ELMIRA'S SMITH SIGNS TO BOWL AT MOUNT MERCY UNIVERSITY (2024-03-25)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
ELMIRA — In high school Alex Smith has proven to be a winner, helping key Elmira’s bowling state championship a year ago.

Now, the Elmira senior will get a chance to eat try and continue that success in the future as he signed to bowl at Mount Mercy University, the number three ranked bowling team in the nation.

“I talked to a couple colleges and I visited Mount Mercy in February and it felt like home,” Smith said. “Everyone was welcoming, the coaches were nice. They are a strong team so that helped my decision. Overall it felt like family so that’s what I chose.”

Joining a program with the success that Mount Mercy has had is something extra special for Smith.

“It’s super exciting,” he said. “The opportunity to walk into a place where they are so talented and create such good bowlers. There is nothing more exciting than that, I’m super excited to get to work for them.”

Smith feels like the success he’s had in high school played a role in the college looking at him.

“I am sure it helps,” he said. “Not many people get the opportunity to experience something like that in high school sports, especially in bowling. We had the rare opportunity to compete at such a high level in high school. I’m thankful for that and I’m sure it’s something they looked at in the recruiting process. They wanted people who can come in and make an impact immediately.”

Smith knows he was helped in high school competing against so many talented bowlers, and watching a lot of them get a chance to go on and bowl at the next level as well.

“When you are in such a talented part of the state it makes you want to be able to compete with those guys,” Smith said. “Not only take your game to another level, but you want to make the people around you better.

“It was awesome. I’m friends with (Waverly’s) Zach Vanderpool (Corning’s) Joe (Enderle) and (Corning’s) Camryn (Stefanini) and I’m proud to see so many of us go to the next level, because until recently it wasn’t a thing.”

For Smith it’s always been in his mind to have the chance to bowl in college.

“Honestly, it’s always been kind of a goal for me to compete collegiately, or at a higher level than high school,” Smith said. “Obviously it takes a lot of work. I’m very optimistic on where I’d get to go. I worked very hard to get to this point and I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete at such a high level.”

Over the years Smith has been a key part of the success for Elmira, and now he knows it will be different as he starts over as the newcomer at the collegiate level.

“It’s going to be brand new,” Smith said. “I have been with the Express program so long I’ve gotten used to a leadership role and being the person everyone looks up to. So, going into college, hopefully at some point I’ll reassume that role, but I’m looking forward to learning from the guys there.”

Smith got a chance to practice with the team there, and he feels like it’s a great group of guys.

“I practiced with them when I visited,” Smith said. “Unfortunately they have a lot of seniors, who won’t be there next year, but overall the team is very built on effective communication and understanding of what’s going on. No matter what, the guys there will be very helpful.”

Having a lot of seniors this year does mean that there is the possibility to get into the lineup next season for Smith.

“It has to excited you,” Smith said. “The opportunity to compete is something everyone should look forward to. I’me excited to get up there and compete for a spot on the varsity team.”

And, going to a nationally ranked school means there is a chance to compete for national titles one day, to go with his state title in high school.

“That’s the goal,” Smith said. “No matter what in college your goal is to win a national title as a team, end of story really. Winning a state title is awesome, doing it at a national level is extremely harder, so that would be awesome to do.”

Mount Mercy has the academic programs that Smith was looking for as well, as he plans to major in exercise science.

For Smith, he’s ready to go to college and find success like he had in high school. And, if after college a chance to bowl professionally was there it’s something he’d love to do.

“If that’s what the four years in college gets me to that level, that’s obviously something I’d love to do after college,” Smith said.
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