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🏆 NCPA Format 🏆

 

The NCPA Format is divided into two primary formats: Division 1 and Division 2 (with Division 3 as an extension of D2).

  • Division 1 (D1) features our official NCPA team format, modeled after the MLP Format with added singles play. It's one unified bracket using standard side-out scoring, where teams of 4–6 players represent their university.

  • Divisions 2 & 3 (D2 & D3) serve as our individual challenger brackets, with five separate events:

    • Men’s Doubles

    • Women’s Doubles

    • Men’s Singles

    • Women’s Singles

    • Mixed Doubles

This is an individual competition format, ideal for all skill levels. D2 is 4.0+ and D3 is 3.0-4.0.

Both Regional and National Championships follow the same format structure.

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🔹 Division 1 (D1) — Team Bracket

Format: MLP Style + Singles | Pool Play into Single Elimination

  • Teams of 4–6 players (minimum 2 men, 2 women; optional 1 extra man/woman).

  • Represents your university’s top talent.

  • A university can earn up to 3 separate bids (3 teams = up to 12 players at Nationals).

  • Winning a bid locks in your school, but not your roster. Players can be swapped before Nationals.

  • You can compete in multiple regionals, but once a player earns a bid, they can't compete again for another bid. They can still play for prize money.

  • Competing for up to $5,000 each regional in prize money and 64 National Championship spots.

  • Clinch your ticket to Nationals and compete for $30,000 in prize money.

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🔹 Division 2 (D2) — Individual Challenger Brackets (Skill Level 4.0+)

  • Events: Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles.

  • Players compete individually, not in teams of 4–6.

  • Flat fee allows players to enter as many events as desired.

  • Compete for sponsorship prizes (gear, paddles, merch).

  • No Nationals bids awarded.

  • You cannot play in multiple Divisions at the same event.

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🔹 Division 3 (D3) — Individual Challenger Brackets (Skill Level 3.0–4.0)

  • Format and rules identical to D2, but tailored for developing players.​​

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🎟️ REGISTRATION FEE: $75 per player (includes D1, D2 and D3) 🎟️

 

🏫 Participation Rules 🏫

  • Schools are encouraged to send athletes to D1, D2, and D3.

  • No limit on number of teams/players per school per division.

  • Prioritize having at least one D1 team.

  • Multiple regionals participation is allowed and encouraged!

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Division 1 Match Format​

✅ Match Breakdown (6 Total Games)​

 

How a Match Works

  • ​There are three categories (6 total games each match.)... gender doubles, gender singles, mixed doubles... (2 games each category). Below is a breakdown of the categories.

    • Mixed Doubles / Gender Doubles / Gender Singles

    • 2 Mixed Doubles / 1 Men's Doubles - 1 Women's Doubles / 1 Men's Singles​​ - 1 Women's Singles​​​​

  • A Sudden Death Game will be played (7th game) if the final score is 3-3. 

  • Once a category is chosen by a team, both games are played in that category before the other team chooses the next category.

  • All games are standard side-out scoring, to 11 win by 1.

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Coin Toss

  • Coin toss before the start of every match.

    • Winner of the toss decides who chooses the first category. Here is a match scenario between GCU and ASU:

      • Gender Doubles -​ GCU wins coin toss. GCU chooses gender doubles. ASU chooses the gender of the first game. GCU decides serve or side. 

      • Gender Singles - ASU then chooses gender singles for the next category. ASU chooses the gender of the first game and has to put out their first player. GCU reacts. 

      • Mixed Doubles -  GCU chooses mixed doubles and has to put out their first team. ASU reacts. 

      • Sudden Death Game - Each university will field two mixed teams consisting of a total of four players (two men and two women). Teams rotate mid-game after a set number of points are played.

        • How It Works:

          • The first teams from each university face off until three total points are scored (e.g., 2–1 or 3–0).

          • Once three points are on the board, the second teams rotate in and compete for the next three points.

          • The cycle repeats in the same order until a winner is determined, each team playing for three points.

        • Team Order Selection:

          • After each university selects its 4 players:

          • The university with the worst overall point differential is required to submit its first team lineup.

          • The opposing university then gets to react and pick their first team.

          • For the second round, the final teams are chosen by default.

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Key points

  • For all games, teams switch at 6 points. Switching at 6 is NOT a timeout and play resumes within 30 seconds.

  • Each game, your team goes out on the side that you finished the previous game on AND serves alternate.

  • Once a team wins 4 total games the match ends and you do NOT play the remainder of games if any.

  • INPUT SCORES/PLAYERS IMMEDIATELY when your match finishes. Both teams must do this.

  • One 1-min timeout per team per game.

  • Warmups are a max of 2-min per game.

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🏅 D2 & D3 Bracket Format

  • 5 Brackets per Division: Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles.

  • Format: Pool Play into Single Elimination.

  • 4 players/teams per pool, all advance to bracket.

  • All games are best 2 out of 3, standard side-out scoring, to 11 win by 1.

  • 1-minute timeout per match.

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🗓️ 2025 National Championship Schedule 🗓️

(D3 Events to be added soon) (Schedule NOT FINAL)

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FRIDAY​​

  • D1 Pool Play (Game 1)                         - 11:00 AM  

  • D1 Pool Play (Game 2)                         - 12:30 PM 

  • D1 Pool Play (Game 3)                          - 2:00 PM 

  • Live Drawing of Seeds                - 8:00 PM     (Livestream)

  • Day Ends                                    - 8:30 PM​

SATURDAY

  • D1 Round of 64                          - 8:00 AM     (Livestream)

  • D1 Round of 32                          - 9:30 AM     (Livestream)

  • D1 Round of 16                         - 11:00 AM    (Livestream)

  • Men's Doubles D2                               - 12:00 PM 

  • Women's Doubles D2                         - 12:00 PM

  • Mixed Doubles D2                               - 4:00 PM 

  • Pro/College Event  -                  - 5:00 PM      (Livestream)

  • Day Ends                                   - 8:00 PM​

SUNDAY​

  • D1 QuarterFinals                        - 8:00 AM     (Livestream)

  • D1 SemiFinals #1                        - 9:30 AM     (Livestream)

  • D1 SemiFinals #2                        - 11:00 AM   (Livestream)

  • D1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - 12:30 PM    (Livestream)

  • Men's Singles D2                                  - 8:00 AM 

  • Women's Singles D2                            - 8:00 AM  

  • Day Ends​                                    - 5:00 PM

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Check-in is 30 minutes before bracket start time.


🔗 Click here: 2026 Nationals Schedule (coming soon)

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🗓️ Regional Championship Schedule 🗓️

(D3 Events to be added soon) (Schedule NOT FINAL)

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  • SATURDAY

  • D1 Pool Play (Game 1)        - 8:00 AM     (Livestream)

  • D1 Pool Play (Game 2)        - 9:30 AM     (Livestream)

  • D1 Pool Play (Game 3)        - 11:00 AM   (Livestream)

  • Mixed Doubles D2                     - 12:00 PM     

  • Men's Doubles D2                      - 4:00 PM

  • Women's Doubles D2                - 4:00 PM

  • Day Ends                            - 8:00 PM​    

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  • SUNDAY

  • D1 Single Elimination        - 8:00 AM​      (Livestream)

  • Men's Singles D2                      - 12:00 PM

  • Women's Singles D2.               - 12:00 PM

  • Day Ends​                           - 6:00 PM   

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Check-in is 30 minutes before bracket start time.

Final schedule emailed days before event. Start times may shift slightly based on number of entries.

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