The 2023-2024 season is underway and this is a great opportunity to break down the Michigan region and what to expect. The Michigan region consists of Michigan State University (MSU), Grand Valley State University (GVSU), Western Michigan University (WMU), Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU), and Central Michigan University. Let’s take a look below at the region.
With two brand new teams and two teams returning, South Region dodgeball is officially back. While there may be some lack of experience, there should be no shortage of exciting dodgeball coming from this blossoming region. Here is our look at each team coming into the young season.
The East region has a brand new look this season. For the first time ever, Penn State is the top dog entering the year. It is surely championship or bust for the NCDA’s preseason #3 ranked team. Right behind them is the usual East region favorite in JMU, and a UMD squad looking to break into the group of title contenders for the first time. UVA rounds out the East working to make a name for themselves in one of the league’s most competitive regions.
In the 2024 Season, we have 3 technical upsets in 14 ranked matches (78.57% success rate) across 2 events.
This season marks the introduction of the NCDA Hybrid Scaled Ranking System as voted on by member teams during the 2023 election. The Hybrid Ranking System uses a combination of the Gonzalez System and the NHL Points System, and is scaled to adjust to each team’s rating relative to league average.
The Gonzalez System is a computer ranking model similar to Elo and is a rating exchange system based on research performed by World Rugby. It has been adapted by the NCDA to the demands of College Dodgeball, but can be tuned and customized endlessly to incorporate accurate data. It has been used to help determine seeds for the Nationals bracket since Nationals 2014, and was used exclusively for each Nationals bracket between 2017 and 2022.
The Champ Points System is a point-reward system based on the outcome of a match. A team who wins a match is awarded 2 points whether in regulation or overtime, a team who loses a match in overtime is awarded 1 point, and a team who loses in regulation is awarded 0 points.
NCDA Names Goat Tape as Official Tape Partner, Sponsor of NCDA’s Scary Sticky Catch of the Month
Goat Tape to Provide Scary Sticky Goat Tape, Discounts, and Custom Tape to NCDA Teams & Players
NCDA Community:
We’re excited to announce our league’s partnership with Goat Tape, the leading provider of premium athletic tape to the sport of dodgeball! Goat Tape is now the “Official Tape Partner of the NCDA” and we are pleased to have the support of a brand equally dedicated to growing both this league and the entire sport.
Our partnership goes far beyond naming rights. Starting this season, Goat Tape will:
Sponsor the “Goat Tape Scary Sticky Catch of the Month,” honoring the best catch at an officially sanctioned tournament each month. Winners receive a 4-pack of Scary Sticky Goat Tape and are honored across NCDA and Goat Tape social channels.
Present the NCDA’s “Top 10 Plays of the Month” and “College Dodgeball Power Rankings.”
Provide each new NCDA Team and each NCDA regional winner with Goat Tape.
Sell a NCDA-branded version of Scary Sticky Goat Tape, with a portion of proceeds funding the continued expansion of the league.
Offer rotating discounts on Goat Tape to NCDA Teams and Members, featuring a 10% discount on wholesale orders and a 45% discount on six-packs of Scary Sticky Goat Tape through October by using code “NCDA1023” at checkout on www.GoatTape.com.
“The dodgeball community was among the first to embrace our flagship Scary Sticky tape, quickly recognizing that athletes perform better with improved grip and joint protection that stays on through sweat and friction,” said George Kunhardt, CEO of Goat Tape. “We are incredibly appreciative of that support, so partnering with the NCDA to help grow the league in American universities is the ideal way for us to honor that.”
“For many years, Goat Tape’s Scary Sticky tape has been recognized as a staple product for the NCDA and has contributed to the high level of competition we see within the league today,” said Dylan Greer, NCDA President. “We are ecstatic about our partnership with Goat Tape and the newfound ability to provide our athletes with more affordable ways to purchase an essential product for their game.”
More announcements and discounts are planned for down the road, so stay tuned to NCDA and Goat Tape social accounts for more ways that this partnership benefits NCDA teams and players.
The 2023-2024 season is underway and this is a great opportunity to breakdown the central region and what to expect. The Central region consists of: University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), University of Wisconsin Platteville (UWP), Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign (UIUC), and University of Wisconsin Stout (Stout). Let’s take a look below at the region.
With the first event of the 2023-2024 season in the books, here is our recap of everything you need to know from the Buckeye Opener. Also, check out our latest episode of the Neutral Zone Podcast reviewing the tournament!
Ohio region dodgeball will remain the deepest in the league this year, but can they end the 18-year national title drought? Many teams think they can. Here is Terence Checkett and Ethan Lehmkuhl’s pre-season deep dive on each and every Ohio team trying to break through this year.
We are quickly approaching the start of the 2023-24 season with the Buckeye Opener on 9/17. From the top to the bottom of the standings, there’s no shortage of storylines and rivalries all around the league. Here we’ll be taking a look at some of the most exciting matchups to look for this year.
With the semester arriving fast, I figured now would be the perfect time to go over some tips to help your team have your best recruiting class ever (or the best first recruiting class for the new teams!)
Step 1: Sign up for your school’s fall involvement fair!
The fall involvement fair is the most important day for every dodgeball club. The involvement fair is where your team will recruit most of the rookies that will help support and lead your club for the next 4 years. To help get the most in hopes that many will stick around and become important pieces of the club, I have a few tips that will help your teams recruiting.
As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we would like to invite all of our organizational members to look at our Fiscal Year 2022 finances to see the year that the NCDA had. Our fiscal year rans from 7/1/2022 to 6/30/2023.
Each year the Platteville Dodgeball Club puts on the Tim Ebert Memorial Scholarship Tournament, and this year we are teaming up with the National Dodgeball Association (NDA) to run the event. The tournament will be held on Saturday, August 12th, the link to the event page can be found here (NDA-Platteville). Tim Ebert was a player at the University of Wisconsin Platteville who was respected by his teammates as a captain and friend. Tim could always be counted on, always there to help, and was always making a difference. The funds raised go towards a scholarship in his name offered by the Platteville Dodgeball Club.
Saturday August 5th will mark the NDA’s first women’s only tournament being held at Owens Community College near Toledo, Ohio. The NDA is committed to growing the sport and highlighting the women in our league on a new stage. This tournament will feature the no-sting ball type and will be played in a 6v6 format. For the first event, there will be the following three teams in attendance: Cleveland Comets, Midwestern Mercenaries, and Midwestern Martians. Let’s take a look at each team below.
Below are the results of the preferential election for the 2023/2024 NCDA Rulebook, select Policies, and 2024 Executive Board. The Rulebook is scheduled to be released prior to the start of the 2024 Season.
Nationals 2024
Final results for Nationals 2024 selection:
The Ohio State University – 1st Round
The Ohio State University has been selected to host Nationals 2024.
Ethan Lehmkuhl has been selected to represent OSU as the NCDA’s 2024 Director of Nationals.
Executive Board
Open Director
Kevin Bailey – 1st Round
Open Director
Tony Stumpo – 2nd Round
Open Director
Ryan Ginsberg – 3rd Round
Rule Proposals
R.1) Team catch only saves player at risk. No player from jail enters.
Yes, a team catch will only save the player at risk from elimination. 11-10
R.2) Eliminate “Traps”
Yes, the referee must now call the player “safe” or “out” by judgement of the ball’s first contact. 13-8
R.3) Change LAZ to lower height when player is on knees
Yes, the LAZ will shorten when a player is kneeled. 15-6
R.4) Team Yellow Card for negligent officiating. Both teams playing during the match must agree to issue a card given valid reasoning.
Yes, playing teams may submit a request to issue a Team Yellow Card to the officiating team if they show signs of negligent officiating. 15-6
R.5) Yellow card means out for current point and next point.
Yes, a yellow card results in a penalized player to sit out for 2 points. 15-6
R.6) Reduce the player threshold number from 5 -> 4 for when the shot clock changes from 15 -> 10.
Yes, a 10 second shot clock occurs when 4 or less players remain. 16-5
R.7) Change the format of the start from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-4 for ball setup.
Yes, matches will start with 4 balls on each attack line and 2 balls at center court. 13-8
Policy Proposals
P.1) “Longevity clause” abolishment
Yes, the longevity clause will be removed effective 1/1/24. -2nd Round Preferential Majority
Executive Board Overrule 7-2 Yes, the longevity clause will be removed effective 7/1/24.
*Editor’s Note: The Board decision to override the longevity clause decision of 1/1/24 in favor of 7/1/24 was based on the belief of keeping the timeline of rule implementation consistent with the start/end of each subsequent season as opposed to a rule going into effect mid-season.
P.2) Allow players the ability to apply for additional playing years beyond the allowed 6 per institution.
Yes, players may apply to play for more than 6 years at a single institution. 13-8
Executive Board Overrule 8-1 No, players may not apply to play more than 6 years at a single institution. [Current]
*Editor’s Note: The decision to override the provision allowing members to apply for additional years of play was due to a lack of clearly defined criteria for the approval process. Without a formal process as part of the proposal the Board’s belief is that the process would be open to high degrees of subjectivity. This would potentially compromise the approval process and lead it in a direction not consistent with the desires of our member teams.
P.3) Teams must submit bids to host regional trophied events by October 31st of the current year. Participating teams vote on the host during winter break and a host is decided before Jan 1.
Yes, teams must bid to host the “Cup” event for their region 15-6
P.4) Teams that “forfeit” with >4 minutes remaining in a match, must also forfeit all upcoming matches at that tournament.
Yes, teams who “forfeit” any match must also forfeit all matches in that tournament. For trophied events only. -2nd Round Preferential Majority
P.5) Ghost team is ranked equal to the team that is on the opposite end of the forfeit consequence.
Yes, a ghost team is ranked equal to the forfeiting team. 16-5
P.6) Reduce Nationals Modifier in Gonzalez to 1.5 instead of 2.
Yes, nationals matches are worth 1.5x of regular season matches. 13-8
P.7) Each year a different region has priority for hosting nationals. If no teams from the prioritized region wish to host, then other bids may be considered.
No, any team from any region may submit a bid to host nationals each year.[Current] 9-12
Ranking System Proposals
RS.1) Adjust to a scaled Gonzalez system
Yes, the hybrid ranking system will consist of scaled Gonzalez rankings. 16-4
Eboard additional votes and details
The NCDA Executive Board has voted to override two provisions passed by member teams. Member teams will have an option to veto the Executive Board’s decision with a super majority vote (3/4ths requirement).
Additionally, the Eboard has voted on the following policy changes which will affect the 2024 season.
E.1) Adjust to a scaled Champ System – PASS 9-0
Yes, the Champ point system shall be scaled in a similar method to that of the Gonzalez method.
E.2) Implement changes to the release policy dates – PASS 9-0
Yes, various policy dates will be changed to the following.
E.3) Abolish Open Director Term limit – PASS 7-2
Yes, the Open Director Term limit will only apply to the position of President
E.4) Yellow card for each match that all captains/coaches have not completed the rulebook quiz – PASS 8-1
Yes, teams will receive a team yellow card at the start of each match where an active captain or coach has not completed the rulebook quiz.
E.5) Eboard voting transparency – DID NOT PASS 2-7
No, The Eboard is not required to release the voting decisions of each board member by request. (Current)
Proposal History
A history of all of the NCDA’s rule, policy, and ranking system proposals can be found here [Insert Link]
The following power rankings are for the NCDA’s partner organization, the National Dodgeball Association, a semi-pro dodgeball league.
1. Grand Rapids Dynasty
Brandon Meisel – Grand Rapids Dynasty PC: Kris Haas
Dynasty finds themselves in a familiar spot atop the Power Rankings and Official Standings. The most decorated pinch team exercised some recent demons as they overcame rival Kraken for first time in 3 tournaments. Brandon Meisel was the standout for this group and won a clutch 1v1 to secure a marathon first point in the finals. Expect to see them continue to challenge for the top spot at any tournament they travel to. Eventually bringing Jalen Gardner back into the fold will be yet another boost for a team that already has a win under its belt.