Prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, Penn State Altoona athletics announced the hiring of Toni Watt to be head coach of the varsity women’s bowling program.
Watt, who was a three-year standout bowler for Penn State Altoona, is the program’s third coach since its inception as a varsity sport beginning with the 2009-10 season.
A native of Altoona, Watt attended Bishop Guilfoyle High School before graduating from Penn State Altoona with a degree in Business in 2012. At Penn State Altoona, she served as the captain of the women’s bowling team from 2009-12, including the program’s inaugural season as a varsity sport. Watt was twice named the team’s Most Valuable Player while also picking up Academic All-American and Academic All-Conference honors. At the conclusion of the 2011-12 academic year, she was named Penn State Altoona’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, one of the athletics department’s top individual awards recognizing excellence in both academics and sports.
Watt was also acknowledged for her academic prowess at Penn State Altoona by earning the President’s Award and gaining membership into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national student-athlete honor society.
In addition to her playing experience at the NCAA level, Watt has been an active bowler locally, participating in several leagues, as well as local and state tournaments. Her coaching experience includes a five-year stint as a volunteer girls’ volleyball coach at Saint Rose of Lima School in Altoona.