After his first place win at the Associated College Union International 9-ball Billiard Regional at Tucson, Ariz., psychology major Dillon Scheive will be traveling to Virginia Tech University later this month to compete in a national competition.

For the past three years, Scheive  has been doing well in the school tournaments held in the University Union Games Room and has participated in regionals three times.

During Regionals in March, Scheive said he did not expect to place first after he lost badly in winner’s finals to Scott Maloney, a player from the University of Wyoming.

“[Maloney] beat me 6-1 so it was pretty intimidating,” Scheive said. “I ended up making my way up to grand finals through losers brackets, and he was beating me 6-1 again, and then I came up to beat him 9-7 and I got first.”

Scheive began playing billiards six years ago and got better once the Sacramento State Billiards Club was founded, since the club would practice regularly. He eventually won a spot in his first regionals competition.

“[Billiards] is something that you can get really good at, but I feel like you never master it entirely,” Scheive said”

Now he can be found in the Games Room practicing four hours or more everyday in preparation for nationals because he is aware of the fierce competition.

“I feel like I have the same experience and I guess having the tournament pressure and finally winning a first place took the edge off my nerves,” Scheive said. “ I used to be really nervous, but now since I have experienced it and handled it well, I don’t feel the need to worry as much.”

Associated College Union International, or ACUI, is a non-profit educational organization that unites college unions and student activity professionals from seven countries to create campus community through education and delivery of services.

Other than billiards, ACUI hosts other competitions such as table tennis, target shooting, bowling and poetry slam.

University Union Public Information and Leisure Services Manager Norma Sanchez said she sees how proud Scheive is of his accomplishment.

“He is very committed. He (is) obsessed almost,” Sanchez said. “The biggest thing for him is he’s graduating and wants to leave a name for himself and for Sac State.”

Sanchez said the Union raises money for ACUI competitions a year in advance hoping a Sac State student will win.

“ACUI is a great program. It encourages student to participate in school activities and students get to meet new people and participate in friendly competition,” Sanchez said.

Carter Herrmann is another Sac State student who be participating in Nationals after he placed fourth in Regionals.

Last year, Herrmann beat Scheive in Regionals at Fresno State, taking second place while Scheive took seventh.

With the friendly competition among the two, Herrmann admits Scheive has started playing better than him.

“We both had the goal of going to Nationals [this year],” Herrmann said. “ We knew we had a decent shot because we were both playing pretty well.”

Hermann said there is a mutual respect and is happy to have seen Scheive beat one of the Utah State University players in Regionals who beat him.

“I’m just looking forward to having a good time,” Hermann said. “It’s also Dillon’s last time, which is part of the reason I wanted to go. [It will be] our last hurrah.”

Scheive is hoping to win first place in Nationals although he knows it will be a challenge and said he has appreciated the experience he has gained throughout the years of traveling to competitions.

“I want to excel in my pool game,” Scheive said. “It means a lot to me, to invest so much time and I know I have been recognized as at least a decent player, but I want to continue that reputation and get some good credit for Sac State.”