One Mount athletic team that has consistently made headlines in recent years is the women’s bowling team. The Mount introduced the top-performing program in 2018, just in time to secure the commitment of a talented bowler from Michigan, who dedicates her athletic talent, time, and effort to the university. Barbara Hawes’ Mount legacy, however, stretches far beyond the bowling lanes: she positively influences every person she meets and every activity she joins.
Originally from Flint, Michigan, Hawes (C’22) began turning the heads of college recruiters after she bowled a perfect game during her senior year of high school. From that moment, she believed she had a future in collegiate bowling. “After that game, I realized that bowling in college was a possibility for me,” she explained. “A lot of colleges approached me.” While she got attention from numerous schools, Hawes said a visit to the Mount’s campus clinched the deal. She was charmed by the Mount’s tight-knit community and excited about the prospect of joining a new team with big ambitions.
For their inaugural season, the Mount had a bowler who already had a reputation for winning: a two-time, all-state performer, Hawes helped her high school team win three championships in a row. While some athletes may have been apprehensive about joining a beginning program, that excited Hawes. “Our class had the opportunity to lay the groundwork for what kind of team we were going to be,” she said. Hawes and her teammates created a chemistry and established a culture and that allowed the program to excel. In their inaugural 2018-19 campaign, they set the current school record for most wins in a single season, secured a tournament win at the Bud Whitman Memorial, and earned a national ranking.
Today, the team is ranked tenth in the nation and has earned a reputation as one of the most competitive bowling programs in the country. In its brief existence, individual bowlers have received four NTCA and NCBCA All-American awards, and team members have earned spots on the Northeast Conference’s first, second and rookie teams seven times. Making strikes in the classroom as well as on the lanes, Hawes joined two of her teammates, Haley Buser and Amanda Yeung, on the National Tenpin Coaches Association All-Academic Team.
As co-captain, Hawes is proud of the success the team has achieved together, finding that the goals they set during their inaugural season have come to fruition. “I think that we laid a positive foundation for future teams to succeed going forward,” she emphasized. Barb has also excelled on the lanes personally. In her first semester, she was named NEC co-rookie of the week. In the 2019-20 season, she started every single game and converted 78.9 percent of her frames in individual play. In January 2020, she was the MVP of the Red Flash Invitational. In the 2020-21 season, she achieved a fill percentage of 80.8 percent in Baker play and 78.9 percent in traditional play. Recently, she was recognized for her athletic and academic achievements as one of just four Mount athletes named PNC Student Athlete Achiever of the Year, an award that recognizes student athletes who show academic excellence and good character.
Bowlers may be described by three primary styles: “strokers” have strong ball control and lower levels of rotation and power; “crankers” roll sharp hooks with high rotation rates and great power; and “tweeners” blend control and power with medium levels of rotation. Tweeners are also able to adjust their backswings and releases to adapt to specific situations. Hawes displays her versatile, tweener style in and out of the lanes. Although collegiate athletes may find it difficult to be involved in activities outside of their sport, this has not been the case for the current senior. Kenneth DeGraaf, the head bowling coach, observes that “since the day Barb arrived on campus, she has been an extraordinary student, athlete, and member of the Mount community. While some wait for an opportunity to be involved, Barb actively seeks ways to contribute and better those around her.” One look at her impressive resume and it’s clear that Hawes uses her outgoing personality and proactive attitude to take advantage of every opportunity.
She has been especially active in the Admissions Office. As a Mount Ambassador and student worker, she is
passionate about showing prospective students how the university affords the life-changing experiences that convinced her to come to the Mount. Admissions staff members Brenda Rigby and Trina Crum described her impact on their office: “To us, Barb has been like a breath of fresh air. She stepped in without hesitation and always showed her love of the Mount during her tours with us. Her smile and enthusiasm were always welcomed and appreciated by many.” Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Peter Dorsey, Ph.D., added, “Last summer, I’m not sure I saw anyone on campus more often than Barb! She was everywhere: giving tours, running events, greeting visitors in front of Bradley, and staffing tables at the many orientation sessions we held.” Recently Hawes began a position as an Admissions Data and Operations Intern, conducting research, analyzing data, and communicating with tele-counselors about her findings.
Hawes’ service to the Mount does not stop at Admissions. She is also a head peer tutor, overseeing training for new tutors and supporting them in their positions. For Hawes, helping someone understand a new topic is just as exhilarating as bowling a perfect game. She also served as an orientation leader; is active in the campus leadership program, iLead; has been Treasurer and Vice President of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee; and is a student representative to the Northeast Conference.
Hawes is also a “tweener” in academics, bridging the Mount’s Bolte School of Business and the College of Liberal Arts with her double majors in Business and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). In high school, she took great interest in her government policy classes. Then she remembers “taking a Star Wars philosophy class my freshman year and becoming very interested in philosophy.” The Mount is the first university in Maryland to offer PPE, and Hawes will be among the first to graduate from this innovative program which prepares students for careers in government, public advocacy and service, policymaking, and non-profit leadership. Hawes believes adding a business degree to her PPE major will allow her to apply her gifts to a multitude of professions.
When asked about working with Hawes, Rigby and Crum, her Admissions colleagues, fondly recall, “When we think of Barb, we think of the quote ‘Life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself.’” As an inaugural member of the nationally recognized bowling team and a key player for Mount Admissions, Hawes has dramatically impacted campus life and values. As she approaches graduation, she has decided to use her fifth year of athletic eligibility to pursue a degree in the Mount’s M.B.A. program. For at least one more year, she will continue to carve her legacy on the lanes and in the classrooms of Mount St. Mary’s.