She doesn’t have a catchy name like the professionals, the Black Widow or the Duchess of Doom, but Eleanor Callado is quietly making a name for herself on the college billiards circuit.

Callado will head up a team of men and women billiard players from SF State to compete at the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) 9-Ball Regional Tournament at Cal State Long Beach, Feb. 21-26, 2006.

The 21-year-old, marketing major, will return to the women’s regional championships to defend her title.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Callado. “It is fun to compete in these tournaments.”

Callado has won the tournament three straight years in a row. Last year, at the Regional finals at Cal State Fullerton, SF State had four female players place in the top six spots.

Quetzalcoatl Cortes, a 26-year-old graduate student, and manager of the Rack-N-Cue in the Cesar Chavez Student Center, said he believes Callado’s chances for repeating are good.

“Eleanor is our house pro,” said Cortes. “She is the best man or woman we have playing right now.”

After winning the 9-Ball Regional in February, Callado went on to compete at the National Collegiate 9-Ball Championships at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor last June. Callado, who is the 2003 and 2005 women’s champion beat out her twin sister and teammate Emilyn for her second title, making her only the sixth woman in ACUI history to hold dual crowns since1939.

Callado, who has been playing billiards since the age of 14, now has the opportunity to live out a dream of hers; playing with the pros. Her win at the National Championships earned her an opportunity to compete at a professional tournament.

Callado will be playing in a field of 64 players at the Women’s Professional Billiards Association (WPBA) Cuetec Cues Women’s National 9-Ball Championship, Nov. 8-13 in Lincoln City, Oregon. The field of players will include some of the best players in women’s billiards, that include Jeannette “The Black Widow” Lee and number one ranked Allison “The Duchess of Doom” Fisher.

“I am so excited,” said Callado. “These are my favorite players to watch because of their style and ability.”

With SF State’s women’s team already assembled, the men’s team will be decided through the ACUI Regional qualifier. The double elimination tournament will be held on Nov. 12, 2005 at the Rack-N-Cue. The qualifier is open to all SF State students with a 2.0 GPA and who carry at least six units. There is a $10 entry fee and $5 for billiard club members fee.

Cortes, who will also compete at the qualifier, said the top three players will have their $100 entry fee, transportation and lodging paid for by the Rack-N-Cue Games Room.

The SF State women’s team may have the upper hand by the time the tournament rolls around with Callado having had the possible experience of playing against the best players in the country.

“That would be crazy,” said Callado. “It will show whether I can hang with the pros.”