DUPR Collegiate Pickleball: The Fall Semester Finale

There is no limit to the number of teams a school can submit to a Regional, and the University of Florida (UF) used that to their advantage this past weekend by bringing five teams to compete. Never before had a school brought more than three teams to a DUPR Collegiate Pickleball event! By the time the finals rolled around, all of the players from the eliminated UF teams could be heard cheering on their last remaining team in hopes of securing their first Regional championship. 

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In the finals, UF faced Clemson, who was both the winner of last year’s Georgia Regional and the winner of the last Super Regional in Virginia. Clemson taking the first game in Women’s Doubles didn’t phase UF, as UF rattled off 3 straight wins in Men’s Doubles, 1st Mixed Doubles, and 2nd Mixed Doubles to secure the title. Prior to the Georgia Super Regional, UF and Clemson had already secured spots at Nationals, so the remaining four bids went to University of Georgia, University of North Florida, Florida College, and Southeastern University (SEU). All school maintained a great team spirit throughout the tournament which made it even more exciting to be a part of!

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The Georgia Super Regional also welcomed Charleston Southern University, Davidson College, University of Kentucky, Louisiana State University, and The University of Texas at Tyler to their first DUPR Collegiate Pickleball event! University of Kentucky almost pulled off a #14 seed vs. #3 seed upset against SEU in the Round of 16 by taking them to a Dreambreaker. In fact, the playoffs for this tournament saw an incredibly high number of Dreambreakers, as 7 out of the 15 elimination playoff matches went to a Dreambreaker, including both semifinals and 3/4 of the quarterfinals. Here is the link to view the full schedule and standings from the weekend.

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A special thanks goes to our DUPR Collegiate Pickleball partners: JOOLA, HEAD, GAMMA, Rally Republic, Total Pickleball, and OOFOS. Another thanks goes to Pickle & Social in Buford, GA for hosting the 2nd annual Georgia Super Regional! 

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In the largest collegiate regional to date, Clemson rose as a formidable contender to claim victory and secure the crown for themselves. They went through both the #1 UVA and #2 UNC in the playoffs - both of the past National Champions. This win makes them undefeated in both of their attended Regionals (won the 2023 Georgia Regional), and the second school with multiple Regional wins (Utah Tech is first with 4).

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In total, there were 177 players from 20 different schools from Maine to Miami at the Virginia Super Regional. Penn State University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Maine, and Robert Morris University all made their DUPR Collegiate Pickleball debut at the event. The 30-team challenger bracket was also the largest ever for a Regional, with Colter Cox and Luke Moretz from NC State winning it. On Sunday, there were back-to-back Dreambreakers on the livestream, with #1 UVA escaping #8 Miami in the Quarterfinals, and then #3 Clemson closing the door on #2 UNC in the Semifinals. 

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Clemson, UVA, and UF obtained 3 out of the 4 bids to the 2024 Collegiate National Championship by advancing to the semifinals. UNC, who also made the semifinals, already secured a bid at the Townebank College Cup in February.

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There was a Battle for the Bid between Miami and JMU to decide the owner of the last bid, as they were the only two eligible Quarterfinalists. JMU claimed the bid with a 3-0 performance, and have locked in their spot for Nationals in November. 

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A special thanks to Performance Pickleball in Richmond, VA for hosting the first ever Virginia Super Regional! Another thanks goes to our DUPR Collegiate Pickleball partners: JOOLA, HEAD, GAMMA, Rally Republic, Total Pickleball, and OOFOS.

Honcho Pickleball League, the premier national amateur pickleball league, and DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating), today announced a partnership to drive growth and local skill-based playing opportunities for players across the country. 

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Honcho Pickleball League is one of the largest amateur leagues in the country with capacity to support up to 3,200 players across 12 states with 20 venue partners for this upcoming round of seasons taking place from late April through June, and has established itself as a leader in the grassroots growth of pickleball. As part of the partnership, Honcho will adopt DUPR as the official rating system of the league, and DUPR will support Honcho as it looks to enter into new markets and add new venue partners to offer even more opportunities for players to compete. 

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“We are excited to dive into this relationship with DUPR,” said Chris Mott, Chief Revenue Officer, Honcho Pickleball League. “Their support not only provides us with one of the largest, most detailed player databases in the sport, but also aligns with our mission to provide exceptional pickleball experiences and development opportunities for our players. We look forward to a fruitful relationship that brings added excitement and competition to our communities across the nation.”

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DUPR’s solution provides organizers with the ability to showcase their events to the most active and engaged community in pickleball, and enables players to find more opportunities to play at their level wherever they are. The foundation of DUPR is its industry-leading rating, which analyzes match results to provide an accurate, reliable evaluation of a players skill level across age, gender and location. With DUPR, organizers can create more competitive opportunities for players by organizing events and matches by player ratings, and players can know their level to find better, more fun competition. 

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“DUPR is committed to democratizing pickleball, collaborating with teams, leagues and operators everywhere to give them access to technology that supports even better pickleball experiences,” said Tito Machado, DUPR CEO.  “We are excited to showcase Honcho Pickleball League to our community, support their players with a dynamic, accurate rating system, and aid their expansion into new markets to grow the game we all love.”

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DUPR supports players, organizers and operators in pickleball with free-to-use tools to make the pickleball experience even more fun and ultimately driving the growth of the game. From its global rating system to its dynamic digital community where players can find and connect with matches, leagues, clubs and tournaments, DUPR is providing the fast-growing sport with the foundational framework to ensure enjoyment and fun for generations to come. 

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About DUPR 

DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is the premier global pickleball rating system and technology platform, trusted by the world's leading clubs, tournaments, leagues and players. DUPR's dynamic rating system unifies pickleball across age, gender and location by analyzing match results to accurately evaluate all players across a 2.000 - 8.000 scale. Players and operators can visit www.dupr.com to sign up and learn more. 

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About Honcho Pickleball League 

Honcho Pickleball League is the premier destination for pickleball enthusiasts who crave the perfect blend of competition, community and fun. Our league exudes confidence and swagger, providing consistent, fully administered game play on a weekly basis. We are the epitome of high-energy, fostering an electrifying atmosphere both on and off the court. Ranging from mid-season happy hours to championship gatherings to league merch to big winners pots and packages, this is not your standard local league and community!

We embody a winning spirit, striving to create an innovative and inclusive environment to continue to support in the greater effort of growing the sport of pickleball. Our league offers consistent weekly match play with multiple skill set divisions to choose from to ensure that players can excel in their passion for pickleball, week over week!. We proudly associate with top pickleball brands, ensuring an unparalleled experience for all. Visit www.honchopickle.com for more.