Who We Are

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

Competition Community Faith & Service

Our Team

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

Noah Suemnick

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Noah is the founder and CEO of the NCPA, which he launched in 2023 after starting a collegiate pickleball club at Point Loma Nazarene University. In three years he has grown it from 30 programs into the governing body for college pickleball in the United States — 150 universities, 5,000+ athletes, a 14-event national tour on Amazon Prime and YouTube, and over $100,000 in prize money awarded. He runs it hands-on, from tournament operations and broadcast production to sponsorships, venues, and the ratings and rankings system that now measures every college program in the country. He has also built NCPA Junior for ages 6–17 and a high school league to give kids a real pathway into the sport. None of it was done alone — all of it through Christ and alongside an incredible team at the NCPA.

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Emily Winslow

Chief Operating Officer

Emily Winslow leads growth, strategy, partnerships, and organizational development. With a background in PR, brand strategy, leadership development, and business growth, she has a passion for turning big ideas into meaningful opportunities and bringing the right people together to make them happen. Her love of pickleball and belief in the potential of the collegiate game drive her work to expand NCPA’s reach and impact. She leads with heart, builds with purpose, and is focused on creating something special that lasts.

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Hank Reed

Chief Strategy and Growth Officer

Hank Reed is a sports and sales executive with more than 20 years of experience building brands, developing strategic partnerships, and driving revenue across the sports and entertainment industry. As founder of The Rally Group, Reed brings together brands, athletes, teams, and organizations to build meaningful partnerships that drive growth, engagement, and visibility. Combining his business experience with a passion for pickleball, Reed also serves as Chief Revenue Officer of the NCPA, where he is helping shape the future of college pickleball and expand opportunities for players, programs, and partners.

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Ryan Hayter

Chief Marketing Officer

Ryan Hayter is a seasoned marketing and public relations professional with more than 30 years of experience directing communication, partnership, and event programs for a multitude of global brands, including Microsoft, Sony, Starbucks, F1, Coleman, Lululemon and dozens more. His primary interest is in advancing human connection and active lifestyles in the age of AI.

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Zach Tone

Junior Director

Zach Tone is a recent graduate of San Diego State University where he led the SDSU pickleball club for three years, growing it to over 500 members and building it into a top 50 collegiate program in the country. He was NCPA's top intern two years running before earning the role as Junior Director with the organization. With years of experience working with kids and a genuine passion for youth development, Zach brings a level of commitment to growing the sport that's hard to match.

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Riley Olivieri

Production Director

Riley Olivieri is the Production Director at the National Collegiate Pickleball Association (NCPA), where she leads all video and photo content for the organization. She films and photographs live tournaments, produces commercials and highlight content for the livestream. With a background in Media Studies, Riley is passionate about storytelling through sports media, focusing on capturing the energy of collegiate pickleball and sharing it with fans, players, and families across the country. Her work plays a key role in growing the sport's visibility and connecting the NCPA community both on and off the court.

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Derek Kraje

Central/East Coast Coordinator

Derek Kraje serves as the East Coast Coordinator, overseeing pickleball outreach and regional tournaments across the eastern United States. A passionate advocate for the sport, Derek founded the Virginia Tech Pickleball Club and was also a member of the Liberty University Pickleball Club, helping grow collegiate pickleball throughout Virginia. Professionally, Derek works full-time in public accounting while remaining actively involved in the pickleball community as the Pickleball Director at Ivy Hill Golf Club in Lynchburg, Virginia. His experience spans player development, club programming, tournament operations, and event management. During the upcoming Fall and Spring seasons, Derek will be responsible for directing and managing all East and Central NCPA Regional tournaments, ensuring a high-quality competitive experience for players, schools, and spectators across both regions.

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Emma Feyes

Media Director

Emma Feyes is an international brand and public relations strategist specializing in sports media, with a strong focus on building sustainable brand ecosystems and growing athletic communities through strategic storytelling. In her role as Media Director for the NCPA, she directs global public relations efforts, brand positioning, and comprehensive media strategies to elevate the organization's international presence. She brings an entrepreneurial, relationship-driven approach to sports marketing and a genuine dedication to establishing the infrastructure needed to support the sport's global expansion.

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Caleb Schaunaman

CTO

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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.

Seymour Rifkind

Seymour Rifkind (Rif) was inducted into the Pickleball Hall of Fame in 2023. He is the founder & President of IPTPA, the first teaching organization in the sport of Pickleball. The founder & President of the Pickleball Hall of Fame from 2017-2022 & the founder & President of World Pickleball Federation. As a player, Rif is a past USA Pickleball National Champion at the 5.0 level.

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.

What We Do

Collegiate Competition

Teams and players compete in team and individual brackets year-round, with NCPA supporting intramurals, fundraisers, and conference play.

NCPA Junior

A pathway for ages 6–17 with coaching, local leagues, and the Next Gen Tour—building skills toward collegiate play.

Community & Fundraising

Fundraisers, outreach, and venue partnerships nationwide. 10% of proceeds support the A21 campaign.

Faith & Values

Athletic excellence alongside character, leadership, and community service—driven by perseverance and purpose.

How We Got Here

In 2021, Noah Suemnick founded the pickleball program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. What began as a campus program 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 programs 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 teams 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 program to a coast-to-coast network, the numbers tell the same story—universities, collegiate members, spectators, and competing players have all climbed sharply since the NCPA launched in January 2023.

Our Growth Story

2022–2026

NCPA is the governing body for national collegiate pickleball competition. 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.