Barnes, Eoff 2008 Amateur Bowlers Of The Year

Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, TX, and Derek Eoff of Arlington, TX, have been selected as 2008 Amateur Bowlers of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA).

Barnes sealed her honor in early May with successive victories in United States Bowling Congress (USBC) events. She won the USBC Queens in Detroit on April 30 and 11 days later defeated Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) star Sean Rash, 258-237, to capture the inaugural Bowling's Clash of Champions, a USBC event, in Kansas City, MO.

Her other 2008 achievements included fifth- and ninth-place finishes in the USBC Women's Championships Classic Team and Singles events, respectively, in Detroit; bowling with the seventh-place team in the USBC Open Championships in Albuquerque, NM; placing 25th in the U.S. Women's Open in Romeoville, IL, and winning team gold and doubles silver medals as a member of Team USA in the Pan Am Confederation Women's Championships in Santiago, Chile.

Eoff, a former University of Nebraska collegiate star, opened the year by capturing the U.S. Team Trials in Las Vegas, jumping from fourth place to first in the last game.

He converted his national amateur championship title into an AMFQubica World Cup victory in Hermosillo, Mexico, in November. His 221, 279 and 278 games for a 778 series against Sweden's Martin Larsen was the highest three-game set in a World Cup championship round. He also placed 15th in the 2009 U.S. Team Trials in December.