NEW HAVEN, Conn. (March 19, 2026) – Dominican University New York sophomore Kyra Walter has been selected as the 2025-26 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Bowler of the Year. Walter, who was also named to the All-CACC Women’s Bowling First Team, leads the all-conference teams and major award winners announced today by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the six head coaches of the conference schools that sponsor the sport.
Felician University freshman Olivia Salvatore was voted the 2025-26 CACC Women’s Bowling Rookie of the Year. Salvatore was also elected to the All-CACC First Team. Caldwell University head coach Ken Yokobosky was chosen the Coach of the Year by his peers. Felician and Chestnut Hill College shared the annual Team Sportsmanship Award.
Walter, from West Babylon, N.Y., was the CACC Rookie of the Year in 2024-25. This season, she tops the conference in most major statistical categories, including scoring average per frame in traditional (19.54) and Baker (19.58) formats and overall (19.57). Walter is also the CACC’s best in strike percentage (.443), first-ball average pinfall (8.97), and spare conversion percentage (.726). She helped Dominican to their first CACC regular-season title and the No. 1 seed in this weekend’s conference championship tournament.
Salvatore, of Brick, N.J., has assisted defending CACC champion Felician to a return trip to the conference playoffs. A four-time CACC Rookie of the Week and two-time Bowler of the Week, she ranks third in the CACC, and first among rookies, with an overall frame average of 18.80. Her .438 strike percentage and her first-ball average pinfall of 8.89 also place her among the league’s top three.
Yokobosky guided Caldwell to a 39-21 overall dual won-lost record and the No. 2 seed in the CACC championship tournament. He is the conference Coach of the Year for the second time, having also earned the honor in 2023.
Felician and Chestnut Hill were cited by the league’s coaches for demonstrating class and character throughout the regular season.
The 2025-26 CACC women’s bowling major award winners and all-conference teams are listed below
2025-26 CACC BOWLER OF THE YEAR
Kyra Walter (Dominican University)
2025-26 CACC BOWLING ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Olivia Salvatore (Felician University)
2025-26 ATHLETIC SOLUTIONS CACC BOWLING COACH OF THE YEAR
Ken Yokobosky (Caldwell University)
2025-26 CACC BOWLING TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Chestnut Hill College
Felician University
2025-26 CACC BOWLING FIRST-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
Mackenzie Keane (Felician University)
Olivia Salvatore (Felician University)
Alex Sardis (Caldwell University)
Angelina Tati (Dominican University)
Kyra Walter (Dominican University)
2025-26 CACC BOWLING SECOND-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
Genna Closs (Wilmington University)
Grace LeFurge (Felician University)
Vivian Luna (Felician University)
Stephanie O'Malley (Dominican University)
Natalia Velasco Tovar (Felician University)
Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 20 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 17 sports – seven for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.