Maloney and Cui Win ACU-I Collegiate 9-Ball Titles

After two days competition, LLars Vardaman was sitting pretty in the hot seat of the ACUI men's division in the ACUI Collegiate 9-ball Championships at Illinois State University.  On the line - scholarship money from Ozone Billiards!

Vardaman returned for his final year of eligibility, attempting to be the first man in ACUI history to win the ACUI national title four times.  A Pharmacy student at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, he won in 2004, 2005, and 2006. 

Eleanor Callado, now the ACUI 9-ball Director, also won the ACUI title four times during her college tenure at San Francisco State University.  In this race-to-8 double elimination event, Vardaman's road to victory included victories over:  Andrew Parry (Nassau Community College) 8-4, David Fitzgerald (Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville) 8-1, Tommy Najar (New Mexico State University) 8-3, Quentin Weir (University of Michigan) 8-3, and Adam Maloney (Texas A&M University) 8-4...

But in the final match, Vardaman's luck ran out. Adam Maloney of Texas A&M University came through the one-loss side to defeat Mississippi State's Sam Gilmer, then defeated Vardaman 13-9 to take the title.

In the Women's division, Shari Cui of the University of Illinois - Chicago had been virtually unchallenged on her road to the hot seat. An early-round dress code violation nearly cost Cui her spot on the east side of the chart, when her opponent, trailing 5-2 in a race to 7, reported the dress code violation to tournament directors.  After some scrambling and negotiating, Cui was able to correct the violation within 15 minutes and went on to win the match.  She defeated Melanie Gilmer (Mississippi State University) 7-3, Monica Fox (University of Florida) 7-2, Kris Landry (Fitchburg State College) 7-4, and Stephanie Sevigny (North Dakota State University) 7-2. Cui remained unchallenged in the finals, handily defeating Morgan State University hopeful Stephanie Sevigny 11-3.

53 students representing 41 schools across the United States participated in this annual championship, dating back to 1937. Ozone Billiards sponsored scholarship prizes in both divisions.

Women's Semi-finals:
Yates defeats Sevigny, 7-1

Women's Finals:
Cui defeats Yates, 11-3

Women's Final standings:
1st  Shari Cui, University of Illinois Chicago
2nd  Karla Yates, Morgan State University
3rd   Stephanie Sevigny  North Dakota State University
4th  Kris Landry   Fitchburg State College

Men's Semi-finals:
Maloney defeats Gilmer, 8-2

Men's Finals:
Maloney defeats Vardaman, 13-9

Men's Final standings:
1st  Adam Maloney, Texas A&M University
2nd  Lars Vardaman, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
3rd   Sam Gilmer, Mississippi State University
4th  Grant Moller, University of Maryland

Prize package for both Men's and Women's divisions:
1st place    $1000 Ozone Billiards tuition scholarship + free entry in 2010 (if eligible)  
2nd place   $500 Ozone scholarship  
3rd place    $250 Ozone scholarship
4th place    $100 Ozone scholarship

Break Competition
Men's     Varun Raheja, University of Houston
Women's  Cindy Ho, Sacramento State University

Sportsmanship Award (by peer vote)
Men's     Quentin Weir, University of Michigan
Women's   Cindy Ho, Sacramento State University