After the high school bowling season was up, Great Bend’s Miranda Hejny knew she had a choice to make.
After spending four years accumulating every possible school record in her sport, she would need to decide where to continue her bowling career.
That decision has been made.
Hejny signed to compete for Newman University next season.
“It’s a smaller school, and it’s closer to home, so for the visiting reasons, I tried to keep it close,” Hejny said of her reasons for her choice.
Hejny had been looking at two or three schools and settled on Newman, something Great Bend head coach Mike Perry said will be beneficial for Newman.
“Newman’s getting a special person,” Perry said. “She’s got a lot of talent and a lot of heart and commitment. Coaches are blessed sometimes with the athletes that they coach. Everybody should get the chance to coach somebody like Miranda.”
Perry said he things Newman is the right fit for Hejny.
“Newman’s going to be a good fit,” Perry said. “It seems like a lot of the kids from the WAC really go there. Girls from Dodge (City) and Garden (City) go there, and some boys from Garden (City). It’s a smaller setting school, but they are very competitive.
“I know everybody talks about Wichita State is the upper echelon, but Newman is right there with them.”
Hejny is ready for a new challenge.
“I’m looking forward to just doing something different,” Hejny said. “College is a higher level of competition, so I’m looking forward to it and getting better.
“I’m nervous because I’ve never really been away from home, but you got to do it sometime.”
Hejny has conquered the high school bowling scene as a two-time team captain and four-time All-Western Athletic Conference first-team selection.
She was WAC MVP three of her four years with Great Bend, missing out one season by five pins.
Her high average is 208, high game was 279 and high series was 716 — all school records.
She earned a medal at the Class 5-1A State Bowling Tournament each of her four years, placing 18th as a freshman, third as a sophomore, 20th as a junior and second overall this past season.
As a top contender in the state, she was selected All-State each of the last three years.
All adding up to why she’s the first Lady Panthers bowler to be signed by a college.
“I’m real thankful and blessed that I could do what I could and all the records that I have,” Hejny said. “I’m thankful that I get to end my senior year with all of them.”