Who We Are

The NCPA is an independent organization that runs national collegiate pickleball—connecting clubs, players, and communities through tournaments, conferences, rankings, and junior programs.

Competition Community Faith & Service

What We Do

Collegiate Competition

We organize structured competition for club teams through regional Conferences leading to National Championships. Teams and players compete in Divisions 1, 2, and 3, earning national rankings, scholarship exposure, and recognition through regular seasonal matches.

NCPA Junior

NCPA Junior serves athletes ages 6–17 with a pathway into collegiate pickleball. Participants get professional coaching, structured local leagues, and national competition on the Next Gen Tour—building skills and connecting with college recruitment opportunities.

Community & Fundraising

Beyond competition, we host fundraisers, outreach events, and venue partnerships across the country. Each year, 10% of proceeds go to the A21 campaign to fight human trafficking.

Faith & Values

Faith is central to our mission. We pursue athletic excellence alongside character, leadership, and community service—driven by both perseverance and purpose.

Our Impact

200+ Collegiate clubs

3,000+ Athletes annually

30+ States represented

20+ Tournaments per year

$75K+ Annual prize money

10% Proceeds to A21

How We Got Here

In 2021, Noah Suemnick founded the pickleball club at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. What began as a student club quickly showed how fast pickleball was spreading on campuses—and how much the sport needed shared rules, rankings, and a real path to a national championship.

Noah established the NCPA in January 2023 to build that structure. A grassroots effort in Southern California grew into a coast-to-coast network of more than 200 collegiate clubs competing in NCPA events each season.

From the start, the goal has been to grow pickleball within college communities through competition, community, and culture. Each year, Regional Championships give clubs the chance to qualify for the NCPA National Championship and showcase top talent from across the country.

Faith has been at the center of the organization from the beginning. The growth since 2023 reflects grit, purpose, and community—and the NCPA dedicates 10% of all proceeds to the A21 campaign in the fight against human trafficking.

From a single campus club to a coast-to-coast network, the numbers tell the same story—universities, club members, spectators, and competing players have all climbed sharply since the NCPA launched in January 2023.

Our Growth Story

2022–2026

Our Team

The people behind tournaments, club support, and day-to-day operations.

Noah Suemnick

Chief Executive Officer / Partnerships

Noah is the founder of the NCPA, launching the organization after creating a collegiate pickleball club at Point Loma Nazarene University. He leads national expansion, partnerships, and strategy, growing the NCPA to 200+ universities. A 2023 finance graduate and former collegiate soccer player, Noah previously worked in residential real estate before turning his passion for sports into building a national organization. Faith guides his work and vision for the future of collegiate pickleball. Jesus is King.

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Tiffany Fenner

Graphic Designer

Tiffany, a seasoned graphic design consultant excelling in marketing, merges her expertise with a significant role in the pickleball community as a founder of the Day Dinkers Club. Her prowess in design work makes her an unparalleled asset in the field. She currently directs marketing for a specialized furniture company and will continue to play a significant role in the future of this organization.

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Ryan Brantley

Director of NCPA Junior

Ryan Brantley serves as the Director of the NCPA Junior Pickleball program, overseeing national operations, coach development, and competitive player advancement. A certified PCI coach and seasoned youth sports leader, Ryan draws from his extensive experience as a YMCA Executive Director to build inclusive, high-performance junior programs. His leadership blends player development, team culture, and tournament preparedness to grow the game from the grassroots up. Ryan is passionate about mentoring young athletes and helping them reach their full potential both on and off the court.

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Rusty Reopelle

National Sales Director

Rusty Reopelle, from Tacoma, WA, was introduced to pickleball in the 1970s by Sid Williams — a founder of the USAPA and a close mentor. He competed in some of the sport’s earliest tournaments, including winning the first Washington Open in mixed doubles. After years coaching and building a professional career, Rusty returned to pickleball in 2022, founding Pickleball OG and the Sid Williams Foundation to honor his mentor’s legacy. Today, he plays and teaches daily, helping grow the game nationwide.

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Hannah Rhoderick

Social Media Manager / Content Creator

Hannah is a social media manager and content creator known for driving rapid growth and engagement. She grew Skyzone Carlsbad’s TikTok following by over 200,000 in just three months through creative and impactful content. With expertise in photography, video editing, and storytelling, Hannah specializes in creating content that resonates and connects with audiences. She's a crucial addition to the team.

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Riley Olivieri

Production Director

Riley Olivieri is a skilled Production Director with extensive experience in sports videography and media production. Having worked with KUSI, Riley has honed expertise in social media, photography, video editing, and content creation. Her ability to produce high-quality, engaging visuals through her creativity and technical precision with every project makes her an incredible asset to the team.

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Zach Tone

Junior After-School Director

Zach is a senior at San Diego State University and president of the SDSU Pickleball Club, where he’s grown the program to over 500 members. After completing two years in the NCPA Internship Program, he earned a paid position with the organization. Zach also works at The Hub Pickleball and is deeply passionate about growing the sport — a true pickleball addict dedicated to expanding collegiate and junior pickleball nationwide.

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Mike “Sleeves” Silwa

National Recruiting Director

Mike “Sleeves” Sliwa is the host of the Senior Pickleball Report channel and podcast, creating engaging content tailored to the 50+ pickleball community. He serves as a Pickleball Marketing and On-Site Production Specialist for Dailey Travels, supporting their pickleball cruises and retreats. Sleeves is also a cohost with ViARtv and a member of the leadership team for the Pickleball Manufacturers Association (PMA). You can catch his story in the documentary Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story and learn more about his journey in the book The Pickleball Effect: Stories of How the Game Changed My Life.

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Derek Kraje

East Coast Coordinator

Derek founded the Pickleball Club at Virginia Tech, where he competed and helped grow the program into one of the nation’s top colleagiate clubs. After graduating, he balanced a full-time accounting career while running major collegiate events at Performance Pickleball in Virginia, including some of the largest tournaments in college pickleball. This past fall, he began coursework at Liberty University to qualify for the CPA exam and competed in their pickleball club alongside his wife. Now, after completing his studies, he’s excited to join the NCPA as the East Coast Coordinator.

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Emily Winslow

Media Director

Emily Winslow is a public relations and media strategist specializing in sports and wellness, with a strong focus on growing emerging communities through strategic storytelling and partnership development. Through her work supporting collegiate pickleball initiatives, she has helped lead media outreach, sponsorship alignment, and high-impact event promotion. She brings an entrepreneurial, relationship-driven approach to PR and a genuine love for pickleball’s rapid growth and team-centered energy.

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Board of Directors

Rommie Maxey

From the podium of the World Pickleball Conference to the owner’s box of the Houston Hammers, Rommie Maxey is a defining force in the pickleball world. As a member of the NCPA Board of Directors, he bridges the gap between grassroots talent and professional excellence.
With a resume that includes training 41 National Champions and serving as the National Director for Acacia Sports, Rommie combines the heart of a coach with the mind of an entrepreneur. He is the founder of No Mercy Pickleball and a key advisor to the tech tools shaping the game’s future (Vair, Dinkr, and Net Gains).
His leadership at the NCPA is fueled by his own experience as a six-time National Champion/Runner-Up and his former tenure as an Athletic Director. Rommie Maxey is dedicated to building a sustainable, high-performance ecosystem for collegiate athletes nationwide.

Jim Aldrich

Jim Aldrich is the co-owner of Pickleball Virginia Beach, one of the premier pickleball destinations in the country. Alongside his partner, Jim helped transform a tennis facility into a vibrant hub for players of all ages and skill levels. He is deeply committed to growing the sport through community building, high-level tournaments, clinics, and inclusive programming. Jim’s passion for pickleball is matched by his dedication to creating a welcoming, world-class experience for every player who walks through the gates.

NCPA is an independent organization and is not affiliated with or governed by the NCAA or any university athletic department. School names and logos are used for identification only.