NCPA Format

The NCPA competition structure is divided into two primary formats: Division 1 (D1) and Division 2 (D2), with Division 3 (D3) serving as an extension of D2.

Division 1 (D1)

Team Bracket

MLP Style + Singles Pool Play → Single Elimination

Teams of 4–6 players (minimum 2 men, 2 women)
Represents your university's top competitive roster
The top 64 Universities qualify for Nationals through Regionals and Conferences.
Bids lock your school, not your roster
Qualifying University can have multiple D1 teams compete at Nationals

Division 2 (D2)

Individual Challenger

Skill Level: 3.5 – 5.0+

Men's Doubles Women's Doubles Men's Singles Women's Singles Mixed Doubles

Flat fee → enter up to 3 events
Example: a man can play in up to 3 separate brackets (singles, doubles, mixed).
Compete for Equipment prizes
No Nationals bids needed
Open divisions available at Nationals — no bid required to compete.

Division 3 (D3)

Development Focus

Skill Level: 2.5 – 3.5

Men's Doubles Women's Doubles Men's Singles Women's Singles Mixed Doubles

Same format/rules as D2
Focused on growth and development
Functions exactly like D2, just less competitive level of play.
Open divisions available at Nationals — no bid required to compete.

Bracket Structure

Pool Play

4 players/teams per pool, all advance to bracket

Single Elimination

Number of games varies by bracket, side-out scoring to 11 (win by 2).

Game Management

Side Switching

Switch sides at 6 points (not a timeout; 30 sec max)

Timeouts

1 timeout per team per game (1 minute max)

Warmup

2-minute warmup limit before each game

Score Input

Both teams must input scores & lineups immediately

Division 1 Team Format

Match Breakdown: Best of 7 Games

3 Total Categories

2 Mixed Doubles

1 Men's Doubles / 1 Women's Doubles

1 Men's Singles / 1 Women's Singles

Sudden Death (7th game tiebreaker) will be played if the final score is 3–3.

Key Rules

Coin Toss

Winner chooses first category

Category Play

Play both games in a category before next choice

Scoring

Side-out scoring to 11, win by 2

Victory

First to 4 total games wins

D1 Match Scenario: GCU vs. ASU

Gender Doubles

GCU wins coin toss and chooses doubles, ASU chooses gender (men's first), women play next, two games are then complete. ASU chooses next category.

Gender Singles

ASU chooses singles, GCU chooses gender (women's first), men play next, the next two games are then complete (4 total). There is one category left.

Mixed Doubles

The last category is chosen by default. GCU has the advantage. Because "choosing" the last category is not an advantage, they get to "react" which means ASU must put out their team first. The last two games are played (6 total). If the score is 3-3, you go to Sudden Death.

Sudden Death

Sudden Death mirrors regular match play, but condensed into a single game with each match type rotating every three points. The team with the better point differential gets the advantage of choosing the first category.

Setup

All games and lineups are locked before play begins
The players that played in the 6 games prior must be the same (i.e. the same player must compete in men's singles, and the mixed doubles team must remain the exact same pairing)
The team with the better point differential chooses the first category for the first 6 points
When three points have been played (must be points on the board, not three rallies), teams ALWAYS go back out on the right side of the court. Think of it as a new game being played. Always start on the right.
When you go from singles to doubles, that team serving will be on their second serve (singles only has one serve, so you only get one when it switches from singles to doubles).

Sudden Death Example

First 6 Points

GCU has the better point differential and chooses the first category (the first six points of the game), Gender Singles. ASU chooses gender (men). Men play the first 3 points or the first "game", women switch on and play the next 3 points (6 points on the board total).

Next 6 Points

ASU chooses Mixed Doubles. GCU gets to "react" so ASU must put out their players first. One mixed pair plays three points then the other pair plays three (12 points on the board total).

Final 6 Points

Gender Singles is chosen by default. GCU gets the advantage. Because "choosing" the last category is not an advantage, GCU gets to choose gender (women first 3 points) then men.

The order goes back to the beginning if the game is not over. Go back through the categories until there's a winner.