Women's Professional Billiard Association

Women's Professional Billiard Association
AbbreviationWPBA
Formation1976
TypeProfessional sports organization
HeadquartersUnited States
Region served
Worldwide (primarily United States)
Websitehttps://wpba.com

The Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) is a professional women's pool tour and sports organization based in the United States. It was founded in 1976 as the Women's Professional Billiard Alliance by players Madelyn Whitlow and Palmer Byrd, and by Larry Miller (editor of the National Billiard News) to provide a structured competitive circuit for female billiards players and has since become one of the leading tour organizations in women’s professional pool. The WPBA organizes ranked tour events, maintains player standings, and promotes women’s participation in cue sports.

History

The WPBA began in 1976 as the Women's Professional Billiard Alliance, formed by female players including Madelyn Whitlow and Palmer Byrd along with Larry Miller, editor of the National Billiard News. This group sought to create a professional tour and greater recognition for women in the sport.[1]

In its early years, the WPBA helped formalize competitive opportunities for women players and established a tour that drew talent from across the United States and internationally. The organization later expanded its activities to include major championship events such as the U.S. Open Nine‑Ball Championship and the WPBA Masters.[1]

Tour and Events

Main article: WPBA Tour

The WPBA organizes an annual tour season featuring ranked events. Player performances are tracked in year‑end rankings such as the “Top 32 Players” list, which highlights leading competitors based on their results throughout the season.[2]

In recent years, the WPBA has introduced events like the SemiPro series to provide competitive opportunities for emerging players and bridge the gap between regional competition and the main professional tour.[3]

Impact and Legacy

The WPBA has played a central role in the development of professional women’s cue sports in the U.S. and internationally by organizing competitive tours, showcasing top female talent, and promoting the sport through events, rankings, and media coverage.[4]

COVID-19

Main article: Women's Professional Billiard Association post‑COVID restructuring (2020–2023)

Like in many sports organizations, COVID-19 caused a significant decline and restructuring in the WPBA.[5][6]

Top 32 Players (2026)

January 1, 2026 Rankings:[2]

  1. Kristina Tkach
  2. Pia Filler
  3. Margarita Fefilova
  4. Kristina Zlateva
  5. Kelly Fisher
  6. Wei Tzu-chien
  7. Kaylee McIntosh
  8. Sofia Mast
  9. Savannah Easton
  10. Allison Fisher
  11. Monica Webb
  12. Hung Meng-hsia
  13. April Larson
  14. Brittany Bryant
  15. Véronique Ménard
  16. Kennedy Meyman
  17. Janet Atwell
  18. Caroline Pao
  19. Ashley Rice
  20. Eylül Kibaroğlu
  21. Briana Miller
  22. Ashley Benoit
  23. Tina Larsen
  24. LoreeJon Brown
  25. Susan Williams
  26. Olivia Cheng
  27. Teruko Macklin
  28. Mayte Ropero
  29. Lonnie Fox‑Raymond
  30. Emily Duddy
  31. Stephanie Mitchell
  32. Angela Janic

Top 32 Players (2019)

2019 End of Year Rankings:[7]

  1. Allison Fisher
  2. Brittany Bryant
  3. Jennifer Barretta
  4. Wei Tzu-chien
  5. Kelly Fisher
  6. Line Kjørsvik
  7. Siming Chen
  8. Monica Webb
  9. Jia Li
  10. Melissa Little
  11. Janet Atwell
  12. Caroline Pao
  13. Gerda Gregerson
  14. Loree Jon Hasson
  15. Emily Duddy
  16. Teruko Cucculelli
  17. Gail Eaton
  18. Sara Miller
  19. Jasmin Ouschan
  20. Jenna Bishoff
  21. Kim Ga-Young
  22. Kristina Tkach
  23. April Larson
  24. Kim Newsome
  25. Bonnie Arnold
  26. Jessica Barnes
  27. Maureen Seto
  28. Cathy Metzinger
  29. Dawn Hopkins
  30. Ashley Burrows
  31. Eugenia Gyftopoulos
  32. Beth Fondell

References

  1. ^ a b "The History of the WPBA" (PDF). Women's Professional Billiard Association. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Meet your 2026 Top 32 Players!". Women's Professional Billiard Association. January 1, 2026. Archived from the original on January 1, 2026. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  3. ^ "Veronique Menard Wins Inaugural WPBA SemiPro Event". Here Bristol. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  4. ^ "Billiard TV Partners with the Women's Professional Billiards Association". AZ Billiards. May 2, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  5. ^ "Coronavirus updates: sports events affected by the pandemic". Olympics. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  6. ^ "Women's Professional Billiards Association Results (2020–2023)". AZ Billiards. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  7. ^ "2019 year end rankings". Women's Professional Billiard Association. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
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