NCPA Tour
Compete in Regionals and Conferences nationwide for a chance to qualify for the National Championship, featuring the top 192 teams in the country. With NCPA’s Team Bracket and Individual Brackets at every NCPA Tour stop, collegiate pickleball has evolved.
Team Bracket (D1 / D2 / D3)
- 192 Teams Qualify
- You can have multiple teams win a bid from your university.
- Your school earns the bid — not the specific players who won it. You can bring a different lineup to Nationals than the one that qualified.
- Unlimited teams for all brackets…
Individual
- Individual Brackets open to all players from 3.0–5.0+
- Singles, Doubles, and Mixed will be featured at every NCPA Tour event.
Also open to all players at Nationals, no need to qualify.
How Bids Work
Each Regional awards 12 bids to Nationals. Your team’s finish determines which division bracket you enter:
- 1st–4th place → D1 bid
- 5th–8th place → D2 bid
- 9th–12th place → D3 bid
Additional bids may be awarded at larger regionals, at the discretion of the NCPA.
At Nationals
D1, D2, and D3 each have a separate 64-team bracket — 192 teams total. All teams compete together at Regionals; at Nationals, you are placed into the division bracket that matches the bid you earned.
Total Prize Pool
Team Bracket
D1 / D2 / D3
$75,000+
Individual Brackets
$25,000+
Note: (E) indicates equipment prize; $ indicates cash prize.
Nationals
Division 1 — Teams
$15,000 Prize Pool • $15,000 Bounties
Prize Pool
- 1st$4,000
- 2nd$3,000
- 3rd$2,000
- 4th$2,000
- 5th$1,000 (E)
- 6th$1,000 (E)
- 7th$1,000 (E)
- 8th$1,000 (E)
Bounties are $$$ that teams can automatically win by knocking out a top competitor at Regionals and Nationals.
Bounties — $15,000
Division 2 — Teams
$7,500 Prize Pool • $7,500 Bounties
½ of Division 1 prize pool and bounties
Division 3 — Teams
$3,750 Prize Pool • $3,750 Bounties
½ of Division 2 prize pool and bounties
Individual
Singles, Doubles, Mixed — payout for top three in each bracket
3.0
- 1st$100 (E)
- 2nd$50 (E)
- 3rd$25 (E)
3.5
- 1st$150 (E)
- 2nd$100 (E)
- 3rd$50 (E)
4.0
- 1st$250 (E)
- 2nd$200 (E)
- 3rd$100 (E)
4.5
- 1st$300 (E)
- 2nd$250 (E)
- 3rd$200 (E)
5.0+
- 1st$300
- 2nd$200
- 3rd$150
Bounties (5.0+ only)
Regionals — D1 / D2 / D3
Division 1
$2,500 Prize Pool • $2,500 Bounties
Prize Pool
- 1st$1,000
- 2nd$750
- 3rd$500 (E)
- 4th$250 (E)
Bounties
Division 2
$2,500 Prize Pool • $2,500 Bounties
Prize Pool
- 1st$1,000
- 2nd$750
- 3rd$500 (E)
- 4th$250 (E)
Bounties
Division 3
$2,500 Prize Pool • $2,500 Bounties
Prize Pool
- 1st$1,000
- 2nd$750
- 3rd$500 (E)
- 4th$250 (E)
Bounties
Approved Paddles
NCPA recognizes both USAP and UPA approved paddles for competition. See the USAP approved paddle list and UPA approved paddles.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility Summary
- High school diploma (or equivalent)
- Enrolled in college/university
- NCPA Profile + transcript uploaded
- No PPA / APP / MLP pro contract
- Former pros: 1-year cooldown
Academic Eligibility
- Undergrad: min 12 credits (degree program)
- Graduate: min 6 credits (degree program)
- Credits can’t be electives only
- Must be enrolled at the school you represent
- Eligible at qualification = eligible all season
Seasons & Player Clock
- 4 seasons within 5 years
- Season: Sept–Apr (summer separates seasons)
- One game in an NCPA event = 1 season
- Events: Nationals, Internationals, Regionals, Conferences, Showcases
- Player clock in effect starting ’26–’27 season
Amateur Status
- Sponsorships / endorsements / NIL: allowed
- Pro contracts = ineligible
- Prize money does not affect eligibility
Redshirt & Medical Redshirt
- Redshirt (practice only, no games): season doesn’t count
- Medical redshirt (injury + <30% play): season doesn’t count
- Must apply and be approved by NCPA
We do accept appeals and occasionally grant them depending on the context. Send any appeals to info@ncpaofficial.com and include all information and any relevant documentation relating to your appeal (transcripts, special exemptions, etc.).
Questions about team match rules, coin toss, category play, or Sudden Death?
View NCPA Format