Rob Rude is the new head bowling coach at Milford High School. Photo courtesy Milford High School.
Rob Rude named the school’s new head bowling coach
The Milford High School Department of Athletics announced July 24 that Rob Rude will become the school’s new head bowling coach, pending approval of the Milford Exempted Village School District board.
A long-time coach, official and officials’ assigner in the greater Cincinnati area, Rude will have administrative responsibilities for both the boys and girls programs while serving as the head coach for the girls team. Scott Thomas will remain the head coach for the boys program.
During the 2022-23, the Milford girls finished fourth and the Eagle boys sixth in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. In the ECC tournament, the girls were fifth and the boys fourth.
The boys were led by Nolan Littrell, who was the ECC Bowler of the Year, and ECC second-teamers Ryan Lemley and Logan Moore and honorable mention pick Andrew Ray. Littrell and Lemley graduated this past spring, while Lemley will be a senior this upcoming season and Ray a sophomore.
The Lady Eagles were led by all-ECC first-teamer Shelby Sullivan, second-teamers Lilly Harmon and Cali Meshew and honorable-mention pick Mallory Rees. Sullivan graduated, but Harmon, Meshew and Rees all return and will be seniors this upcoming season.
“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to help lead the Milford bowling program,” Rude said. “I want each bowler to maximize their individual success as we work on building the best possible teams to compete for league and tournament championships.”
Rude, a Milford resident, has a diverse background that includes over three decades of coaching and officiating experience. He’s coached multiple sports during his career while officiating six different sports and serving as a trainer and officials assigner. Rude is also an Assistant Professor of Economics and Sport Administration at the University of Cincinnati.
“Bowling is a great sport that anyone can participate in throughout their lives,” Rude said. “I look forward to helping generate interest in bowling throughout the Milford community for our elementary and junior high students so we can build a pipeline of future successful Milford High School bowlers.”
An avid bowler since the third grade, Rude has competed in many youth and adult leagues and tournaments throughout his life. He’s currently a member of the United States Bowling Congress and a former member of the Young American Bowling Alliance, USA Bowling and the American Bowling Congress.
“We are pleased to welcome Rob Rude as our next leader of the Milford Bowling Program,” Milford Director of Athletics Aaron Zupka said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience coaching eight different sports and coaching at all levels from being a varsity head coach down to the youth level. Rob has been an avid bowler since the 1980s and has coached youth programs as well as instructed many individuals with private training. It’s a huge plus to have someone with his leadership experience running a program and bringing that expertise to Milford. With the excellent staff we’ve put together, the MHS bowling program and youth bowling in the community will continue to flourish.”
Rounding out the bowling coaching staff are Andy Wilkinson and Lauren Stoffel, who will serve as varsity assistant and head junior varsity coach for the boys and girls squads, respectively.
Wilkinson has been involved in bowling leagues for the last six years, but this will be his first time coaching bowling. He previously coached junior varsity boys golf at Loveland High School for two years.
Stoffel was a standout performer at Oak Hills High School, where she was a two-time conference player of the year and part of four consecutive Greater Miami Conference championship teams. She went on to bowl at Pikeville College and has bowled in competitive contests across the greater Cincinnati area and the state of Ohio for the last decade-plus.