Collegiate Pickleball Tour Eligibility Rules: The Collegiate Pickleball Tour has announced new rules and updates for the 2025–26 season to support student-athletes and improve tournament structure. These include changes to academic requirements, more regional events, and new ways for teams to qualify for the Collegiate National Championship.
Collegiate pickleball has grown fast over the past five seasons. What started with just a few schools now includes events across the country. These updates aim to keep up with the sport’s growing popularity and maintain fairness as the level of competition rises.
Updated Credit Hour Rules for Students
A major change for the new season is an update to the credit hour requirement for undergraduate players. This rule helps make sure student-athletes continue to focus on school while they compete.
The update is meant to support both academic goals and athletic performance. It will help keep a fair and equal playing field for all college teams.
Campus Regionals Get Bigger
Campus Regionals will remain an important part of the season. In past years, there were 16 regionals in 2024 and 14 in 2025, even with fewer events overall.
In 2025–26, 30 of the 64 total bids to Nationals will come from Campus Regionals. Organizers plan to hold 15 Campus Regionals each semester. These events will follow the official Collegiate Pickleball Tour format.
More Tournaments, More Chances to Qualify
The 2025–26 season will include 20 official tournaments each semester. Every event gives teams a chance to earn a spot at Nationals. More details about dates and locations will be shared soon.
The bid distribution is split across the two halves of the season.
Fall 2025 — Nationals Bids
Collegiate World Championship in Dallas, Texas (UPA Worlds): 6 bids
4 Super Regionals: 3 bids each (12 total)
15 Campus Regionals: 1 bid each (15 total)
Spring 2026 — Nationals Bids
Collegiate National Championship: 64 total teams
4 Super Regionals: 3 bids each (12 total)
15 Campus Regionals: 1 bid each (15 total)
Other ways to qualify include 2 bids for teams with the most Dual Match wins and 2 wildcard bids decided by the Collegiate Pickleball Tour committee.
Why the Changes Matter
These updates come as more universities support pickleball programs. With the sport growing, the new structure helps student-athletes on and off the court. It also makes the road to Nationals easier to follow and more fair.
The changes are designed to:
Support students in both sports and academics.
Create equal chances to qualify for Nationals.
Keep the competition strong as more teams join.
Collegiate pickleball is becoming a key part of college sports. With these changes, the 2025–26 season looks set to be the biggest and most organized one yet.
News in Brief: Collegiate Pickleball Tour Eligibility Rules
The Collegiate Pickleball Tour has updated its eligibility rules and event structure for the 2025–26 season. Key changes include new student credit hour rules, 30 Campus Regional bids, and a total of 64 spots for Nationals. The changes aim to support student-athletes and grow the sport nationwide.
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