We’re halfway into the 2026 NCDA season, and the South region has gone from one of the smallest, most sparse regions in the association to the fastest-growing. #11 Northern Kentucky continues their steady improvement and #14 North Georgia is playing the best dodgeball they ever have. Lower down in the deep south, #22 Alabama begins their debut season strong with 12 points scored and #25 Georgia Southern looks to complement their shortened roster to maximize their potential.
Not only are the teams in the South improving rapidly, but many prospective teams in the South look to enter the league this spring or next fall. As such, this year’s South Cup will be the most interesting yet. Here’s a recap of each team’s fall semester.
Northern Kentucky
The Northern Kentucky Norse continue to improve year after year, largely due to the coaching of veteran Wes Peters. NKU President Hunter Theissen claims “we wouldn’t be here doing this good [without him].” At the end of their debut season in 2024 the Norse stood at #23 in the nation’s standings, only beating out 4 other schools in the association. Headed into 2026, NKU sits at #11 in the nation, leading the South with wins over every other team in their region and an additional upset win over a #8 Akron team. In addition, Northern Kentucky put on a thriller at Pink Out, narrowly losing 2-3 against the defending NCDA champion Miami team.
What’s more interesting is the brand of dodgeball that Northern Kentucky plays; although they only have 3 extremely fast throwers, they rely on playmaking, coordination, and leadership to score points. #12 Will Strong and #28 Braylon Patton check all of those boxes as NKU’s most well-rounded players. It’s clear that the sky is the limit for NKU with high-performing captains and exceptional leadership. It won’t be a surprise in the coming seasons when NKU starts to make a deep playoff run.
North Georgia
The North Georgia Nighthawks are playing the best dodgeball they have ever played in the 10 years they have been in the NCDA, and will have to keep their foot on the gas in order to contend for the South Dodgeball Cup as the Nighthawks were unable to defeat the Norse in the title game last year. Being one of the biggest teams in the South, North Georgia’s veteran leadership has allowed the team to play a high level while quickly developing their rookies.
Sophomore rookie Peyton Bowen stands out as one of the fastest-throwing Nighthawks, contributing to their two wins over Alabama and Georgia Southern in November. #07 Henry Bowman also continues to have a great season as both an exceptional catcher and thrower. At the end of the day, North Georgia have the resources to be the best team in the South, but they will certainly have to earn it.
Alabama
Alabama played their induction match on September 27, 2025 against Georgia Southern resulting in a narrow 4-5 loss. The next month, the Crimson Tide took revenge in a commanding 6-2 win over the same squad in Tuscaloosa. In addition, Alabama took a 1-0 lead against Northern Kentucky before a 2-5 loss against the reigning champions of the South. Despite the loss, a 1-against-5 comeback point by #6 Zalan Volkan-Kacso proved that Alabama is improving at a rapid pace.
The Crimson Tide have many valuable pieces in their roster, such as the IQ of #55 Avery Thomas and catching of #00 Avery Weathers and #13 Trey Carodine. Alabama also has one of the youngest teams in the association, as 91% of their roster is made up of freshmen and sophomores. There’s a lot left to accomplish for Alabama, but right now their future looks exceedingly bright.
Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern has played great dodgeball this season with their number of veterans on the team; however, their lack of a complete roster has left them with only one win going into 2026. The eagles have scored 12 points across 5 matches in the fall, which means that once they show up to matches in the spring with a full squad, they will certainly be a strong team in the South.
#7 Mason Wade and #00 Tyrek Grant serve as the most dangerous players for Georgia Southern with a brand of dodgeball that has been refined over the years by the veterans of the team. As such, a South Cup title isn’t out of the question for them, but major moves must happen first.