National Pickle League Austin Showdown: The Coachella Valley Scorpions went 2-2 at the fourth weekend of the National Pickle League (NPL) in Austin. The event featured all 12 NPL teams competing together for the first time this season. The Scorpions remain tied for second in the overall NPL standings behind Seattle.
The weekend included new USA Pickleball-approved paddle testing, with most Scorpions’ paddles approved with green stickers, a few receiving warnings, and a few not approved for competition.
Saturday Matches at Pickleland
The Scorpions opened their weekend against the Oklahoma City Punishers, a rematch from a previous 6-6 draw in Los Angeles. After an early 3-1 lead, the Scorpions lost 8-4 as the match moved into mixed play.
In the afternoon, the Scorpions faced the powerful Princeton Bruisers, led by the No. 1 ranked woman in the NPL, Sherri Courter. The Scorpions controlled both gender and mixed matches 4-2 in each, securing an 8-4 win and their first victory of the weekend.
Sunday Matches at Pickleball Kingdom
On Sunday, the Scorpions joined the newly created “Select Series” 60-year-old pod. They faced Naples JBB United for the first time, including the No. 1 ranked men’s player, Jaime Oncins.
Scorpions’ Marcin Rozpedski and partner Sabrina Guillebeaux won a three-game thriller against Oncins and Mary Helen Atkins. The duo jumped to a 9-1 lead in the first game, winning 11-8, and came back from behind in the second game for an 11-9 victory.
Natalie Hill was moved to Pod 2 to team with Kara Williams, helping the Scorpions win their second team battle of the weekend.
The final match on Sunday against host Austin Ignite ended in a 7-5 loss for the Scorpions. Austin led in gender matches, and the Scorpions could not recover in mixed matches.
Standings and Upcoming Events
The 2-2 weekend finish placed the Scorpions seventh for the weekend, behind leaders Seattle and Columbus, who both went 4-0. In overall NPL standings, the Scorpions remain tied for second with Columbus, while Seattle leads.
The final regular-season event will be held September 20-21 in Indianapolis. The NPL Championships are scheduled for October 17-19 in Seattle, featuring a $150,000 prize pool.
News in Brief: National Pickle League Austin Showdown
The Coachella Valley Scorpions finished 2-2 at the NPL weekend in Austin, tying for second overall. They defeated Princeton Bruisers and Naples JBB United but lost to Oklahoma City Punishers and Austin Ignite. Seattle leads the standings, and the final regular-season event is set for September 20-21 in Indianapolis.