Women's Athlete Spotlight: Emily Newbauer is Resilient

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Emily Newbauer has been a trailblazer for the women's bowling program at Viterbo University. Since joining the team back in the 2023-24 season, Newbauer has been honored with several accolades, leading the way for the next generation. She wants to be a role model and let everyone know that this is within reach for young girls with dedication, hard work, and resilience.

"Being a female student-athlete means having the opportunity to grow, compete, and represent something bigger than myself both on and off the lanes," says Emily. "I take pride in being a role model for younger girls and showing them that women belong in competitive spaces, can break stereotypes, and can succeed at the highest levels while pursuing their passion,".

The junior out of Albertville, Minnesota has broken through nearly every ceiling imaginable during her time with the V-Hawks. She is a two-time national qualifier, an All-American, and an IBMA Player of the Year runner up. While on the team, Emily has had experiences and recognitions that many dream of, and she credits her successes to other strong women in her life.

"The women who have inspired me the most are my mom and sister. They have always been my biggest supporters, pushing me to do my best while also being there for me when things get challenging," says Emily.

Emily's sister, Alyssa, is also on the Viterbo University Women's Bowling team as a freshman, and she has pushed Emily to succeed at the highest level.

"My sister is also a bowler and just as competitive as I am, which makes it even more special because we push each other during practices and tournaments and motivate each other to keep improving," says Emily. "Having strong women like my mom and sister in my life has built my confidence and reminds me how important support, resilience, and belief in one another are,".

Emily notes that she is proud of her achievements on the lanes. She has dedicated her life to her career as a bowler, and she wants to make it known that her accomplishments come from hard work, not from chance.

"Becoming an All-American and leading the nation in women's collegiate bowling are achievements that mean a lot to me because they reflect the hard work and dedication I've put into my game," says Emily. "I'm also very proud of making it to nationals individually my freshman year. Competing at that level so early in my college career was a huge milestone,".

While she continues to impress on the lanes, her dedication to the classroom is equally impressive. The junior has managed to balance performing at the highest level in collegiate bowling while also maintaining high-level academics as well.

"I'm proud of maintaining a spot on the Dean's List every semester so far while balancing the responsibilities of being a student-athlete," says Emily. "Being able to succeed in the classroom while competing at a high level is something I've worked really hard for and take a lot of pride in,".

And though it seems like Emily may have it all, she has faced setbacks too. Following her standout freshman season, Newbauer narrowly missed an appearance at the 2025 USBC Championships, her sophomore year, despite an incredibly successful season. Through the disappointment, Emily knew she couldn't lose sight of her goals.

"There will be challenges along the way, whether it's tough games, setbacks, or balancing school and sports, but hard work and perseverance really pay off," says Emily.

And persevere she did.

This past weekend, Emily returned to where she faced defeat just one year ago. As she prepared to compete in the individual sectional competition, she had one goal in mind: a return to nationals.

Emily took to the lanes, bowling six games and seeking a spot in the top eight. She came out on the other side victorious, finishing third in the competition out of 244 competitors and securing an individual spot at the 2026 USBC Collegiate Championships. With this accomplishment, she becomes the first V-Hawk women's bowler to qualify for the competition twice.

With all her accolades and accomplishments, she wants to continue using her voice to make an impact on her team and young girls that are looking up to her.

"I hope to make an impact by being a positive and supportive teammate who leads by example in practice and in competition," says Emily. "More broadly, I hope to inspire younger girls to get involved in bowling and show them that women can compete at a high level in sports. Breaking stereotypes in sports can be tough, but if you stay confident and keep improving, you can show other girls that anything is possible,".

Emily will compete in the Intercollegiate Singles Championships as one of 24 national qualifiers on April 13 - April 18, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The competition will be hosted at the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley. To stay updated with the Viterbo University Women's Bowling team, follow them on Instagram (@viterbobowling and @viterbovhawks).