Emily Hart Signs with U.S. College Bowling Powerhouse Sam Houston

Rising Australian bowling talent Emily Hart is set to take the next step in her promising career, signing with Sam Houston State University in the United States for the 2025–26 collegiate season.

Hailing from Salisbury Heights, and a frequent league bowler at Bowland Salisbury, South Australia, Emily becomes the latest Australian athlete to earn a scholarship with a U.S. college bowling program — and she’s joining one of the top-ranked teams in the country.

“It’s honestly an absolute dream,” said Emily. “I’ve always wanted to go overseas and pursue my bowling while studying at the same time. The Sam Houston community has been extremely welcoming, and I can’t wait to start in August.”

Emily’s resume is packed with impressive achievements at junior, youth, and adult levels. She has represented Australia at major international events including recent campaigns:

• 🥈 Silver medal – 22nd Asian Junior Championships Girls’ Singles (Singapore 2023)
• 🥉 Bronze medals – 23rd Asian Junior Championships in Doubles and Masters (Malaysia 2024)
• 🇦🇺 Selected for the 2024 IBF World Youth Team (Korea)
• 🌏 Member of the 2025 IBF World Cup Adult Team (Hong Kong)

You can read more about Emily here.

These international experiences have shaped Emily’s ambitions and broadened her perspective.

“It’s shown me that there are so many more opportunities within bowling that we don’t always see in Australia,” she said. “The World Cup was a real eye-opener — seeing how some of the world’s top bowlers had competed at college level before becoming the athletes they are today.”

Sam Houston head coach Brad Hagen praised Emily’s international pedigree and competitive drive.

“Emily’s success on and off the lanes is exactly what we look for each year to add to our talented roster,” Hagen said.

“She’s competed around the world with both the Youth and Adult National Teams, and her experience against some of the best in the world is worth noting and will fit in great with the other international athletes on the roster who she’ll be joining.

“Her mindset, resume, and drive to excel academically and athletically make her a seamless fit for the collegiate bowling world. A great addition to a young returning hungry competitive roster” added Hagen.

Emily graduated from Salisbury East High School in 2024, earning honours for both academic achievement and learning attitude. With several pathways to choose from, she says Sam Houston always stood out.

“I’ve been in contact with the coach for a couple of years now,” she explained. “When we spoke about the bowling program and academics, it was just too good to pass up. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and continuing to improve my bowling.”

Emily plans to study medical sport sciences while competing in the highly competitive U.S. collegiate circuit.

Her signing is another proud moment for Australian bowling, as more young athletes take their talent to international levels. Emily will begin her journey to Texas in August and we look forward to following her journey.