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Mataya Laurance, Ewa

Mataya Laurance, Ewa Profile Photo

Pool Professional

Ewa is the current International and World Cup Trick Shot Champion, the holder of multiple World and U.S. Open 9-Ball titles and has also won the Swedish, European and U.S. National Championships in her incredible career. In 2012, she won the prestigious ESPN Masters Championship, a major on the Classic Tour. A former # 1 ranked player in the world, Ewa has received Player of the Year honors, been named WPBA Sportsperson of the Year, in 2004 was in­ducted into the prestigious Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame, and is also a member of the Women’s Professional Billiards Hall of Fame.
This dynamic champion made a historic appearance on the cover of The New York Times magazine and has been featured in numerous national publications including People magazine, Sports Illustrated, Forbes and Glamour magazine. Ewa is also a frequent guest on television shows such as Late Night with David Letterman, The Today Show, LIVE with Kelly and Michael, Entertainment Tonight and The Best Damned Sports Show, Period.
When not competing, Ewa serves as the ESPN Color Commentator, and she also co-hosted GSN’s popular game show “Ball Breakers.” She is the author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Pool & Billiards” and writes a monthly column for Pool & Billiard magazine. In addition to performing trick shot shows around the world, Ewa also operates the APA Leagues in Myrtle Beach, Wilmington and Brunswick County in South Carolina. On tour, Ewa is sponsored by Brunswick Billiards.

Feb. 2, 2026

Ewa Mataya Laurance - Part 2 (Bunnies, Breakthroughs, and the FBI Raid: Ewa Mataya Laurance Finds Her Fire)

Part 2 picks up as Ewa Mataya Laurance—“The Striking Viking”—plants her feet in America with one goal: play pool, and nothing else. From home in Michigan to road trips with her friend Vicky Frechen (Paski), Ewa relives the hu...
Feb. 2, 2026

Ewa Mataya Laurance - Part 1 (The Striking Viking: Ewa Mataya Laurance’s Leap of Faith)

In this first chapter of our four-part life-story series, we welcome one of the most captivating figures ever to pick up a cue: Pool Hall of Famer Ewa Mataya Laurance —the iconic “Striking Viking.” From her earliest days in S...