Nationals – NCDA

Michigan State Survives Gauntlet to Claim 2026 National Championship

After a season defined by parity, rivalries, and rising contenders, Nationals 2026 delivered exactly the kind of chaos and dominance fans and players alike hoped for. From overtime thrillers and bracket upsets to statement wins from emerging programs, the weekend showcased the growing depth of collegiate dodgeball. But when the dust settled, one constant remained: Michigan State standing atop the sport once again, completing another undefeated championship run and reaffirming their place as the nation’s gold standard.

2026 Women’s Nationals Recap

Each year nationals gives teams the chance to fight harder than any other game to come out on top. It also gives teams who haven’t experienced many games or every team the opportunity to show off their skills and hard work. This year, in the third annual Women’s National Dodgeball tournament in Akron, Ohio, 58 players formed eight teams across 9 school to battle for the trophy.

All photos included were taken by Kate Douglas (me).

Who to Watch for Each Top-Ten Team

Every Nationals, unsung heroes define the tournament. Think back to even last year, when Ty Keller made an incredible catch in the latest moments of the championship game to push the Redhawks to their first title. This year’s field is wide-open, meaning new faces are sure to emerge.

Nationals 2026 Preview

ATHENS, OH. — From undefeated runs and statistical dominance to rebuilding years and late-season surges, every team in this 20-squad field brings a unique storyline into Saturday play. With seeding, pride, and survival on the line, the opening slate promises high-stakes matchups that will shape the bracket—and possibly redefine the balance of power across the NCDA. At the top, blue bloods and reigning powers collide with hungry challengers and breakthrough programs, all converging in Athens with vastly different paths—but the same ultimate goal. Ohio State and Michigan State headline the field as dominant forces on a collision course, while upstarts like Kent State, Nebraska, and Virginia look to prove their regular season success translates when it matters most. Meanwhile, perennial contenders such as Grand Valley State and Miami aim to reassert their place at the summit and fend off one of the deepest and most dangerous fields in years.

2026 Women’s Nationals Preview

When the average person hears the word “dodgeball,” they often think back to elementary school or maybe even middle and high school when they were forced to play during gym class. While the gist is the same, the WNCDA takes it to a whole new level; it’s no longer just “throw the ball!” or “hit your classmate!” This sport requires teams as little as four and as large as nine to jive well while on the court, encourage each others strengths, and support each others weaknesses–which can be challenging amidst the intensity of the game. The teams may seem small, but the desire to win is huge. And regardless of the experience of the players or age of the team, this game is for anyone who loves competition and working hard as a team.

2023 College Dodgeball Women’s All-American Team

2023 College Dodgeball All-American Team

My Central Region Overtime-6

The college dodgeball championship is right around the corner and the excitement heading into nationals is growing. Nationals will have some of the best games of the year, which means there is a good chance that we see overtime matches. Overtime matches usually constant of a team’s six best players on the court and they can be on the court for many different reasons. Below let’s take a look at some of the top players from the central region that I think you might want to consider having in your overtime six.

My Ohio Overtime-6

Below is Leo Rockamore’s Ohio Region OT-6:

Brett Liming
Ryan Ginsberg
Cory Heitmann
Terence Checkett
Ryan Engleman
Clay Egleston

Brett Liming

The OG Bearcat. The NCDA Slim Reaper. Brett Liming has been putting on a show and half this year and is a huge part of Cincinnati’s success this year. In their right corner Brett has done it all. He’s known for being a fierce weapon on offense, whether on the front line or in transition; but is highly underrated in his ability to catch and survive in clutch situations. Whether racking up kills in transition, picking opponents off on the cross, or snagging a catch out of a team throw, Brett is a major threat to anyone he faces. I would even go so far as to say he’s the most complete player in the league right now. Don’t take your eyes off the Slim Reaper.

My Michigan Overtime-6

The following was written by Matt Barnett of Western Michigan:

Honorable Mention: Josh Hill (GVSU)

Most people know who he is and know what a good player he is as well. The only thing stopping him from being on this list is lack of games played this year. To my knowledge, he’s only played one game and it was their loss to MSU at MDC this year.

My East Coast Overtime 6

As we head into the last week and a half before Nationals, I wanted to highlight some of East Coast’s top performers this season!

Evan Eschenburg (JMU #10)
James (JT) Turner (JMU yes, also #10)
Hunter Stewart (PSU #2)
Adam Butz (UMD #9)
Nick Spear (JMU #99)
Cloud Tapia-Manon (PSU #20)

5 Matchups Everyone Wants to See at Nationals

With nationals just around the corner, we thought it would be a great time to highlight some matches we have not seen this season. The following are five matchups that many fans are hoping to see at Nationals. There have been plenty of fantastic ones this season with lots of out of region travel, but there are still more we would love to see.

College Dodgeball Championship Belt

The following was written by content writer Matt Gonzalez (UNL). Throughout the history of the NCDA, there have been a variety of methods used to determine who the best team in the league is. The league has come a long way from the power rankings of its early years to the current hybrid system of the Gonzalez and Champ systems. One thing has remained constant though, there have always been critiques of the rankings systems. What if there was a simpler solution? What if there was a way to track an undisputed best team at any given time?

Thus, the concept of the College Dodgeball Championship Belt is born. A lineal championship belt, one that only exchanges hands when one person wins a head-to-head matchup, is used in sports like boxing and mixed martial arts. What would the history of the NCDA look like if this is how the top ranked team was determined?

2022 College Dodgeball All-American Team

What a season. After a Covid-shortened 2019-20 and the lost season of 2020-21, College Dodgeball was back with a vengeance in 2021-22. New faces popped up on teams across the country, and new stars emerged. Congratulations the the following 12 players for being selected as 2022 1st Team All-Americans:

Nationals 2022 – Full Results

KALAMAZOO, MI – WMU Student Recreation Center

In the first day of Nationals 2022:

JMU def. UC 3-1
UNL def. CSU 2-0
SVSU def. UWP 3-2 OT
Ohio def. UMD 3-0
Akron def. UK 3-1
Towson def. WMU 4-1
OSU def. UWP 4-0
GVSU def. Ohio 3-2
BGSU def. UK 4-1
PSU def. UMD 4-0
UNL def. Miami 4-2
BGSU def. PSU 5-4 OT
MSU def. OSU 4-2
Towson def. Akron 4-1
GVSU def. CSU 3-1
JMU def. Miami 5-1
UC def. SVSU 4-2
Towson def. Ohio 3-2
UMD def. WMU 3-1
UWP def. CSU 4-1
SVSU def. UK 4-2
MSU def. PSU 6-3
OSU def. UNL 4-3 OT
UMD def. Miami 3-2 OT
JMU def. BGSU 3-2
UC def. WMU 3-1
GVSU def. Akron 4-0

Sunday Nationals Results & Bracket

PSU def. BGSU 4-2
Towson def. Akron 4-1
OSU def. SVSU 3-2
Miami def. UK 5-2
CSU def. WMU 5-2
Ohio def. UNL 4-3
UC def. UWP 3-1
JMU def. CSU 6-1
MSU def. UMD 3-0
GVSU def. Miami 6-1
UC def. Towson 3-2 OT
MSU def. OSU 6-3
JMU def. PSU 4-1
GVSU def. Ohio 4-1
MSU def. JMU 4-3 OT
GVSU def. UC 5-1
GVSU def. MSU 5-1