Amara Smith Speights Season 2022-23

Honors & Awards

• Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2022, 2023)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022; Spring 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

2022-23 (Senior)
Amara Smith Speights served as one of three co-captains for the Huskers. Smith Speights was in the starting lineup at the Motiv Penguin Classic, finishing with a total pinfall of 1,584 to finish 17th. Smith Speights competed in three-regular season tournaments with a season-high game of 226 and a 196.3 average in 24.7 games.

2021-22 (Junior) 
Smith Speights earned her third varsity letter as she was a contributor to the Husker lineup throughout the season. She competed in three tournaments during the year, averaging a career-high 196.5 in eight traditional games. She was in the Huskers’ starting lineup at the Music City Classic and averaged a 205.8 over five games to tie for 31st. Smith Speights also competed in the Motiv Ladyjack Classic and the Columbia 300 Saints Invite.

2020-21 (Sophomore)
Smith Speights built off her success as a freshman to make appearances for the Huskers in four of their competitions in 2020-21. She bowled in eight games for an average of 187.25, including an appearance in the final frame of the 2021 NCAA Championships. Smith Speights was awarded an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award and was named Academic All-Big Ten. She earned spots on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in both the fall and spring semesters and was a member of the 2021 Tom Osborne Citizenship Team. 

2019-20 (Freshman)
Smith Speights showed her potential early on, as she competed in six tournaments as a true freshman, making the individual lineup five times. On the year, she averaged a 192.3 over 16 games rolled in traditional games, while averaging a 195.9 in baker format. She posted a pair of top-20 finishes in her initial campaign. Smith Speights capped her freshman year with her best performance, averaging a team-high 212.0 at the Music City Invitational to finish 11th overall. She bowled her three highest scores of the season in the event, including a season-best 228. Smith Speights also excelled in the classroom, earning a spot on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in both semesters.

Before Nebraska
Smith Speights holds four high games of 300 in her career, including the first one when she was just 12. She owns a high series of 791 and a high average of 227. Speights is a four-time Virginia State Pepsi USBC Youth Championship winner and placed seventh (U15) and ninth (U20) in 2014 and 2017, respectively, at Junior Gold. In the classroom, she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was in the National Honor Society.

Personal
The daughter of Teri Smith and Frederick Speights, Amara majored in psychology and ethnic studies. She earned her bachelor's degree from Nebraska in May of 2023. A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, she was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She was a seven-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection and a four-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team. She earned prestigious Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards in 2021, 2022 and 2023.