How to Make a College Pickleball Team (Start Here)
If you’re a high school player thinking about playing pickleball in college—you’re not alone. We get messages like this every week:
“How do I get recruited? What schools should I look at? What should I be doing right now?”
The good news? There’s a clear path.
The better news? You don’t need to be a top-ranked player to play in college.
Let’s break it down 👇
🎯 Step 1: Understand How College Pickleball Actually Works
Before anything else, you need to understand this:
👉 College pickleball is NOT like traditional NCAA recruiting.
- Most schools do NOT actively recruit
- Most teams are club teams
- Tryouts usually happen at the start of fall semester
That means:
👉 You are responsible for your own recruiting process.
🏫 Step 2: Know the Scholarship Schools (and Reality Check)
Right now, there are only a handful of schools that offer scholarships and actively recruit:
- Drury University
- Arizona Christian University
- Indiana Wesleyan University
- West Virginia Wesleyan University
- Spring Arbor University (MI)
- Bryan College
- Truett McConnell University
- Utah Tech University
What you need to know:
- Most are small schools (~1,000 students)
- They typically recruit players around a 5.0+ DUPR level
- Spots are limited and competitive
👉 If you’re looking for a larger school experience, this may not be the right path—and that’s totally okay.
🧭 Step 3: Target Schools Based on Fit (Not Just Pickleball)
Here’s the smarter approach:
Instead of asking:
❌ “Where can I get recruited?”
Ask:
✅ “Where do I actually want to go to school—and can I play pickleball there?”
Most medium and large universities have:
- Active pickleball clubs
- Competitive teams
- Travel opportunities
📲 Step 4: Reach Out the Right Way
This is one of the most overlooked steps—and one of the most important.
What to do:
- Find the team on Instagram
- Send a DM introducing yourself
- Let them know:
- When you’re visiting campus
- Your playing background
- Your interest in joining
👉 Example:
“Hey, I’m a high school senior visiting campus next month—would love to connect or get some games in while I’m there.”
💡 Pro tip:
Newer programs often have more open roster spots than established teams.
📈 Step 5: Improve Your Level (DUPR Matters)
While not every school requires a rating, your DUPR is becoming the standard benchmark.
General guidelines:
- 5.0+ → Scholarship-level schools
- 4.0–5.0 → Competitive club teams
- 3.5–4.0 → Development + tryout potential
👉 The higher your level, the more opportunities you’ll have.
🎥 Step 6: Watch College Pickleball in Action
One of the best things you can do:
✔️ Attend a tournament
- See the level of play
- Meet players and teams
- Understand the culture
✔️ Watch live streams
- Learn strategy
- See how teams compete
- Get motivated
👉 Check out:
- Tournament schedule
- Live matches
- Regional events near you
🔍 Step 7: Do This FIRST (Most Important Step)
Before anything else:
👉 Start following programs and getting plugged in.
- Follow Instagram accounts for:
- CollegiatePB
- Schools you’re interested in
- Watch reels and content
- Learn how teams operate
This gives you:
- Awareness of opportunities
- Insight into team culture
- A huge advantage over other players
💡 Final Advice
Here’s the truth:
- You don’t need a scholarship to play college pickleball
- You don’t need to be a 5.0 to make a team
- You do need to be proactive
👉 The players who succeed are the ones who:
- Reach out early
- Do their research
- Stay engaged with the community
🚀 Your Next Move
If you’re serious about playing college pickleball:
- Make a list of schools you like
- Reach out to their clubs
- Start improving your DUPR
- Follow the college pickleball scene
- Go watch a tournament
If you ever have questions, reach out—we’re here to help.
– CollegiatePB Team