Meet The Team

These are the individuals behind the NCPA. They've been with us since the beginning each orchestrating crucial pieces that propelled this association to where it is today. At the bottom of the page is the NCPA's story...

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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Meet the Board

The leaders guiding the NCPA's vision and growth.

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.

About the NCPA

The National Collegiate Pickleball Association (NCPA) is an independent organization that organizes and hosts collegiate pickleball competition in the United States, connecting collegiate pickleball teams and clubs, players, and communities through structured tournaments and a national ranking system.

We are helping shape the future of club collegiate and junior pickleball. Each season, hundreds of collegiate pickleball clubs and thousands of club members compete in coast-to-coast Regionals, leading to the Top 64 Teams at Nationals with $75,000+ on the line.

But Nationals are just the start. The NCPA fuels year-round growth through fundraising tournaments, leagues, and conferences—giving every club, from established programs to new startups, the chance to compete, connect, and rise.

Through Junior Pickleball, the NCPA also invests in the next generation with coaching, leagues, recruitment camps, and national exposure—building the pipeline to club collegiate competition and beyond.

Thousands of players. Coast-to-coast rivalries. Millions watching.

We're here for the future of club collegiate pickleball.

Our Growth & Impact

200+

Collegiate pickleball clubs nationwide

3,000+

Athletes competing annually

30+

States Represented

20+

Collegiate Tournaments each year, including Conferences, Regionals, and Nationals

150+

Hours of Professional Coaching offered to NCPA Junior athletes yearly

$75,000+

in Prize Money awarded annually

10%

of Proceeds Donated to A21 to combat human trafficking

Collegiate Conferences & Competitions

The NCPA organizes and hosts structured competition for collegiate club teams through regional Conferences leading to National Championships. Teams and individual players compete in Divisions 1, 2, and 3, gaining NCPA national rankings, scholarship exposure, and recognition. Our Conferences host regular seasonal matches, giving clubs and players consistent, high-level play.

NCPA Junior Program

NCPA Junior serves athletes ages 6–17, providing a pathway into collegiate pickleball. Participants benefit from professional coaching, structured local leagues, and national competition on the Next Gen Tour. This program develops skills, builds connections, and exposes players to college recruitment and scholarship opportunities.

Fundraisers & Community Initiatives

Beyond competition, the NCPA organizes and hosts fundraisers, community outreach events, and partnerships with local venues. Each year, we dedicate a portion of proceeds to meaningful causes, including our ongoing support of the A21 campaign, which fights human trafficking.

Faith & Values

Faith is central to the NCPA's mission. We aim to foster not only athletic excellence but also character, leadership, and community service. Our growth and impact are driven by both perseverance and purpose.

Get Involved

Support the future of collegiate and youth pickleball through:

Donations

Help fund scholarships, tournaments, and youth programs

Sponsorships

Partner with us to reach thousands of athletes and fans nationwide

Volunteer & Ambassador Roles

Join the movement and help grow pickleball

Donate Now Partner With Us Get Involved

Noah Suemnick established the NCPA in January 2023, spurred by his founding of the pickleball club at Point Loma Nazarene University in 2021. Recognizing the need for organizational structure in colleges nationwide, what began as a grassroots movement in San Diego burgeoned into a network of over 200+ collegiate pickleball clubs participating in NCPA events across the country.

At the NCPA, our primary objective is to further the growth of pickleball within college communities, valuing competition, community, and culture. With the sport experiencing exponential growth in recent years, we believe that the collegiate level is pivotal in elevating pickleball to new heights.

Each year, the NCPA operates and hosts a series of Regional Championships, providing collegiate pickleball clubs with the opportunity to qualify for the prestigious NCPA National Championship, showcasing top club talent from across the nation.

Above all, the NCPA holds firm to its commitment to faith, with God at the center of it all. The remarkable expansion this organization has seen since the beginning of 2023 is not just due to grit and perseverance. God has been moving. Furthermore, the NCPA proudly supports the A21 campaign in its efforts to combat human sex trafficking, dedicating 10% of all proceeds to this extraordinary cause.

Looking back at where it all began – NCPA's debut tournament in 2023.

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