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by Kelly Campbell 

At the end of February, DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) announced that they are partnering with JOOLA, a top pickleball and table tennis equipment brand in 2024. JOOLA will become the Official Sponsor of DUPR Collegiate Pickleball, the largest tournament series for college players. 

This partnership will pave the way for further collegiate pickleball development, which will be a great way to create a pickleball legacy moving forward.

Read on for more about the JOOLA & DUPR Partnership, why collegiate pickleball is crucial for pickleball growth, and where collegiate pickleball stands today. 

Pickleball on College Campuses

Since pickleball is still relatively new compared to other core sports, we have limited information on just how many college students participate in the sport. Still, considering pickleball’s staggering growth over the last few years, and its reputation becoming less geriatric, it’s no surprise that collegiate pickleball has picked up and students are starting to create organized play on their campuses.

U.S. Collegiate Pickleball is a group dedicated to starting and bringing together collegiate pickleball clubs. They provide information, instruction, and resources to college students looking to start or foster pickleball programs on their college campuses. USA Pickleball even has a page dedicated to collegiate clubs with information on grants, how to officially register collegiate clubs, and how to find collegiate clubs across the country. 

Even considering the high interest in pickleball on college campuses, most colleges only support the sport through clubs or intramural activities. There’s a huge market for intercollegiate pickleball leagues, which could ramp up competition, increase the sport’s intensity, and establish a framework for pickleball being a core US sport moving forward. With events like March Madness and the pandemonium of college football, we’ve seen how successful and popular intercollegiate sports can be. Pickleball triumph on the collegiate level will likely translate to future professional development for the sport. 

The demand for collegiate pickleball is growing, and the DUPR-JOOLA sponsorship could be crucial toward cultivating thriving collegiate pickleball leagues. 

DUPR – JOOLA Sponsorship Details 

DUPR has been one of the first organizations to focus on the opportunity for collegiate pickleball. Their first collegiate event took place in 2022. Since then, they have hosted events for over 1300 collegiate athletes, including the largest collegiate pickleball tournament. 

Just last week, DUPR released its 2024 Collegiate Schedule––a noticeable step up from its 2023 events. This year, there are more events, participants, and scholarship money. 

The partnership between JOOLA and DUPR will hopefully continue to foster growth for collegiate pickleball, creating new pathways for upcoming picklers. 

In the press release, DUPR CEO Tito Machado said: “College players are the future of the game. DUPR Collegiate Pickleball events are focused on creating more opportunities for players to hit the court and showcase their skills, and bringing new players and fans into the game to grow it for generations to come. JOOLA’s support is instrumental in driving more awareness and excitement around college pickleball. We are excited to work together to host more events, create more pathways for players and increase scholarship prizes.”

Collegiate Pickleball Will Foster Our Future Pros 

Having two prominent pickleball organizations joining forces and leading the charge on fostering collegiate pickleball is a step in the right direction for pickleball in general. Pickleball deserves to be a core sport on college campuses, and collegiate players deserve community support.

Not only does investing in collegiate pickleball promote overall pickleball growth and participation, but it also creates opportunities for new players to find their passion, increases audience engagement, creates a younger cohort of players, and will improve the professional quality of the sport moving forward. The future of pickleball lies in the hands of these younger, college-level players. 

In a press release regarding the DUPR and JOOLA partnership, CEO of JOOLA Richard Lee said, “Collegiate pickleball has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years and it is the fastest growing demographic in the sport. DUPR has established itself as the leader in this space. Its collegiate events are giving players real competitive opportunities to play and even find a pathway to the pros, and are shining a spotlight on the sport overall. These players are the future of the game and we are excited to support the 2024 DUPR Collegiate season.”

We’re excited to see how collegiate pickleball will grow and evolve to encourage younger generations of pickleballers to propel the sport forward.

Colleges with Collegiate Pickleball Clubs/Hosted Tournaments (according to US Collegiate Pickleball)

Arizona State University

Auburn

Butler University

Cal State Northridge

Case Western Reserve

Colby College

Columbus State

College of Charleston

Cornerstone University

Dakota Collegiate

Davidson College

Dixie State

Florida State

George Mason University

George Washington University

Georgia Tech University

Gonzaga University

Grand Canyon University

Grand Valley State

Hope College

Jacksonville State University

Kansas University

Lehigh University

Lindenwood University

Lipscomb University

Michigan State University

Montana State

Mount Aloysius College

North Carolina State

Ohio State University

Penn State University

Radford University

Rider University

Robert Morris University

Saint Louis University

Samford University

Seattle University

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

Southern Utah University

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

UCLA

United States Air Force Academy

University of Alabama-Birmingham

University of Arizona

University of Georgia

University of Iowa

University of Kentucky

University of Maine

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Nebraska

University of Oregon 

University of Minnesota

University of North Carolina

University of Tennessee

University of Texas- San Antonia

University of Virginia

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin

Utah State 

Utah Tech

UW Whitewater

VCU

Villanova University

Washington University

Weber State University

Western Michigan University

Xavier University

Sources – 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dupr-announces-joola-as-official-sponsor-of-dupr-collegiate-pickleball-events-302075747.html
https://uscollegiatepickleball.com/about-us
https://www.dupr.com/post/the-2024-dupr-collegiate-pickleball-schedule-is-here-a-guide-to-everything-new-this-upcoming-year