Newton senior Libbie Keith signed with the Morningside University women’s bowling team on Friday.
She plans to major in elementary education with the hopes of someday teaching in her hometown district.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/6IIAXJ7RYFGKVAOUH5QUCVRSLQ.jpg)
January 26, 2025
Newton’s Keith signs with Morningside bowling
Four-time state qualifier will study elementary education
:quality(70):focal(642x339:652x349)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/O4YFJ6ZFARDZBPVPVQXJD3NLBE.jpg)
Newton senior Libbie Keith, seated center, signed with the Morningside University bowling team on Friday at the high school. She picked the Mustangs over Waldorf College and also considered Northern Iowa. "It came down to my passion for bowling as far as not going to UNI," Keith said. "I want to be a teacher, but I can do both at the other schools. I think I will have more fun being able to bowl. I picked Morningside because Coach G came to watch me at state bowling. That meant a lot to me. I felt like a person and not just a number." Keith was joined at her signing by her mother Angie, father Craig and her two siblings, Nate and Bristol, back right. She plans to study elementary education. "Waldorf eventually just stopped reaching out to me and didn’t improve their money offer," Keith said. "Money played a factor, and I have friends who are close by." Keith was the first Cardinal to qualify for the state bowling tournament four times. "They are getting a good bowler who is versatile and coachable," Newton head bowling coach Christie Hughes said. "Her confidence has grown the past couple of seasons, too. They are getting a great kid, and I’m excited for her." Coach Steve Gonshorowski leads the Morningside women's bowling team, and he liked what he saw at this year's state tournament in Waterloo. "I first talked to her in September, and I watched her bowl at the state tournament," Gonshorowski said. "She has a lot of characteristics that fit in well in college programs. She doesn't get too high or too low. We'll have two teams of eight players next season so she will bowl right away no matter what." (Troy Hyde/Newton News)