UNC Falls to UVA in Virginia Beach Super Regional: The Virginia Beach Super Regional made waves in collegiate pickleball history, drawing an impressive 180 players—making it the third-largest tournament in DUPR Collegiate Pickleball history, trailing only the Georgia Super Regional with 190 participants and the 2023 Nationals, which saw 360 players. With contributions from 17 schools, the event featured 13 institutions competing for a coveted bid to the 2024 Collegiate National Championship.
This pickleball tournament marked a historic collaboration between MLP and DUPR Collegiate Pickleball, aiming to highlight collegiate pickleball as a pathway to professional play. The DUPR Collegiate National Championship, scheduled for November 1st-3rd, will continue this partnership with MLP.
UVA Secures Super Regional Championship
In a thrilling finale in front of a spirited crowd, UVA claimed their first Super Regional championship, defeating UNC with a score of 3-1. This matchup echoed last year’s National Championship, where UVA narrowly edged UNC 3-2 in a tense Dreambreaker. As both teams prepare for the 2024 season, they face the challenge of adding new players to maintain their championship history.
With David Bieger and Lauralei Singsank graduating from UVA, alongside the departures of Hunter Boyd, Collin Shick, and Caitlin Lewis from UNC, both teams are tasked with filling crucial gaps in their rosters. Notably, UVA and UNC, alongside JMU and UConn, had already secured their bids to Nationals prior to this tournament.
Virginia Beach Super Regional Winners
The pickleball tournament concluded with NC State, UNCC, Duke, and Liberty earning their bids through standout performances. NC State reached the semifinals, while UNCC advanced to the quarterfinals. Duke and Liberty emerged victorious in their respective Battle of the Bid matchups against Randolph-Macon and High Point.
Rutgers made their tournament debut alongside High Point in what was a notable appearance. In the challenger bracket, Samuel Pan and Seth Penniston from NC State won in Men’s Doubles Group A, while Aryan Mozar and Chase Harmer from JMU won Men’s Doubles Group B. Additionally, Joshua Bridges and Caroline Messier from JMU took home the title in the Mixed/Women’s Doubles bracket.
A special acknowledgment goes to the partners of DUPR Collegiate Pickleball, including JOOLA, HEAD, GAMMA, Rally Republic, Osaka, No Apologies Hydration, Erne, Pickleball Superstore, and Total Pickleball. The tournament’s success is also attributed to Pickleball Virginia Beach for their exceptional hosting.
News in Brief: UNC Falls to UVA in Virginia Beach Super Regional
The Virginia Beach Super Regional drew 180 players, marking it as the third-largest event in DUPR Collegiate Pickleball history. UVA won over UNC, winning their first Super Regional championship 3-1. The tournament highlighted the collaboration between MLP and DUPR, showing collegiate pickleball as a pathway to pro play.
NC State, UNCC, Duke, and Liberty also secured bids to the 2024 Collegiate National Championship. The pickleball event featured multiple doubles brackets with impressive performances from teams across various schools.
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