The ACUI Collegiate Pocket Billiards National Championship, in recent years known more specifically as the ACUI Collegiate Nine-ball National Championship, was an amateur United States annual pool competition for university and college students, organized by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI). It was founded in 1937,[1] and was one of ACUI's longest-running programs. In June 2020, the ACUI made the decision to discontinue their National Collegiate Pocket Billiards program.[2]
The championship featured separate men's and women's divisions and champions since 1939. The event and its regional qualifying tournaments followed Billiard Congress of America (BCA) / World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) world-standardized rules, and were double-elmiination in format. The championship was a BCA-sanctioned event, with champions listed as such in BCA's Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book. BCA was involved in the events' promotion to varying degrees over the years, as was the Billiard Education Foundation (which operates the Junior National Nine-ball Championships, sometimes held jointly with the ACUI event since 2005[3]). First- through fourth-place prizes were scholarship funds, ranging from US$1,000 down to $100
The championships were usually held in May or June, with qualifying local tournaments held at individual educational institution campuses (or nearby facilities) during the fall and spring semesters.[4] Regional, multi-state playoffs were held toward the end of the spring semester over a weekend, alongside other ACUI competitions, including table tennis, and College Bowl-style trivia.
The name of the ACUI championship changed over time, reflecting the particular pool discipline featured in the event. It was most recently known as the ACUI Collegiate Nine-ball National Championship (among various shorter formulations). Collectively, the events were known as the ACUI Collegiate Pocket Billiards National Championships (among shorter formulations).[5] The event was sometimes referred to as international,[6] owing to ACUI's name, but was a US national title.
History of ACUI Billiards Champions since 1937: [7] [8]
| Year | Champion | Champion's School/University | Tournament Host | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Andreas Madsen | Lindenwood University | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |
| 2018 | Andreas Madsen | Lindenwood University | Purdue University | |
| 2017 | Chris Reinhold | Lindenwood University | University of Michigan | |
| 2016 | Sharik Sayed | Lindenwood University | Arizona State University | |
| 2015 | Landon Shuffett | Lindenwood University | University of Akron | |
| 2014 | Landon Shuffett | Lindenwood University | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | |
| 2013 | Raymond Linares | Miami Dade College–Kendall | Arizona State University | |
| 2012 | Matt Shilinski | University of Maryland–College Park | Indiana University Bloomington | |
| 2011 | Raymond Linares | Miami Dade College–Kendall | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | |
| 2010 | Raymond Linares | Miami Dade College–Kendall | University of Michigan | |
| 2009 | Adam Maloney | Texas A&M University | Illinois State University | |
| 2008 | Redante Rakin | California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo | The University of Arizona [9] | |
| 2007 | Andy McKinn | California State University–Los Angeles | Minnesota State University, Mankato [10] | |
| 2006 | Lars Vardaman | Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville | The University of Arizona [11] | |
| 2005 | Lars Vardaman | Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville | University of Michigan [12] | |
| 2004 | Lars Vardaman | Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville | University of Colorado Boulder [13] | |
| 2003 | Adam Smith | Michigan State University | ||
| 2002 | Jason Cruz | University of Puerto Rico | ||
| 2001 | Jason Cruz | University of Puerto Rico | ||
| 2000 | Ruben Silva Jr. | Pikes Peak Community College | ||
| 1999 | Blucer Rajagukguk | Syracuse University | ||
| 1998 | Christopher Biddle | University of Connecticut | ||
| 1997 | Anthony Piazza | Colorado State University | ||
| 1996 | Anthony Piazza | Colorado State University | ||
| 1995 | Kevin Carlberg | Montana State University | ||
| 1994 | Max Eberle | James Madison University | ||
| 1993 | Max Eberle | James Madison University | ||
| 1992 | David Uwate | University of Florida | ||
| 1991 | Frank Alonso | University of Nebraska–Lincoln | ||
| 1990 | Marc Oelslager | St. Cloud State University | ||
| 1989 | Gary Asbell | Florida State University | ||
| 1988 | Nick Kucharew | Mohawk College | ||
| 1987 | Bill Beardsley | University of Michigan–Flint | ||
| 1986 | Gary Asbell | Florida State University | ||
| 1985 | No tournament held | |||
| 1984 | Gary French | California State College–Stanislaus | ||
| 1983 | Robert Madenjian | Kansas State University | ||
| 1982 | Thomas Golly | Penn State University | ||
| 1981 | No tournament held | |||
| 1980 | Rob Hovick | University of Minnesota–Duluth | ||
| 1979 | Peter Lhotka | University of North Dakota | ||
| 1978 | Steve Cusick | University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign | ||
| 1977 | Jay Hungerford | Arizona State University | ||
| 1976 | John Cianflone | Rutgers University | ||
| 1975 | Bob Jewett | University of California–Berkeley | ||
| 1974 | Dan Louie | Washington State University | ||
| 1973 | Dan Louie | Washington State University | ||
| 1972 | Andrew Tennent | University of Wisconsin | ||
| 1971 | Keith Woestehoff | Ohio University | ||
| 1970 | Nick Varner | Purdue University | ||
| 1969 | Nick Varner | Purdue University | ||
| 1968 | Marshall Boelter | University of Illinois–Chicago Circle | ||
| 1967 | Richard Baumgarth | Purdue University | ||
| 1966 | William Wells | Tulane University | ||
| 1965 | William Wells | Tulane University | ||
| 1964 | William Hendricks | Southern Illinois University | ||
| 1963 | Larry Galloway | Indiana University | ||
| 1962 | Robert Burke | University of Oregon | ||
| 1961 | Jim Finucane | University of Notre Dame | ||
| 1960 | Henry Parks | Indiana University | ||
| 1959 | Donald Dull | State College of Washington | ||
| 1958 | Lloyd Courter | State University of Iowa | ||
| 1957 | Joseph Sapanaro | Suffolk University | ||
| 1956 | Joseph Sapanaro | Suffolk University | ||
| 1955 | Rodney Boyd | Ohio State University | ||
| 1954 | John Beaudette | Michigan State College | ||
| 1953 | John Beaudette | Michigan State College | ||
| 1952 | Bill Simms | University of Georgia | ||
| 1951 | Leroy Kinman | Eastern Kentucky State | ||
| 1950 | Leroy Kinman | Eastern Kentucky State | ||
| 1949 | Leroy Kinman | Eastern Kentucky State | ||
| 1948 | Jack Brown | University of Utah | ||
| 1947 | Leif Mabie | University of Florida | ||
| 1946 | No tournament held | |||
| 1945 | No tournament held | |||
| 1944 | J. Zvanya | Indiana University | ||
| 1943 | Leif Mabie | University of Florida | ||
| 1942 | Leo Bonimi | Cornell University | ||
| 1941 | Lloyd Green | University of Kansas | ||
| 1940 | John O. Miller | University of Wisconsin | ||
| 1939 | Peter Choulas | Colgate University | ||
| 1938 | J. L. Geiger | University of Florida | ||
| 1937 | John O. Miller | University of Wisconsin |
| Year | Champion | Champion's School/University | Tournament Host | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | April Larson | Lindenwood University | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |
| 2018 | Taylor Hansen | Lindenwood University | Purdue University | |
| 2017 | Briana Miller | Lindenwood University | University of Michigan | |
| 2016 | Briana Miller | Lindenwood University | Arizona State University | |
| 2015 | Briana Miller | Lindenwood University | University of Akron | |
| 2014 | Briana Miller | Lindenwood University | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | |
| 2013 | Andrea Flores | Portland Community College | Arizona State University | |
| 2012 | Michelle Yim | University of Houston | Indiana University Bloomington | |
| 2011 | Delia Mocanu | Northeastern University | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | |
| 2010 | Lindsey Dorn | Purdue University | University of Michigan | |
| 2009 | Shari Cui | University of Illinois–Chicago | Illinois State University | |
| 2008 | Milica Kozomara | Northern Illinois University | The University of Arizona | |
| 2007 | Eleanor Callado | San Francisco State University | Minnesota State University, Mankato | |
| 2006 | Eleanor Callado | San Francisco State University | The University of Arizona | |
| 2005 | Eleanor Callado | San Francisco State University | University of Michigan | |
| 2004 | Maria Juana | University of Wisconsin–Madison | University of Colorado Boulder | |
| 2003 | Eleanor Callado | San Francisco State University | ||
| 2002 | Laura Lo | University of Colorado–Colorado Springs | ||
| 2001 | Laura Lo | University of Colorado–Colorado Springs | ||
| 2000 | Angela Mears | University of Michigan–Ann Arbor | ||
| 1999 | Ellen Hale | Florida State University | ||
| 1998 | Elania Wong | University of Illinois–Chicago | ||
| 1997 | Heather Perrigoue | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | ||
| 1996 | Erica Testa | University of New Hampshire | ||
| 1995 | Heather Perrigoue | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | ||
| 1994 | Rachel Ross | University of Washington | ||
| 1993 | Carla Swails | College of Southern Idaho | ||
| 1992 | Laura Bendikas | University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign | ||
| 1991 | Leanne Okada | University of California–Berkeley | ||
| 1990 | Susan Tillotson | Florida State University | ||
| 1989 | Cathy Petrowski | North Texas State University | ||
| 1988 | Janet Dordell | Penn State University | ||
| 1987 | Penny Beile | University of Kentucky | ||
| 1986 | Kathy Trabue | Ohio State University | ||
| 1985 | No tournamanet held | |||
| 1984 | Shirley Weathers | Triton College | ||
| 1983 | Helen Yamasaki | California State University–Los Angeles | ||
| 1982 | Jane Bartram | University of Colorado | ||
| 1981 | No tournamanet held | |||
| 1980 | Shari Verrill | University of Wisconsin–Madison | ||
| 1979 | Julie Bentz Fitzpatrick | University of Wisconsin–Madison | ||
| 1978 | Mari Dana Heydon | Oregon State University | ||
| 1977 | Julie Bentz | University of Wisconsin–Madison | ||
| 1976 | Melissa Rice | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | ||
| 1975 | Debra Weiner | Northern Illinois University | ||
| 1974 | Janice Ogawa | Boise State University | ||
| 1973 | Marcia Girolamo | State University of New York–Oswego | ||
| 1972 | Krista Hartmann | Santa Fe Junior College (Gainesville, Fla.) | ||
| 1971 | Marcia Girolamo | State University of New York–Oswego | ||
| 1970 | Catherine Stephens | Western Washington State | ||
| 1969 | Donna Ries | University of Missouri–Kansas City | ||
| 1968 | Gail Allums | University of Iowa | ||
| 1967 | Shirley Glicen | University of Miami | ||
| 1966 | Linda Randolph | Iowa State University | ||
| 1965 | Susan Sloan | University of Texas | ||
| 1964 | Barbara Watkins | Bowling Green State University | ||
| 1963 | Barbara Watkins | Bowling Green State University | ||
| 1962 | San Merrick | Bowling Green State University | ||
| 1961 | Ann Sidlauskas | Indiana University | ||
| 1960 | Darlene McCabe | University of Oregon | ||
| 1959 | Jan Deeter | Purdue University | ||
| 1958 | Nancy Clark | University of Iowa | ||
| 1957 | Judy Ferles | University of Arizona | ||
| 1956 | Judy Ferles | University of Arizona | ||
| 1955 | Lee McGary | University of Oregon | ||
| 1954 | Joanne Skonning | Purdue University | ||
| 1953 | Jackie Slusher | Oregon State College | ||
| 1952 | Sondra Bilsky | Purdue University | ||
| 1951 | Ramona Fielder | South Dakota State College | ||
| 1950 | No tournament held | |||
| 1949 | Cora Libbey | University of Wisconsin | ||
| 1948 | Jeanne Lynch | Rhode Island State | ||
| 1947 | No tournament held | |||
| 1946 | No tournament held | |||
| 1945 | No tournament held | |||
| 1944 | Barbara Jackson | Colorado State College of Education | ||
| 1943 | Mary Jean Noonan | South Dakota State College | ||
| 1942 | Emily Ann Julian | South Dakota State College | ||
| 1941 | No tournament held | |||
| 1940 | No tournament held | |||
| 1939 | Margaret Anderson | University of Illinois |
The 2015 winners and runners-up:
the player with the record number of first-place titles was Eleanor Callado, then of San Francisco State University, California, winning the women's division four times, in 2003 and 2005–2007 (taking second place in 2004).