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NCAA champion Anna Warkel’s career built on triumph through adversity
Warkel’s decorated bowling career includes a state title and four collegiate championships
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Like an onion, Anna Warkel’s story has layers.
Warkel, a 2021 Cedar Rapids Jefferson graduate, owns a decorated bowling career highlighted by a state title and four collegiate championships.
But her path to success was far from linear.
Her parents, Dan Warkel and Christine Knight, met in a bowling alley. Knight was employed at Lancer Lanes and May City Bowl — the houses where Warkel fell in love with the sport.
“Instead of finding someone to watch me, she’d take me to work with her,” Warkel said. “Of course, the little kid doesn’t want to just sit and watch… I needed my own lane and my own ball.”
At age 4, Warkel began competing in a youth league. She hasn’t put down a bowling ball since.
“I always knew I wanted to bowl in high school and college,” Warkel said. “It sounds nerdy, but I like the science and physics behind bowling.”
As a freshman, Warkel led the J-Hawks averaging 181 per game. That number jumped to 210 in her sophomore campaign, netting first-team all-state honors and leading Jefferson to a second-place finish at state.
It was a near-ideal start to her high school bowling career.
Then, in October 2019, a month before the start of her junior season, her father died unexpectedly at age 54.
“It had a huge impact on me because in high school, I would have days where it’s like, ‘I don’t know why I’m doing this anymore’… you have bad days and lose your reason,” Warkel said. “When he passed, I kind of hit the pause button. You stop and realize what you’re thankful for. I had a bigger reason for showing up every day — I was doing it for myself and for him.”
Warkel went on to win the individual state championship in February 2020, setting a 3A state tournament record with a 513 two-game series.
“I was showing up for him, and I knew he was watching over me,” Warkel said.
Life took another twist for Warkel as longtime Jefferson coach Virgil Cerveny died before the start of her senior season.
She again triumphed through hardship, throwing her first 300 game in December 2020.
“I was going through a lot at a young age,” Warkel said. “There was so much transition in figuring out who I was doing it for. I started doing it for other people, and I think that’s what kept my head on straight. My mom was my number one supporter through all of it.”
Following her distinguished high school career, Warkel’s next stop was women’s bowling power McKendree University (NCAA Division II) in Lebanon, Ill. — thanks in part to a close friend’s connection with coaches Shannon and Bryan O’Keefe.
“They’re two of the most highly credible coaches in college bowling,” Warkel said. “Shannon is arguably one of the best female bowlers of my time, and Bryan, her husband, is the head coach of Team USA.”
Warkel made an immediate impact, earning a varsity spot as a freshman and playing a key role in McKendree’s 2022 NCAA national championship.
“This small-ish town Iowa girl going to the No. 1 ranked team in the country … I did not think I was going to make varsity,” Warkel said. “They read off the names for the first tournament and crazy enough, my name was on the list.”
The Bearcats fell short of an NCAA title repeat during Warkel’s sophomore campaign but rebounded to win the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships (ITC) in April 2023.
Things were going about as well as they could at McKendree. Then the O’Keefes called a team meeting.
“They told us, ‘We’ve just accepted new jobs,’” Warkel said. “I was bummed because they took a chance on me… but then they said, ‘Anna, you can follow us.’”
Warkel, along with six McKendree teammates did just that, relocating more than 500 miles to Jacksonville State University in Alabama to help launch a new program.
“It was the scariest thing to think about,” Warkel said. “We never toured the school, had never been there and had this brand-new team in its inaugural season.”
Jacksonville State began the year ranked seventh. With a collective chip on their shoulders, the Gamecocks finished the season ranked first and won the NCAA championship in a best-of-seven thriller against Arkansas State.
“We do baker games on TV when you bowl NCAAs,” Warkel said. “We went all the way to Game 7. It was intense, just an insane match.
“It was the craziest experience of my life. An NCAA team has never done it before in its first year. That group, it was something special.”
Several players graduated from Jacksonville State’s 2024 title team, yet the 2025 Gamecocks managed a second-place finish in the NCAA tournament and won the USBC ITC in April to close Warkel’s collegiate career.
“The two national championships I will forever hold close to my heart,” Warkel said. “I got four rings while I was in college, plus a conference championship ring. I’m very, very blessed.”
What’s next for Warkel?
“To be a professional,” Warkel said. “It’s hard not being on a team anymore, but I’m hoping within the next couple of years I can be on the pro tour.”
The Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour runs from May to August.
Until then, she’ll continue honing her craft and offering lessons at May City, the site of this year’s Cedar Rapids Women's Bowling City Amateur tournament.
She’ll also compete in February’s state tournament in Sioux City and nationals in Reno, Nev., later this year.
“I was fortunate enough to learn from some of the best coaches,” Warkel said. “I leaned on a lot of people over the years to help get me better, so I definitely want to help others.”
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