News

Dennis Bissonnette Named 2025 NEBA Bowler of the Year

The 2025 NEBA season belonged to Dennis Bissonnette.

After seasons defined by narrow misses and injury-related setbacks, Bissonnette delivered one of the most complete and compelling campaigns in recent NEBA history, earning 2025 NEBA Bowler of the Year honors through consistency, versatility, and championship-level performance across the schedule.

The defining individual moment of the season came in April at Nutmeg Bowl during the BuddiesProShop.com Open, one of NEBA’s premier events. Competing against a massive field of nearly 200 entries, Bissonnette rose to the occasion when the pressure peaked. In the championship match, he fired a perfect 300 game to secure the title. With that performance, Bissonnette became just the third bowler in NEBA history to roll a 300 in a title match, cementing the victory as one of the most memorable in league history.

While the win at Nutmeg established him as a serious Bowler of the Year contender, the points race remained tight deep into the season. Bissonnette continued to put together strong performances across majors, invitationals, doubles formats, and the Tournament of Champions, consistently positioning himself near the top of leaderboards. It was his runner-up finish at the Storm / Roto Grip / 900 Global Tournament of Champions that ultimately propelled him into the Bowler of the Year lead for the first time.

That momentum carried into the season finale at the Cambridge Credit Invitational. With the title still undecided entering the final game, Bissonnette delivered a clutch 259 in the closing frame of the tournament, a performance that mathematically locked up the 2025 NEBA Bowler of the Year award before the final pins of the season had fallen.

In addition to securing Bowler of the Year honors, Bissonnette also captured the 2025 NEBA High Average title, posting a 225.36 average over 132 games. The achievement further underscored the consistency and execution that defined his season from start to finish.

Beyond the results, the 2025 campaign carried deep personal meaning. After coming close to the award earlier in his career and enduring physically challenging seasons, Bissonnette entered the year with renewed focus and belief. That determination translated into historic moments, season-long excellence, and recognition among NEBA’s elite.

Bissonnette credited his success to the unwavering support of his friends, family, and sponsors, whose encouragement and belief fueled his perseverance through both triumphs and challenges. He also expressed gratitude to NEBA’s leadership and membership for continuing to foster a competitive, professional environment and guiding the organization’s ongoing growth.

With Bowler of the Year secured, Dennis Bissonnette now turns his attention forward, carrying confidence and momentum into the future. The 2025 season will be remembered as one of resolve and historic achievement, highlighted by a perfect game on the biggest stage and sealed by a clutch performance when the title was on the line.

WORDS FROM DENNIS

"This year, my main goal was to win NEBA Bowler of the Year. After coming up short to Jay Johnson in 2022, followed by a couple of injury-plagued seasons, I truly felt this year was my turn. Adding title #4, becoming just the third person in NEBA history to shoot 300 in a title match, and earning a High Average title made this season even more meaningful to me. As I start setting goals for next year, I can’t thank my friends, family, and sponsors enough for their support—whether it was equipment, jerseys, or the countless words of encouragement when my mind was telling me to stop bowling. Thank you to everyone involved with NEBA for continuing to make it the longstanding event that it is. I’m excited to see the tournament continue to grow with new faces joining the board and with Jay stepping into the presidency."