The 2026 WPBA US Open marks a significant milestone in women’s professional billiards as it returns to the calendar during the 50th Anniversary year of the Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA). Scheduled to take place from April 16 to 19, 2026, at the Island Resort & Casino in Harris, Michigan, this event reinstates one of the tour’s major championships and has fans actively searching for tournament info and where to watch.
A Historic Return and Increased Prize Fund
This year’s event features a notable increase in compensation, featuring $55,000 in added money. According to official announcements, this represents the largest added purse for a WPBA tour stop in approximately 15 years.
The WPBA Island US Open has now increased the added money to $55,000 thanks to the help of the latest sponsor duo. Diamond Billiard Products of Jeffersonville IN… and John Stich of Midwest Pool Promotions have teamed up to add an additional $5,000 to the purse.
Author’s Note regarding event history: There is a slight discrepancy in promotional materials regarding the date of the last US Open. The official press release states that the last US Open was held in 2016 at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, while secondary promotional text mentions it being the first time the title has been contested since 2012. Regardless of the exact timeline, its return ensures four major events for the current WPBA season.
Tournament Format and Field Demographics
The tournament will utilize a standard 9-Ball format within a 64-player double-elimination bracket. Matches will operate under a winner-break rule, featuring races to 8 games in both the winners’ and losers’ brackets, culminating in a race to 10 for the finals.
The field is composed of competitors representing various global regions. Based on the official entry roster, the geographic breakdown of the 64 participating athletes is as follows:
- United States: 40 players (62.5% of the field)
- Taiwan: 6 players (9.4%)
- Authorised Neutral Athletes (AIN): 4 players (6.3%)
- Canada: 3 players (4.7%)
- Other International Regions: 11 players (17.1%) representing Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, China, Germany, Great Britain, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, and Singapore.
Notable Entrants
The roster includes seasoned American professionals such as Janet Atwell, alongside highly seeded international players including Kristina Tkach (Seed 1), Pia Filler (Seed 2), and Margaret Fefilova-Styer (Seed 3). The inclusion of 24 international contenders ensures a highly rigorous standard of play throughout the weekend.
Complete Competitor List
| Seed | Player Name | Country | Skill Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| – | Ada Lio | US | 530 |
| 28 | Aleksandra Guleikova | AIN | 629 |
| – | Amanda Mann | US | 499 |
| 24 | Angela Janic | US | 585 |
| 17 | Ashley Benoit | US | 636 |
| 22 | Ashley Rice | US | 586 |
| – | Betsy Sundholm | US | 536 |
| 13 | Briana Miller | US | 679 |
| 12 | Brittany Bryant | CA | 679 |
| 19 | Caroline Pao | US | 641 |
| – | Cathy McDaniel | US | 518 |
| – | Chia Hua Chen | TW | 737 |
| 11 | Chieh-Yu “Rita” Chou | TW | 771 |
| – | Debbie Teichert | US | 529 |
| – | Dona Sellman | US | 502 |
| 27 | Emily Duddy | US | 590 |
| – | Han Yu | CN | 767 |
| 20 | Janet Atwell | US | 623 |
| 16 | Jasmin Ouschan | AT | 757 |
| – | Joann Mason Parker | US | 661 |
| – | Joanne Ashton | CA | 618 |
| – | Jordan Helfery | US | 609 |
| – | Judie “🌹” Wilson | US | 503 |
| – | June Maiers | US | 546 |
| – | Kaley Sullivan | US | 510 |
| 8 | Kaylee McIntosh Driskell | US | 670 |
| 7 | Kelly Fisher | GB | 761 |
| 18 | Kennedy Meyman | US | 593 |
| – | Kia “Primetime” Bennett | US | 570 |
| 1 | Kristina Tkach | AIN | 748 |
| 4 | Kristina Zlateva | BG | 704 |
| – | Laura Semko | US | 523 |
| – | Lisa Cossette | US | 571 |
| 25 | Lonnie Fox-Raymond | US | 599 |
| 23 | Loree Jon Brown | US | 641 |
| 3 | Margaret Fefilova-Styer | AIN | 737 |
| 10 | Meng-Hsia Hung | AU | 731 |
| 14 | Monica Webb | US | 661 |
| – | Olga Konkina | AIN | 621 |
| 21 | Olivia Cheng | US | 576 |
| – | Pam Kelly | US | 621 |
| 2 | Pia Filler | DE | 721 |
| – | Rachel Lang | US | 596 |
| – | Rubelin Amit | PH | 766 |
| – | Sakura Muramatsu | JP | 686 |
| – | Sandy Cheng | US | 547 |
| – | Sara Miller | US | 551 |
| 5 | Savannah Easton | US | 660 |
| – | Shanelle Loraine | US | 520 |
| – | Shanna Lewis | US | 549 |
| – | Shui “Pearl” Ching | TW | 705 |
| – | Silviana Lu | ID | 706 |
| 9 | Sofia Mast | US | 664 |
| 31 | Soledad Ayala | AR | 676 |
| 29 | Stephanie Mitchell | US | 558 |
| 32 | Susan Mello | US | 554 |
| 26 | Susan Williams | US | 580 |
| 30 | Teruko MacKlin | US | 592 |
| 6 | Tzu-Chien Wei | TW | 755 |
| – | Venus Lim | SG | 663 |
| – | Veronica “Irongal V” Lyon | US | 534 |
| 15 | Veronique Menard | CA | 643 |
| – | Wan-Ling Wang | TW | 726 |
| – | Xin-Yu Hong | TW | 693 |
What You Need to Know
- Event: 2026 WPBA US Open
- Dates: April 16–19, 2026
- Venue: Island Resort & Casino (Harris, Michigan)
- Format: 64-Player, 9-Ball, Double Elimination
- Prize Pool: $55,000 Added Money
- Live Brackets & Match Times: Available via DigitalPool
- Where to Watch: Broadcast live officially on the WPBA YouTube Channel