USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS — Troy’s Shirley Miller has had a very rewarding experience at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships over the years, and she recently celebrated her 50th year of tournament participation at the 2026 event in Las Vegas.
This bowler made her tournament debut at the 1975 event in Indianapolis. Miller has visited an amazing total of 29 cities and 22 states for an unbelievable journey around the United States to bowl.
She received a plaque, chevron and commemorative necklace during her presentation at the South Point Bowling Plaza to recognize her milestone achievement.
Miller has been an association manager for the Stillwater Valley USBC for more than 25 years now.
She randomly picked up the sport of bowling in 1966 and has not looked back since.
“When I started my new job and I was working, the girls at my work had already set up a bowling team,” Miller said. “They asked me to sub one night for their team. I had only bowled once before that, but they told me they were just out bowling for the fun of it. I haven’t looked back since.”
Miller has enjoyed all the wonderful people and places she has been to over the years thanks to the Women’s Championships.
“You meet so many interesting people, and you see a lot of different sites and cool places that you probably would never have had the opportunity to visit if it wasn’t for this amazing tournament,” Miller said.
Miller has dedicated the last six years to her friend, Jackie Thompson, who she met in the tournament years earlier.
Sadly, Thompson passed away at the age of 81 in 2020. Thompson was also from Troy.
Miller carries Thompson’s legacy of bowling on, though. She brings Thompson’s bowling shoes with her every single year to the Women’s Championships.
“I carry her actual bowling shoes that she gave me before to she passed away to every Women’s Championships,” Miller said. “I wanted to have her make it to this special milestone of 50 years with me, and she’s been with me in spirit even more this year.”
Miller has found happiness when it comes to bowling.
“I mean, I don’t always do my best, but I think what’s important is the nice people you meet here,” Miller said. “It’s just a fun experience to be a part of. Along with getting out of my small town and enjoying the thing I love the most, bowling.”
NEW LEADERS IN TWO DIVISIONS
Meanwhile on the lanes, new names have emerged at the top of the standings in Sapphire All-Events, Ruby Doubles and Ruby Singles since Sunday.
Stephanie Anderson of Fremont, Calif., scored high to take the lead in Sapphire All-Events on Sunday night at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Anderson had a successful and consistent run at the USBC Women’s Championships, making her first appearance at the tournament. She had a great start in team to set herself up for success, going into doubles and singles to take the lead at the end of her nine games.
Overall, Anderson scored 489 in team, 494 in doubles and 478 in singles for a total of 1,461 to achieve the lead. Earlier on Sunday morning, Barbara Potter of Kingman, Ariz., had secured the lead with a 1,432 total.
Taking the lead for any bowler can cause many types of emotions, from being overjoyed to shocked. Anderson was both, as she didn’t know she bowled well enough to take the lead and was feeling joyful.
“It feels so great – I mean, it’s my first time bowling this, so it just feels amazing,” Anderson said. “I had an idea because of beginner’s luck, maybe. But, coming into this, I was just trying to do my best.”
In chatting with Anderson and her team, they were talking about how she was coming out of retirement and getting back into bowling. It was a touching moment of why she decided to come to Las Vegas – it was for her best friend’s father, who sadly passed away and had taught her a lot about bowling.
“Coming back, I did this for my best friend’s dad who just passed away recently,” Anderson said. “He taught me a lot of things I know. I’m doing this for him, because he loved to watch me.”
In coming to bowl, Anderson was joined by a strong support system – her mom (Sherry Anderson), sister (Jennifer Yates) and sister’s aunt (Kerry Yates).
“I was bowling with my mom, my sister and my sister’s aunt,” Anderson said. “We usually bowl the Open (Championships) under my brother’s team, and we all just decided to come out here and bowl the Women’s.”
Having family support you while you’re bowling can help you do well. It’s what makes bowling fun and exciting.
“My brother told us to come out here and represent his team well, and I couldn’t disappoint him,” Anderson said. “My sister and I have bowled doubles well in the past together, so years later doing doubles with her today, it was like, ‘We can do this again,’” Anderson said. “Having the support of my mom and Kerry, it was amazing the entire day.”
Looking toward the end of the 2026 tournament, Anderson hopes her score sticks and she’s able to go home with a win. This would be the cherry on top for her.
“It would probably be one of the greatest achievements I’ve ever had in my life,” Anderson said. “It was so fun. I loved all the people here, all the staff, all the other bowlers and it was just the best time.”
Sapphire All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 135 and below.
On Monday, the mother-and-daughter team of Monica and Miranda Fuentes of Houston tackled the pins to score the lead in Ruby Doubles with a total of 1,191.
The lead previously was held by Robin Miller and Rebecca Osimowicz of Fairbanks, Alaska, with 1,161.
Miranda led the way at South Point with games of 172, 226 and 222 for a 620 series. Monica added solid scores of 169, 191 and 211 for 571.
These two ladies were locked in while putting up these big numbers, and as a mom-and-daughter duo, their support for each other paid off. It meant a lot to them to score so high at the tournament.
“It felt good – we just tried to bowl and not pay attention to the scores,” Miranda said. “I started out slowly trying to get the feel of things, then really picked it up later on.”
It also means a lot for the two to bowl with each other.
“I started bowling when I was 6 or maybe 7 years old, so I’ve been bowling all my life,” Miranda said. “My mom has also been bowling since she was around 10 years old.”
This was the family’s first time coming to the tournament, and it was a special moment for the two because they were able to compete together for the first time.
“It’s our first time together,” Monica said. “Miranda bowled in college, so we’ve been waiting for her to finish. This was our first opportunity to bowl together after that. I’m just very proud of her and that she bowled so well today.”
Bowling well together, they were going to celebrate taking the lead in Las Vegas and enjoy the rest of their stay in the city.
“We love South Point and Vegas, with everything that you can do here,” Monica said. “We love to gamble and have fun here in Las Vegas.”
Ruby Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 621-700.
Megan Emerson of Pueblo, Colo., was electrifying Tuesday, taking the lead in Ruby Singles.
Emerson was on another level during her singles portion of the tournament. She fired off an exceptional total score of 683, passing the previous leading total of 638 by Tammy Followell of Cheyenne, Wyo.
In Game 1, Emerson had a solid score of 188. During Game 2, she rolled her best score of the series with 268. In Game 3, she finished strong with the final five strikes to get a total score of 227.
This marked Emerson’s first time bowling the Women’s Championships, but she previously had bowled at South Point.
“I was invited last minute at the women’s state bowling event in Colorado,” Emerson said. “I panicked and texted my dad and was like, ‘I’m going to book an early birthday trip to Las Vegas,’ since my birthday is next month. Now the rest is history.”
Emerson has been bowling since the age of 6, and her father, Aaron, helped her get started in the sport. He was also there at South Point cheering her on.
Emerson’s series was only 19 pins shy of the winning score in Ruby Singles from the 2025 Women’s Championships, rolled by Kaitlyn George of Arlington, Texas (702 series). Emerson and George were collegiate teammates at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kan.
On the Braves, George was a senior and then an eventual graduate assistant, while Emerson was a freshman when they first started bowling together.
“One person I wanted to mention in this interview first was Kaitlyn George,” Emerson said. “Kaitlyn and I both went to college together. I adore Kaitlyn, and she was a true role model to me. So being able to say I bowled with Kaityln and I’m able to take over the lead so far is really cool. She taught me a lot, so I’m very proud of her and it makes me very proud of myself as well.”
Although Emerson struggled during her team event, she was very exuberant that she battled back to finish strong in singles. After 419 in team, she averaged more than 217 across doubles (621 series) and singles to also move into fourth place in Ruby All-Events with 1,723.
“Yesterday, I didn’t feel good bowling at all the way I wanted to,” Emerson said. “I felt really down on myself. So, I told myself today that I’m going to go out and make the best of it. And, I did exactly that and more. I just kept a clear mind, threw the ball well throughout singles and if I had to adjust, I did.”
Ruby Singles includes bowlers with entering averages of 156-175.
The Women’s Championships is celebrating its 106th edition in 2026 and making its sixth trip to Las Vegas. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 16,000 bowlers and 4,200 four-player teams competing across 65 consecutive days at the South Point Bowling Plaza.