Leslie Harnden

After a final season full of dedicated bowling, senior Dylan Harnden gets awarded Michigan Bowler of the Year. “I had no idea that it was that was getting the award,” Harnden said. Harnden and his team also won the D1 state championship.

After a meaningful final high school bowling season, senior Dylan Harnden was awarded the 2025 Bowler of the Year during lunch.

“It was a pretty cool surprise. I didn’t know anything about it. I had no idea that I was getting the award,” senior Harnden said. “I knew I was in the Final Four for participants of winning it. But I had no idea that I would have been nominated to end up winning it. So, it was a pretty cool surprise.”

In Harnden’s four years of varsity high school bowling, he helped his team win numerous team tournaments and singles tournaments. Harnden started off on varsity as a freshman and helped the team win three team tournaments while placing second in Mac Red Singles and shooting an (800) series. Even with losing five out of seven seniors from varsity in sophomore year, Harnden and the team did not slow down. He was able to claim his victory in Mac Red Singles in his sophomore year. In his junior year, he helped the team win three invitationals and took home the big hardware by winning the state singles title.  

“I think the key to winning is really knowing your (bowling) balls,” Harnden said. 

Outside of high school season bowling, Harnden participates in travel tournaments around the state for the opportunity to earn scholarship points. His favorite tour is Michigan Junior Masters Association (MJMA). They specialize in training young bowlers for Junior Gold Nationals by putting out challenging and invisible oil conditions on bowling lanes. 

“Harnden’s work ethic and drive has certainly had an impact on other bowlers in MJMA,” board head of MJMA Jerry Tarabek said.

Harnden bowled in MJMA since middle school and accumulated five U15 titles and one U18 title in his MJMA career. The top 10 bowlers at the end of every MJMA season participate in the Lake Michigan Cup tournament versus every state surrounding Lake Michigan. Every state’s best bowlers then compete in a three day tournament for a trophy and scholarship money. 

“MJMA prepares bowlers for the next level by offering the challenging conditions that they will see in college,” Tarabek said. “Whether it is in their bowling career or in life. The more challenges you put yourself into, the better chance you have for success”.

Over the winter, Harnden committed to Saint Ambrose University in Davenport Iowa where he will bowl for his collegiate career. 

“He’s versatile,” St. Ambrose’s head coach Eric Littig said. “And I think that’s the key thing to bowling collegiate.”