The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
The UAB Players' Tribune: Bowling's Annie Hurley
5/18/2020 12:30:00 PM | Women's Bowling
As I watched my parents drive away from the New Freshman dorm four years ago, I realized that I was now going to be 1,700 miles away from my family, my friends and my home in Phoenix, Arizona. I'm not afraid to admit that as I wiped away some tears, I thought, "What did I just get myself into?"
The journey to Birmingham had actually started about a year earlier in Arlington, Texas, when I attended the collegiate bowling combine with about 150 other potential college bowlers and more than 20 collegiate coaches. It was a mentally and physically exhausting three days with drills, tests, workouts and lots of bowling. It was an overwhelming experience, but my life was changed forever when I sat down at a table and met Coach Michelle for the first time. We connected instantly and a bond was put in place that will never be broken.
Fast forward to today, I look back on my time as a student-athlete at UAB with a sense of pride, wonder, joy and sadness.
Birmingham was a big adjustment in itself. Arizona may be hot, but I learned that southern humidity is no joke. The stores are different. The restaurants aren't the same. There's not a cactus to be seen. However, it didn't take long for me to get comfortable and come to love the Magic City. My fellow Blazers were warm and welcoming. Birmingham residents love UAB students. On top of that, the staff and faculty are an incredible group of people.
When I first met my teammates, I was a bit intimidated. Many of them had more experience than I did in big national tournaments. They were coming from highly competitive high school programs. They had already competed against some of the best amateur bowlers in the country. Did I even belong on the team? Luckily for me, I was blessed with teammates that put TEAM first. We didn't care about individual stats, we only focused on what we could do TOGETHER to be a better team. No one cared about what you did in the past, we were focused on the present.
In my four years, this team has been on a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. We fought through challenges, but the highlights were memorable. We won our first match as a newly launched team, upset national championship teams, made our first Nationals in program history and climbed the rankings. We made a big splash into a new conference but most importantly though, we made memories. The road trips were legendary including inside jokes which were hilarious. The side trips to the beach and to Disney World will never be forgotten. The pre-match speeches from coach will have an impact for the rest of our lives.
Personally, I take pride in my growth on the lanes. Under coach's guidance, I transformed from a part-time to full-time starter. I made an all-tournament team and I won MEAC Bowler of the Week. At one time, I was among the national leaders in spare conversion percentage and the least number of splits left. While strikes are important, you learn very quickly that making your spares and leaving minimal splits is golden in collegiate bowling. This kind of growth isn't possible without a committed coach and supportive teammates.
I traveled 1,700 miles away from my home and my family. What I found was a second home and an extended family. More importantly, I discovered the confidence in myself to succeed as a student, an athlete and a teammate. UAB prepared me for the next step in my journey. For that I will be...
Ever Faithful. Ever Loyal.
Always a Blazer,
Anastasia Hurley
UAB Bowling #10
The journey to Birmingham had actually started about a year earlier in Arlington, Texas, when I attended the collegiate bowling combine with about 150 other potential college bowlers and more than 20 collegiate coaches. It was a mentally and physically exhausting three days with drills, tests, workouts and lots of bowling. It was an overwhelming experience, but my life was changed forever when I sat down at a table and met Coach Michelle for the first time. We connected instantly and a bond was put in place that will never be broken.
Fast forward to today, I look back on my time as a student-athlete at UAB with a sense of pride, wonder, joy and sadness.
Birmingham was a big adjustment in itself. Arizona may be hot, but I learned that southern humidity is no joke. The stores are different. The restaurants aren't the same. There's not a cactus to be seen. However, it didn't take long for me to get comfortable and come to love the Magic City. My fellow Blazers were warm and welcoming. Birmingham residents love UAB students. On top of that, the staff and faculty are an incredible group of people.
When I first met my teammates, I was a bit intimidated. Many of them had more experience than I did in big national tournaments. They were coming from highly competitive high school programs. They had already competed against some of the best amateur bowlers in the country. Did I even belong on the team? Luckily for me, I was blessed with teammates that put TEAM first. We didn't care about individual stats, we only focused on what we could do TOGETHER to be a better team. No one cared about what you did in the past, we were focused on the present.
In my four years, this team has been on a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. We fought through challenges, but the highlights were memorable. We won our first match as a newly launched team, upset national championship teams, made our first Nationals in program history and climbed the rankings. We made a big splash into a new conference but most importantly though, we made memories. The road trips were legendary including inside jokes which were hilarious. The side trips to the beach and to Disney World will never be forgotten. The pre-match speeches from coach will have an impact for the rest of our lives.
Personally, I take pride in my growth on the lanes. Under coach's guidance, I transformed from a part-time to full-time starter. I made an all-tournament team and I won MEAC Bowler of the Week. At one time, I was among the national leaders in spare conversion percentage and the least number of splits left. While strikes are important, you learn very quickly that making your spares and leaving minimal splits is golden in collegiate bowling. This kind of growth isn't possible without a committed coach and supportive teammates.
I traveled 1,700 miles away from my home and my family. What I found was a second home and an extended family. More importantly, I discovered the confidence in myself to succeed as a student, an athlete and a teammate. UAB prepared me for the next step in my journey. For that I will be...
Ever Faithful. Ever Loyal.
Always a Blazer,
Anastasia Hurley
UAB Bowling #10
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 7
Tuesday, October 07
UAB Football Postgame Press Conference | Army
Sunday, October 05
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 6
Tuesday, September 30
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 8
Monday, September 29
