December 12, 2024 Nolan Hughes
Tackett joins elite company with third career Player of the Year honor
EJ Tackett of Bluffton, Ind. etched his name into the PBA record books by earning his second consecutive and third career Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year award in 2024.
After winning Player of the Year honors in 2016 and again last season, Tackett has become the fifth player in PBA history to have won the award three or more times.
Only Jason Belmonte (7), Walter Ray Williams Jr. (7), Earl Anthony (6) and Mark Roth (4) have won the PBA’s top individual accolade more than Tackett.
Tackett also became the seventh player to win back-to-back POY awards, joining Belmonte, Williams, Anthony, Roth, Amleto Monacelli and Don Johnson.
“When you get to such a level where your name is put next to icons — people that created the sport and made it what it is — there are no words for that,” Tackett said. “It’s what you dream about as a kid, but don’t ever think can actually happen, no matter who you are or how good you are. For it to actually come true is mind blowing. You have to remind yourself it actually is happening and it’s real.”
This season Tackett won two titles, including the PBA World Championship, and led the tour with 29,920 points, $265,792 in earnings and a near-record 229.37 average. Tackett garnered 67.50% of votes from PBA members and the media.
Anthony Simonsen, who led the tour with three standard titles, finished second in voting at 11.00%. Marshall Kent finished third with 9.50% of votes.
Bill O’Neill, David “Boog” Krol, Kyle Troup, Matt Russo and Jesper Svensson were also nominated and received votes.
“It’s so much fun to be able to compete and be rewarded with things like this, adding to the legacy that I’ve been fortunate enough to create. Hopefully I can add to it as we move forward,” Tackett said.
