LAS VEGAS – Three members of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame Class of 2026 were celebrated during their induction ceremony Wednesday evening at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, and Australia’s Cara Honeychurch joined the Hall of Fame in the Performance category while Leila Wagner of Annapolis, Maryland, was inducted into the Meritorious Service/Builder category for her accomplishments off the lanes.
Honeychurch and Wagner were unable to attend this year’s banquet but plan on attending next year to be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame with the 2027 class.
Kulick's induction into the PWBA Hall of Fame makes her the first person to go into the Hall of Fame for the United States Bowling Congress, the PWBA and USBC Collegiate.
One of the most influential figures in the history of women’s professional bowling, Kulick’s career helped shape multiple eras of the PWBA, from its original tour run through its closure and, ultimately, its relaunch in 2015.
A five-time PWBA major champion, Kulick burst onto the professional scene during her rookie season in 2001, making 11 stepladder appearances and quickly establishing herself as one of the tour’s brightest young stars.
“My first full season on tour started in 2001,” Kulick said. “I made 11 shows my rookie season. I knocked on the door. I never knocked it open, but I was always there.”
Kulick broke through with her first PWBA title at the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open, defeating a lineup of Hall of Fame opponents on the way to the major championship victory.
“It was the monkey off my back,” Kulick said. “I finally did it. Now, I’m here, and I belong here.”
Just six weeks after that victory, the PWBA ceased operations, forcing many of the sport’s top competitors to find new paths to continue their careers. Kulick became one of the central figures carrying women’s professional bowling forward during the tour’s absence, eventually making history in 2010 by becoming the first woman to win a national title on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour at the PBA Tournament of Champions.
“When I won the TOC, it just brought women’s bowling back in the limelight,” Kulick said. “Initially, I might have just been a little bit of that spark that ignited it.”
As momentum for women’s professional bowling returned, Kulick helped lead efforts to bring the PWBA back, serving as one of the key ambassadors and spokespersons during the tour’s relaunch in 2015.
“I loved being the spokesperson,” Kulick said. “I loved helping the face of the PWBA grow and have that exposure again.”
Kulick also continued to compete at an elite level after the relaunch, advancing to six stepladder finals during the PWBA’s comeback season in 2015 while continuing to serve as one of the tour’s most visible representatives on and off the lanes.
In addition to her accomplishments as a competitor, Kulick has helped elevate the visibility of the PWBA through her work as a television analyst on CBS Sports Network broadcasts.
“I really try to portray the women in front of the camera and put them in the spotlight because they’re deserving of it,” Kulick said.
For Kulick, her induction into the PWBA Hall of Fame reflects not only her championships and historic achievements, but also her lasting commitment to growing women’s professional bowling for future generations.
“We know what we have. We know what we want, and we want to make it better,” Kulick said. “Maybe we should sacrifice a bit more of ourselves to help grow it even more.”
Despite the accolades throughout her career, Kulick said the relationships built through bowling remain what she values most.
“The blessing that comes out of bowling is the success, but it’s all the people you meet along the way,” Kulick said. “That’s the best part; it’s the people.”
Honeychurch joined the PWBA Tour in the fall of 1999 after finishing third at the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur. Prior to turning professional, the Australian standout captured the 1996 AMF World Cup title and earned three gold medals for Australia at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Honeychurch quickly made an impact on the PWBA Tour, rolling the second televised PWBA 300 game during the 1999 AMF Gold Cup and claiming her first major championship later that season at the Brunswick Women’s World Open.
Still classified as a rookie in 2000, Honeychurch added two more victories at the Brunswick Women’s World Open and Greater Orlando Open. She cashed in 21 of 22 events, earned $121,650 and led the PWBA Tour with a 215.18 average over 774 games to secure PWBA Rookie of the Year honors.
She followed that breakout campaign with another stellar season in 2001, cashing in 21 events, making 13 stepladder appearances and winning four titles at the Greater San Diego Open, Sport Bowling Challenge, Clabber Girl Greater Terre Haute Open and North Myrtle Beach Classic. Honeychurch finished runner-up for PWBA Player of the Year behind Carolyn Dorin-Ballard while ranking fourth in earnings ($92,500) and third in average (212.41 across 929 games).
Although 2002 did not match the success of the previous season, Honeychurch remained among the tour’s elite players. She captured her eighth and final PWBA title at the Greater Harrisburg Open, posted the seventh-highest average on tour at 212.48 over 481 games and received the Robby Award, presented to the player who best exemplifies professionalism on and off the lanes. That same year, she also won the Classic All-Events title at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships with a then-record nine-game total of 2,150.
Following the closure of the PWBA Tour, Honeychurch returned to Australia and served as CEO of Tenpin Bowling Australia from 2010-2020. She also was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to bowling.
Wagner turned professional at just 18 years old and established herself as one of the tour’s most reliable competitors, advancing to 23 career television finals and earning titles at the 1986 Hammer Western Open and 1989 Metroplex Open.
While her on-lane accomplishments were notable, Wagner’s greatest impact came through her work promoting and elevating women’s professional bowling.
From 1985-1997, Wagner served as a lead announcer and color commentator for televised PWBA events, then known as the Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour (LPBT), appearing on ESPN, Prime Network and SportsChannel America. During that span, she became one of the most recognizable figures associated with women’s professional bowling broadcasts.
Wagner also traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, South America and Australia, participating in exhibitions, clinics and bowling-center grand openings while promoting the sport to fans around the world, including appearances at military bases.
Her visibility extended into national advertising campaigns for brands such as Coors Light and Eveready Battery, helping further expand bowling’s reach. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Wagner was featured prominently in bowling publications nationwide and appeared in Sports Illustrated in 1987. Earlier, she also was highlighted in the 1981 LPBT program book as Miss Washington 1981.
Just one week after competing in the U.S. Women’s Open, Wagner represented Washington in the 1981 Miss USA pageant in Biloxi, Mississippi. Because of her professional bowling background, the televised broadcast included a bowling segment pairing contestants with local servicemen, the first and only time bowling has been incorporated into the national pageant.
Wagner also served on the Women’s International Bowling Congress Speakers Bureau, promoting opportunities for women in bowling nationwide, and was a member of the AMF Staff of Champions from 1986-1996, continuing her work through exhibitions and special events.
Outside the professional ranks, Wagner made history at the 1979 WIBC Women’s Championships by becoming the youngest player ever to win a title at the event at 18 years and 10 months old, capturing the Classic Team Event championship with the Alpine Lanes team.
Through 2026, there are 54 members of the PWBA Hall of Fame – 33 in Performance, 10 in Pioneer, 10 in Meritorious Service/Builder and one in Ambassador.
