The PWBA quickly has become the next challenge for college bowlers, and while several have shown they can compete with the best bowlers in the world, perhaps no rookie has made a bigger splash than 2017 PWBA Rookie of the Year Daria Pajak.
The Pila, Poland, native provided PWBA fans with a small sample of her immense talent and powerful physical game in 2016. Just months after helping the Webber International women to the 2016 Intercollegiate Team Championship, Pajak finished 23rd as an amateur at the 2016 U.S. Women's Open.
She made the decision to compete full-time on the PWBA Tour in 2017. Winning rookie of the year was among the several goals she set, though she said added that the award would not define her season.
Pajak started well, cashing in four of the first six events in 2017, with a top finish of 14th at the PWBA Wichita Open. She then would have one of her worst weeks, finishing 66th at the Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open, and considered taking off a week.
But she already had committed to the PWBA Detroit Open and decided to push on. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of her young career, as things came together in the Motor City.
A 300 game in the final game of qualifying elevated her to 10th in the standings, then she fought through the cashers' round and match play to qualify for television as the No. 4 seed.
It was a special moment for Pajak, as she was able to share it with her friend, former college teammate, and fellow rookie-of-the-year contender Verity Crawley of England, who qualified as the No. 1 seed.
The friendship between Pajak and Crawley is special. Add Diana Zavjalova, who also starred at Webber International, and it makes Pajak's tour experience even more enjoyable.
"Being able to be around people I truly like, and I really enjoy being around, changes the whole experience," Pajak said. "Being around true athletes, people who know what it takes, people who understand the experience to grow and learn from it, are people like Diana and Verity.
"I feel they really help me stay in the right mind frame and keep my head in the right spot, as opposed to people who are negative. So, I feel we are all able to empower each other."
After topping Juliana Franco in the opening match, Pajak slipped past Diandra Asbaty for the chance to face Crawley for the PWBA Greater Detroit Open title.
"Going into the show, we knew one of us could win, which was a win-win for us," Pajak said after defeating Crawley for her first PWBA title. "Of course, we wanted the title more than anyone else, but I really felt if I don't do it now, I may never do it. It might be my only time on TV and I really wanted to put all my heart into it. I got a few breaks here and there. But, I was really proud of my spare game, which is my biggest enemy."
Pajak carried the momentum into the final events of the season. She cashed in Orlando and St. Petersburg, before returning to the U.S. Women's Open, this time as a full-time player. After 56 games of qualifying and two 300 games, she earned the No. 1 seed for television.
Though she fell to Liz Johnson in the championship match, Pajak added to her resume as a young superstar. Her success created quite the buzz heading into the PWBA Tour Championship, as everyone would have a chance to watch the race for rookie of the year reach the finish line.
Pajak again would face Crawley, this time in a first-round matchup, with the possibility of a second-round match against Zavjalova looming. A win by Pajak would give her rookie-of-the-year honors outright; a loss and Crawley could claim the postseason honor if she made it to the championship round.
Crawley won the match but lost to Zavjalova in the second round, allowing Pajak to claim the PWBA Rookie of the Year award.
"I have learned who I am as a person and who I am as a competitor," Pajak said about the 2017 season. "It was a big life lesson. I've gotten much better at playing up the lane and being able to throw it much slower, which is something I could never do.
"Last year really required me to do a lot of things that I wouldn't do before and I have put more effort into making sure I understand who I am as a player. My attitude is always about being the best because I love bowling and everything that makes a player an athlete."
