time away from the lanes for Terrell-Kearney as she was inducted into the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Hall of Fame, becoming the first black female into their Hall of Fame. She was also elected into The National Bowling Association Hall of Fame a week later. 

Before A&T, Terrell-Kearney was the assistant head coach of Team USA at the USBC in Arlington, Texas (2009-13). She coached national teams to WTBA World Championship titles at all levels and worked at the International Training Center to develop training programs for incoming athletes. Terrell-Kearney has also seen two stints with the United States Bowling Association Team USA coaching staff. She started in 2004 and aided the program for 13 years until 2016 before reprising her role in 2020. 

Her time at A&T is not her first time coaching in the MEAC. She became Delaware State’s head coach in 2007 and stayed in Dover for two seasons. In 2009, she led the Hornets to a national semifinal appearance in 2009, a No. 4 national ranking, the highest in school history, and four Hornets earned NTCA All-American honors. In addition, she secured the first-ever MEAC coach of the year honor in conference history. 

As a player, Terrell-Kearney compiled 10 professional titles, including three majors, most recently the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, as she defeated Trisha Reid in the USBC championship match in Romeoville, Ill. It was the first matchup of black athletes for a professional bowling title in history. 

Terrell-Kearney joined the Professional Women’s Bowling Association tour in 1989 after a successful four-year collegiate career at San Jose State University, where she was a two-time All-American. She earned the 1989 PBWA Rookie of the Year award. The San Francisco Black Sports Hall of Fame selected Terrell-Kearney, its female athlete of the year, in 1991.  

She was inducted into the 2010 USBC Hall of Fame. Other Hall of Fame recognitions include the California State Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame, the Daly City Hall of Fame,  and the San Mateo County (Calif.) Hall of Fame.