Michael Machuga enters his sixth season and is the first-ever head coach of the Mercyhurst Women’s Bowling team.
During the 2023-24 season, Coach Machuga steered the Lakers to a series of impressive finishes, with their consistent success propelling them to their second consecutive ECC Championship title. This remarkable achievement earned the team a return trip to the National Tournament for the second year in a row. The Lakers faced Jacksonville State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore at NCAA Regionals, ultimately falling to both teams.
The 2022-23 season brought several firsts. The Lakers won their first-ever East Coast Conference Tournament Championship while having the Bowler, Rookie, and Coach of the Year for the conference. The ECC accolades did not end there as there were a total of four bowlers being named to an All-ECC list. Two were named to the All-Region team in Samantha Strebel and Haley Youker. Youker was also named a USBC All-American Third Team member. The Lakers made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, competing against Machuga's alma mater, Nebraska, in the opening round.
While at Nebraska, the Cornhuskers placed third at the National Championship during his freshman year.
Laker standout, Haley Youker, was named to the National Tenpin Coaches Association All-American Third-Team, and earned the East Coast Conference Bowler of the Year.Throughout the season, Youker also was the recipient of five Most Valuable Player awards.
Machuga grew up in Erie, PA. His grandparents owned Frontier Lanes on the west side of Erie. He currently calls Rolling Meadow Lanes his home center. Machuga spent his professional career competing on the Professional Bowling Association Tour. He has also won the local Erie Times News Open tournament five different times.
Machuga has actively coached bowlers since 2003 – both domestic and internationally – including a stint as a coach for the Panama National Team ahead of the Pan-Am Games. Machuga is also no stranger to Mercyhurst Athletics. He was previously an assistant women's golf coach.
Machuga has spent more than 13 years as a professional bowler. After bowling for two years at the University of Nebraska, he made an amateur run before turning pro in Aug. 2001. During his time with the PBA, he has won two PBA National Tour championships and one PBA regional championship. Machuga has bowled a 300 on the PBA Tour on 24 occasions. He was also a two-year member of the Dallas Strikers, a team in the PBA League. Machuga's PBA Tour wins include the 2008 Chameleon Championship and the 2005 Greater Omaha Classic. As of the fall of 2018, Machuga reinstated his membership with the PBA after a 4 1/2-year retirement.
Machuga currently owns and operates the Next Level Pro Shop in Erie. He has 27 years of experience in bowling pro shop operations.
