Previews – NCDA

Pink Out X Preview

As the temperature starts to drop outside, NCDA Dodgeball is heating up with multiple marquee tournaments still on the docket for the first semester. Four regions will be represented this weekend as some of the nation’s best converge in Akron, Ohio, for the 10th edition of the Pink Out tournament, hosted by the University of Akron. An array of teams, some looking to make statements, and some trying to break into the win column, will bring their best and look to continue the exciting start to the 2025-26 campaign.

South Oak Showdown Preview

The 2025–2026 National Collegiate Dodgeball Association season is in full swing, with many teams gearing up for their second tournament of the young campaign. Four of the league’s strongest programs will meet in Oxford, Ohio, for the South Oak Showdown on Saturday, October 18. The event promises plenty of fireworks and storylines to follow, including yet another rematch of last year’s national championship game. Let’s take a look at each team making the trip to southwest Ohio and their thoughts on the matches ahead.

Cornhusker Clash VIII Preview

In the wake of NDA Nationals, the Central Region looks forward to Nebraska’s home tournament, the Cornhusker Clash! In this tournament, University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) and University of Wisconsin Platteville (UWP) will go head-to-head in a double-header in the eighth iteration of the tournament. The rivalry between the two schools has always been intense, and UNL has always come out on top at the Clash. Will the pattern repeat this year? Let’s take a look at what each team is bringing to the table this weekend!

Clifton Heights Classic IV Preview

On Saturday, September 27th, the University of Cincinnati will be hosting the Clifton Heights Classic IV. The six teams that will be in attendance will be Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Miami University (Miami), Northern Kentucky University (NKU), Ohio University (Ohio), THE Ohio State University (OSU), and the hosts, the University of Cincinnati (UC). With over half of the Ohio teams in attendance plus the Southern Dodgeball Cup Champs, we should be in for a fantastic weekend of matchups to see where these teams stand in the early stages of the 2025/2026 season.

Eau Claire Brawl Preview

Mark September 20th on your calendars ’cause UW-Eau Claire (UWEC) will be hosting the second annual Eau Claire Brawl tournament. This year the schools expected to attend are UW-Platteville (UWP) and UW-Stout (UWS) as well as several alumni players. Below is the schedule and a brief breakdown of each team who will be in attendance.

Maryland Madness VI Preview

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – East Coast Dodgeball is finally back. This Saturday, September 20th, Maryland (UMD) will host Virginia (UVA) and James Madison (JMU) in the first East Coast action of the season. After a competitive finish to last year’s East Coast season (including an overtime thriller in the East Coast Dodgeball Cup championship game), the stage is set for an electric first tournament. Let’s take a look at the schedule and teams:

Maryland

Maryland opens the season at 19th in the NCDA standings. They’ll start off by facing JMU in the first match of the tournament, and it should be a good one. UMD’s defensive style, anchored by the arm of Senior All-East Coast corner Adam Butz, makes them a tough matchup for any team in the association. After the first-ever win against JMU last year in program history, as well as competitive games against UVA throughout the season, UMD is prepared to come out of the gate hot. Should the Terps play mistake-free and stay composed, they have a huge opportunity to upset both of their Saturday opponents.

James Madison

The Dukes open their 2025 campaign at 10th in the overall standings, for the first time in recent history opening the season not the undisputed favorite to win the East Coast. That doesn’t mean this team still isn’t dangerous, though – the reigning ECDC champs still possess the best arm talent in the region, returning the talented arms of All-East Coast selections Jaxson Hannie, Preston Anderson, and Ryan Pendleton, among others. To start their ECDC defense off on the right foot, the Dukes need to stay composed and take advantage of their arms, and rely on clutch catching as they have in the past. JMU is elite at exploiting their opponents’ mistakes, and should they capitalize as they have in the past, they’ll start the season off 2-0.

UVA

After a program-best season in 2024, UVA sits atop the East Coast at #9 in the overall NCDA standings. The Cavaliers believe their catch-first, ask questions later game plan sets them up very well against the rest of the East Coast, and the NCDA in general. However, UVA will be without 2024 All-East Coast and Third-team All-American Grady Holmes for Maryland Madness, and a lackluster Virginia performance in College Park could raise questions about the Hoos’ depth as we progress further into the season, especially after losing Second-team AA selection Kenji McCartney and All-East Coast selection Joseph Beauchamp in the offseason. Nevertheless, when UVA is on their game, focused, and communicating, they might just be the best catching team in the league.

Other thoughts: During the tournament, there will be a scrimmage for freshmen and rookies, and a potential inclusion for a new team in the league: UMBC. This way, new players can get some tournament experience to get them amped up for league games later in the season. We should be in for some really competitive games – there was at least one overtime period at every regional event last season, and all signs point to renewed competition this year. Games will be streamed starting at 10:00 AM.

East Region Preview 2025-2026

No region in the NCDA brings more tension and bad blood than the East Coast. Every matchup feels personal, every rivalry runs deep. Yet for all the passion, the East hasn’t had a team make the national title game since the now-defunct Towson Tigers claimed the title in 2019. This season, the landscape shifts: Virginia has stormed into the #1 spot, overtaking perennial powerhouse JMU and putting the entire East Coast on notice. With bragging rights, bitter rivalries, and national respect at stake, the East enters the year starving for redemption. The hunger is real — the only question is, who will rise from the fire and carry the this region back to glory?

2025 Buckeye Opener Tournament Preview

Dodgeball is finally back in the Buckeye State, and Columbus, the site of this years nationals, will also be hosting the inaugural event of the 2025-26 season. This years Buckeye Opener promises to be filled with drama, as 5 Ohio region teams go head-to-head, with plenty of storylines and rivalries at play. Every team comes in with something to prove, but there isn’t room for everyone to make a statement, meaning someone has to go home disappointed. Every game matters in the incredibly contentious Ohio region, meaning there will be fireworks from the jump in Columbus.

Central Region Preview 2025-2026

The Central Region is shaping up to be one of the most exciting landscapes in college dodgeball. Illinois is quickly rising into contention, signaling a shift in power as fellow Big Ten program Nebraska-Lincoln comes down from its reign of dominance. With several prospective schools showing interest and momentum building across the board, the region is expanding at a rapid pace—rivaling even the South as the fastest-growing hotspot in the league.

Michigan Region Preview 2025-2026

For two decades, the Michigan Region has been the gold standard of collegiate dodgeball, producing powerhouse programs and setting the bar for national success. From the inaugural season in 2005 until just last year, at least one Michigan team had always battled its way to the NCDA Championship game. That remarkable streak came to an end in 2025, marking the first time in league history that the region was absent from the title match. Now, as a new season is about to unfold, all eyes are on Michigan to see if its teams can reclaim their place at the top.

Ohio Region Preview 2025-2026

As summer draws to a close and the air turns crisp with the first hints of fall, one unmistakable truth rises with the changing winds—dodgeball is back.

Across the country, players are lacing up and teams are retooling. But in one region, the energy feels different. Sharper. Hungrier. More storied. This is Ohio—the beating heart of collegiate dodgeball, where tradition meets talent, and rivalries run deep. Without further ado, here is the 2025-2026 season preview for the Ohio region.

University of Iowa Dodgeball

The following is article put together by Jack Birmingham (Iowa’s content writer) of the Hawkeye Dodgeball Club. Find out how Iowa Dodgeball got started and what their team is all about!

Illini Impact Preview

This Saturday, March 8th the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC) will be hosting its first ever home tournament and we should be in for a good one. The teams in attendance will be the University of Wisconsin Platteville (UWP), University of Cincinnati (UC), Miami University (Miami), and Cleveland State University (CSU). Let’s take a look at the schedule and teams below.

Zanderthon Throw-Down IX Preview

Platteville will be hosting the the 9th annual Zanderthon Throw-Down on March 1st. The teams in attendance will be the University of Wisconsin Platteville (UWP), the University of Wisconsin Stout (UWS), University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (UWEC), University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC), and alumni. This weekend UWEC and Stout will join up to make a team and UWP and UIUC will be doing a double header making it 4 times they will have played each other. Let’s take a look at the teams, the schedule, and some thoughts from a few players below.

Central Region 2024-25 Women’s Mid-Season Spotlight

The first part of the 2024-2025 season has come to an end and it is a great time to reflect and highlight the women of the Central Region and the growth we have seen this year. It is really exciting to see these talented individuals in action and where they might be as players come the end of this season! To see some of their highlights check out the link from the Pioneer Classic (more to come) Below we will take a look at each individual and how they contribute to their teams!