Students, alumni enter Dunn Meadow cornhole tournament

Dunn Meadow was packed with IU fans Wednesday as the “All Campus Celebration” kicked off.\nCompetitors threw bean bags as they took part in the “World’s Largest Cornhole Tournament,” playing in teams on more than 70 cornhole boards. Most played on regular-sized boards, but some played on giant 8-foot long boards with holes large enough for a pumpkin. Cheers went up as someone made a shot, while the other team groaned.\n“I saw the signs posted around campus about the tournament, and I thought it might be neat to come see how well I could do,” said senior Preston Hughes. “Plus, they told me there would be a bunch of free food.”\nLater that evening, a raging bonfire kept visitors warm. Student organizations set up booths around the grassy area.\n“I had great hope when we were throwing on the big boards,” said IU trustee Pat Shoulders, who was teaming up with trustee William Cast. “But Dr. Cast and I went a combined 0 for 16 on the regular size boards, so it’s not looking good.”\nHughes said he thought he and his partner had a chance of winning, but were really just there for the fun of it.\nStudents who participated in the tournament got T-shirts and food from the Indiana Memorial Union. A capella groups Straight No Chaser and Ladies First both performed voice-only renditions of popular songs.\nAs the night got colder, the tournament field got smaller and the bonfire got bigger. Large poster boards with brackets had teams playing from 3 p.m. into the evening, with brackets of 32 teams playing in a format much like the NCAA basketball tournament.