Brittni Hamilton of Vanderbilt and Kyle Barnes of Middle Tennessee claimed the titles at the 2011 United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Singles Championships on Tuesday at AMF Euless Lanes.

Hamilton, the top seed after Monday’s qualifying, swept Kara Bunting of Central Florida in the women’s title match. Hamilton earned a bye into the third round and lost only one game in the best-of-five match-play format, going 9-1 en route to the title.

“I was just really lined up both days,” said Hamilton, a Team USA and Junior Team USA member. “I was playing a different part of the lane than pretty much everybody else. It just really worked for me. I felt comfortable in there.”

Hamilton won the 2010 USBC Junior Gold Championships and helped her team to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championships this season.

“It means a lot, representing Vanderbilt, and I know it will mean a lot to them, too,” Hamilton said of winning the ISC title. “To start off my summer like this is pretty awesome.”

Barnes, the No. 7 qualifier, had a bye into the second round and also went 9-1 in his first three matches to reach the title match against Jacob Kent of Robert Morris-Illinois. Barnes needed a strike on his first ball in the final frame of the deciding game and got it for the 3-2 victory.

“When I left the 10 pin and that messenger came rolling across, the only thing I was hoping was that the pin in front of it didn’t stop it,” Barnes said. “But it hit it and knocked it right over and that was quite possibly the greatest feeling in the world.”

Barnes, who will graduate in December, did not bowl collegiately this season. A first-team All-American at Pikeville in 2008, he had tried to qualify for the ISC in the past. So when friends from Vanderbilt said they were going to sectional qualifying, he decided to take a shot.

“I had one year left to do it and thought I might as well use it,” Barnes said. “The next thing you know, I qualify third, I’m here … man, this is such a great feeling.”

The 24 men and 16 women earned their way into the national tournament through four sectional qualifying events held in March.

USBC INTERCOLLEGIATE SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
(At AMF Euless Lanes, Euless, Texas)
Final Results

MEN

Championship
Kyle Barnes, Middle Tennessee def. Jacob Kent, Robert Morris-Illinois, 3-2 (186-222, 191-181, 207-213, 213-150, 220-217).

Semifinals
Kent def. Matthew Pope, Newman, 3-1 (203-190, 190-202, 192-191, 213-204).
Barnes def. Kyle Calcote, Webber International, 3-1 (149-198, 233-227, 200-198, 220-192).

WOMEN

Championship
Brittni Hamilton, Vanderbilt def. Kara Bunting, Central Florida, 3-0 (218-176, 249-187, 225-192)

Semifinals
Hamilton def. Jenny Petzoldt, Lindenwood, 3-1 (179-176, 190-213, 221-215, 256-172).
Bunting def. Alice Veenstra, Calumet College, 3-1 (236-204, 202-203, 214-174, 180-141).