LEBANON, Pa. — The rise of Eastern Lebanon County School District senior Morgan Kline is a special one.
She's one of the top bowlers in the state, and her skills have landed her amongst the best in the country; Kline has committed to bowl for Wichita State next year, a national championship program that has had their eyes on the student-athlete for quite some time.
"They reached out to me when I was younger because they weren't NCAA, so the rules were different," Kline explained. "They followed me [and] my progress throughout the years. It was awesome."
The Shocker Women's Bowling Team has claimed multiple national championships; it's the perfect spot for the reigning Lancaster-Lebanon League Girls Champion to land, and even better as she heads to Wichita on a large scholarship.
"It’s a whole different aspect than high school. I'm just super stoked," said Kline. "I know the coaches will help me get to where I want to be and the academics are really great. When I visited there, it felt like home."
As one of the few schools that even offer bowling at a collegiate level, it makes a top program coming to central Pa. to recruit that much more impressive.
"There are few and far between colleges that actually offer bowling as a sport, let alone scholarships," said ELCO Coach Pamela Rittle. "For her to get to Wichita is incredible."
Kline will look to defend her LL League Title in her final season before heading off to Kansas. As one of the stars in the area, she's excited for this season and the future to continue to represent the ELCO community so well.
"I love this sport, it's not very traditional but it brings me joy," said Kline. "You have to put the time and effort in to be good. I think little me would be very happy right now."