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.
Day 1: Round Robin Play
Nationals 2026 opened with Nebraska and Virginia battling to prove their regional cup wins weren’t just a fluke. The Hoos made sure of that, easily handing their opponents their first loss of the season. Virginia took that momentum into the rest of their day, avenging last year’s defeat against Cleveland State and knocking off Wisconsin-Platteville to close out a 3-0 day and result as #6. Nebraska continued to drop following a loss to Michigan State, but held strong against Western Michigan to stay as an upper seed in the bracket.
Kent State and Cincinnati opened their tournaments with an instant overtime classic that saw the Golden Flashes take a dominant step towards securing the #3 seed. After easily beating Illinois, they continued their run against Ohio in a 4-2 victory that put them in a great position to make a run the following day. Cincinnati continued to struggle, falling to the #10 spot after another in-region loss to Ohio, who vaulted to #9 in return.
James Madison got off to a rocky start with an overtime loss to Cleveland State, but quickly responded with a 6-1 defeat of Central Michigan. They then entered a showdown with budding rival Grand Valley, the then-#4 team in the country. Undaunted, JMU destroyed GV, blanking them 4-0 in a huge momentum and seeding boost. This loss also forced Grand Valley down a seed despite their win against Miami earlier in the day, leaving them at #5 and the Redhawks at #4 at the end of round robin play.
The day closed with all eyes on the #1 vs. #2 championship preview of Ohio State and Michigan State. Both teams entered the contest undefeated on the day, making the last match of the day all-important as both squads pursued the top overall seed in Sunday’s tournament. After a tough-fought 4-2 victory over the Buckeyes, MSU continued their dominant run and entered bracket play in a familiar spot atop the competition.
Day 2: Bracket Play
Michigan State looked every bit the favorite as they continued their dominance with a 5-0 demolishing of Maryland. Ohio upset the 8th-seeded Dukes 3-1 in a first-round rematch of Nationals 2025. The Bobcats didn’t prove much of a challenge for Sparty either as another commanding 5-0 pushed them into the semifinals.
Miami found themselves opening tournament play against the same Cleveland State team that knocked them out of the Ohio Dodgeball Cup just a short time ago. This time around, the Redhawks remained composed and breezed through 3-1 win to set up a Day 1 rematch with Grand Valley, who bounced back from their loss on Day 1 to handle Bowling Green in their opening matchup. This quarterfinal was slow and dragging, each team trying to find out how to attack the other. After each could only muster 1 point in regulation, the Lakers outlasted Miami in overtime to set up an MDC rematch with the Spartans.
MSU easily converted that opportunity, with Grand Valley fatigued from the previous long overtime leading to a 4-1 win that punched MSU’s ticket to the title game.
Kent State highlighted the chaos in the lower half of the bracket, crushing North Georgia 9-0 in their opening round for the most lopsided game of the tournament. Virginia continued their hot weekend with their first opening round victory in team history, before the Golden Flashes easily handled them 5-1 to reach the semifinals.
Nebraska had multiple chances to tie or lead against Cincinnati, but couldn’t convert in a high-scoring affair that sent the Cornhuskers home. Ohio State easily dispatched NKU 5-1 in their first round, then edged Cincinnati 4-2 in a game that felt closer than its scoreline with both teams trading dominant throws throughout. After going 0-3 against OSU in the regular season, Kent couldn’t turn it around and the championship clash with Michigan State was set.
The championship delivered the matchup many expected from the beginning. In the end, the top two players in the country, Matt Barriball and Alex Edson, proved too much for Ohio State’s corners. Nate Berhalter for Ohio State made incredible catches in the second half to keep the Buckeyes in the fight, but MSU’s combination of depth, catching, and overall consistency overwhelmed the competition.
Michigan state finished the tournament conceding just three total points across their four matches on their way to the crown. Despite not winning the title in 2025, the Spartan dynasty seems alive and well, with their second undefeated national championship season in three years.