| Personal information | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nickname | Kapow💥/Kapao/Kapow/Ka-Pow [1] | ||||||||
| Born | January 23 [2] New York City, U.S. [2] | ||||||||
| Pool career | |||||||||
| Sport | Pool billiards | ||||||||
Medal record
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Caroline Pao (born January 23) is an American professional pool player who competes on the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) tour. She is recognized as a WPBA Elite Pro and has consistently ranked among the top female players in the United States. [3] In 2025 she was ranked the 11th best female player by the WPBA. [4]
Pao was born in New York City and raised in New Jersey and the Philippines. She did not begin playing pool competitively until 1997, when she returned to New York City for graduate school. Before her professional billiards career, she worked in the corporate sector and trained as a pastry chef. [2]
Pao turned professional in 2009. [5] Her career is notable for a significant eight-year hiatus from about 2010-2018 from professional competition, [2] [5] during which she focused on personal business ventures. [2] She returned to the sport in 2018 as an unranked qualifier for the WPBA Classic Tour, where she secured a 7th-place finish. By the end of the 2019 season, she had climbed to a Number 12 ranking. In September 2022, Pao achieved a career milestone by becoming the Number 1-ranked U.S. player on the WPBA tour, surpassing Jennifer Barretta. [5] In the 2025 season, Pao maintained her status as an elite competitor, holding the Number 11 rank on the WPBA tour as of late 2025. [6] Her 2025 performances include top-20 finishes at the Iron City Invitational V, the Olhausen Raxx Mezz Invitational, and the Felt Colorado Classic. She also competed in the inaugural Women's World Eightball Championship in July 2025. [7]
In 2022, she was reported to be the Number 1 ranked USA player on the WPBA tour and ranked among the top players overall in various professional series, reflecting her sustained competitive presence. [5] Pao also competes on the J. Pechauer Northeast Women’s Tour (JPNEWT), where she has recorded multiple tournament victories and consistently placed highly in competition. [8]
Pao has been involved in promotional and organizational aspects of the sport as well, including roles with regional tours and billiards development efforts. She also contributes as a committee member for sponsorship activities within the WPBA. [9]
Pao's achievements include: [2] [10]
Outside of her professional billiards career, Pao has maintained diverse business interests in the corporate and culinary sectors. Following her return to New York City for graduate school in 1997, she initially balanced competitive play with a career in the corporate world. [2] She later transitioned into the culinary arts, training as a professional pastry chef and frequently citing baking as a primary passion. [11] During an approximately eight-year hiatus from the professional tour beginning around 2010, Pao focused on entrepreneurial ventures and personal business management. [5] She has contributed to the sport’s infrastructure as a league director at Corner Billiards in New York City. [2] [12]
Pao resides in Palisades Park, New Jersey, and continues to compete professionally while engaging with the pool community through coaching, exhibitions, and regional events. [11]
