Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Following a successful high school bowling career in which he led the Stanhope Elmore boys’ bowling team to the 2026 Class 6A/7A state championship, Ryan Best will continue his bowling career competing at Webber University. It was the first state championship in program history for the SE boys (the girls won the state championship in 2024).
In his senior season, Best averaged 220 with a high game of 277. He finished 4th in the Alabama Pepsi State and hopes to get in the top 150 in the nation for the Junior Gold in 2026, the premier national tournament for competitive youth bowlers.
Webber University is considered a powerhouse in collegiate bowling. The school is located at Babson Park, Florida, and competes in the Sun Conference of NAIA. The school recently won the Intercollegiate Team Championship in 2024.
“I chose Webber because of the wonderful training center and coaches they have to offer,” said Best. “It is some of the best in the country, and I would be offered it every single day.”
The training facility, Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Florida, is one of the premier bowling facilities in the country, located seven miles from campus.
Best decided to attend Webber four years ago when he met Coach Del Warren. He visited the campus last summer of 2025 and plans to move to the campus early August 2026. Best has some goals for his freshman season on campus and beyond.
“I want to perform well enough to be a bench varsity or JV. Webber is like D1 so being in those positions, they would utilize me and give me all the experience I need as an athlete. Academically, I want to keep up with good grades and stay steady. I plan to major in computer information sciences, hoping that when I finish college, I can find a position somewhere that will let me work anywhere as long as I have Wi-Fi. I want to pair this job with being a professional on the Professional Bowlers’ Association,” said Best.
