A graduate of Bishop Ludden, Andy earned his Bachelors and Master’s degrees from Syracuse University, and taught Communications at SU in the 1980s.

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The son of Ukrainian immigrants Theodore and Alexandria Melnyk, and a resident of Syracuse for more than 60 years, Melnyk has been among the Syracuse bowling community’s stars for a half-century.  

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Highlights from his illustrious career include:

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Forty (40) perfect games — one of which in the ‘70s was the first 300-game ever at the Polish Home lanes, another in the ’87 Herald Masters qualifier at Fairmount being the 300 of which he’s most proud;

Fifteen (15) series over 800; career-high 824;

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Three New York State titles (one a Doubles crown won with younger brother Ted), plus two City crowns, two Van Wie Sr. Doubles;

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In 2005-06, when the Greater Syracuse League (GSL) competed at four bowling centers, Andy had the highest individual league average (238) in the City of Syracuse;

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Competing in 44 ABC and USBC National Tournaments, he averaged 199.57 over 396 games (ranks Top 60 nationally all-time).  Putting that into perspective, PBA Hall of Famer Dick Weber averaged 201.65 for a similar number of games.

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Additionally, Melnyk has refereed Girls soccer and umpired Girls fast-pitch softball scholastically for more than 40 years, including numerous Sectional assignments.  

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A 15-year member of Tuscarora Golf Club, he won the 2022 New York State Golf Association Mixed Team Senior Championship and he has four holes-in-one to his credit.

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And now we get to the exclamation point!

The Herald/Post-Standard Masters has been THE CROWN JEWEL of bowling tournaments in our area for more than six decades.  Winning the Masters once is generally an all-time accomplishment … winning twice, a rarity … thrice?

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That is unique only to Andy Melnyk, three-time Herald Masters champion (1987, 1995 and 2007, first year of the stepladder/single-elimination format).  While accomplishing the trifecta over three decades, he also was the oldest winner at the time at age 50.

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Already a bowling Hall of Famer — Syracuse Bowling Association (2001) and New York State HOF (’04) — it’s now time to complete the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame’s five-man team of contemporaries.  There were seven male bowlers previously inducted into the GSSHOF.  Of those, John Martino, Bernie Maurer and John Rutkowski competed in the early decades of the 20th century.

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The other four — Marty Piraino (1987), Greg Griffo (’88), Don Gates (2002) and Nini Sgroi (’10) — needed a fifth to complete the GSSHOF modern-day quintet.

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For his accomplishments in bowling and contributions to his community, Andy Melnyk becomes a member of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.