The crowd went ecstatic as Jacob Contreras, accounting senior, sank the 8-ball and claimed victory at the pool tournament held at Clark Student Center on Jan. 27. Beginning at 4 p.m., 19 players engaged in a two-hour knockout tournament of 8-ball.

“This was only my second time playing. The tourney definitely encourages competition despite pool being mostly played recreationally,” Contreras said.

The tourney has been a growing contest at Clark Student Center since 2014. Cindy Cummings, special events coordinator, organized the event.

“I used to work on the airbase and we used to do pool tournaments. There wasn’t anything going on here so I thought I’d try something,” she said.

Cummings said that ever since, the tournament has grown exponentially. The value of the prizes and crowd size increase every month, with a huge increase in the number of players in the last six months.

The pool tournament runs on the funds provided by the Student Center offices and the University Programming Board, with occasional donations provided by the bookstore. On average, the tournament costs $200-$250 to organize and is run by students who function as the tournament’s umpires and score-keepers.

“The organization behind the tournament has always been excellent,” Janith Ambewela, mechanical engineering senior and regular tournament participant, said.

Ambewela said it definitely generates interest in players and helps bring people together.

“You can find people playing the entire week leading up to the tourney and coaching each other during games,” he said.

This monthly tournament attracts students of all kinds, ranging from seasoned veterans to hopeful, confident wildcards ready to test their mettle against the best. Prizes included gift vouchers, custom pool cues and a 32-inch TV.

The next pool tournament is scheduled for the third week of February.