Compare the Tours

NCPA tournaments begin with pool play, followed by single-elimination competition. Team matches are best-of-seven and include men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s singles, and two mixed doubles games using side-out scoring. If the match is tied 3–3, a rotating Sudden Death game determines the winner. NCPA also offers individual brackets, while team finishes at Regionals determine whether schools earn D1, D2, or D3 bids to the National Championship.

CPT tournaments begin with pool play, followed by a single-elimination playoff. Teams consist of two men and two women, with each match featuring women’s doubles, men’s doubles, and two mixed doubles games played to 21 using rally scoring. If the teams split those games 2–2, a rotating singles DreamBreaker™ determines the winner. Tournament results and season points help teams earn bids to the CPT Collegiate National Championship.

APP team qualifiers begin with round-robin pool play, followed by a seeded single-elimination playoff. Teams include two to three men and two to three women, with each match featuring gender doubles and mixed doubles games using rally scoring. If the teams split those games 2–2, a rotating singles game determines the winner. The top four teams at each regional qualifier earn automatic bids to the APP Selkirk U.S. Collegiate Championships.

NCPA requires undergraduate students to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours and graduate students in at least six. Players must submit a transcript through their NCPA profile, and signed professional players are not eligible. Players who qualify in the fall remain eligible for the spring season.

CPT requires undergraduate players to be enrolled full-time or in at least 12 credit hours, while graduate students must take at least six. Players must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the school they represent and provide enrollment verification. Beginning with the 2026–27 season, participation is limited to five consecutive seasons.

For the 2026–27 season, APP requires undergraduate students to be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours and graduate students in at least six credit hours. Scholarships, sponsorships, and other name, image, and likeness benefits do not affect a player’s eligibility.

NCPA will award more than $100,000 in prizes across its collegiate tour, including over $75,000 for D1, D2, and D3 team competition and over $25,000 for individual brackets. Awards are distributed across Regionals and Nationals and may include cash prizes, equipment awards, and performance bounties.

CPT’s Regionals will award $6,000 in scholarship money. The team bracket will pay $2,500 for first place, $1,250 for second, $500 each for third and fourth, and $250 each for fifth through eighth. The Challenger Bracket winner will receive $250. Three bids to the Collegiate National Championships in April will also be awarded. *Prize money for CPT Worlds and Nationals have not yet been announced.

For the 2026–27 season, APP has announced $90,000 in collegiate prize money, including $5,000 at each regional qualifier and $50,000 at the APP Selkirk U.S. Collegiate Championships. Distribution details may vary by event and placement.