Two years ago to this date, coaching the UW-Whitewater women’s bowling team wasn’t Leann Eimermann’s main concern. Bowling a 300 for the team was.

A year after graduating, Eimermann took the job at Campbellsport High School to coach the boy’s bowling team. With Eimermann at the helm, the boys finished eighth in the Wisconsin State High School Tournament for 2010-11.

Forward one more year and Eimermann finds herself replacing her old Head Coach Amber Lemke.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity because there are a lot of talented girls here,” Eimermann said. “To be honest, it was completely a surprise for me to get the job. I bowled for the old coach and I knew she would be here for awhile, but she is pursuing some better opportunities.”

The ’Hawks represent the only varsity, intercollegiate team in Wisconsin, so the NCAA Championships are where the ’Hawks can make their mark every season. Despite there being one senior on the team, leadership is not a problem for the ’Hawks.

“Two key sophomores, Katie Zwiefelhofer and Ashley Bell both bowled varsity all of last year. They were two of the top performers for the team last year,” Eimermann said. “The juniors have been around  for awhile. I bowled with a couple of them when they were freshman on varsity. I actually think that our team is very experienced considering the young team that we do have.”

To have a great year and meet expectations according to Eimermann, the ’Hawks need to get into the USBC Sectionals Tournament, which they have done for the past two years.

To start the season right, the ’Hawks have not let their new head coach down. In their first tournament of the year, the ’Hawks posted a 4-1 record, responding with a 4-0 record that Sunday.

On the very first day as expected, Bell stepped up and bowled a team-high series total 619. The second day of the tournament’s success came at the hands of Bell’s fellow sophomore, Katie Zwiefelhoffer, among others.

The ’Hawks have started their season off on the right foot and look to continue their success this Saturday and Sunday in their second tournament of the year in Kenosha.