Major League Pickleball Heads to Austin for Crucial Regular-Season Event

Austin Hosts Major League Pickleball's Fourth Regular-Season Event

This week, Major League Pickleball (MLP) moves to Austin, Texas, for its fourth event of the 2026 regular season. Eleven teams will compete fiercely for crucial points as they aim for playoff positions. This Austin event is part of MLP's nine-event regular season, with teams split into two groups. Each team will engage in a round-robin format, and the top four from each group will progress to the placement matches on Sunday.

The Columbus Sliders, the defending champions, are the favorites in Group A. With a strong lineup featuring Andrei Daescu, CJ Klinger, Parris Todd, and Danni-Elle Townsend, they aim to maintain their impressive performance as one of the league's most reliable teams. Group A also includes the California Black Bears, Carolina Hogs, Miami Pickleball Club, and SoCal Hard Eights. SoCal is looking to secure a second-place finish with players like Armaan Bhatia, Will MacKinnon, Meghan Dizon, and Cailyn Campbell. Miami has revamped its roster with the addition of Dylan Frazier, while California and Carolina hope to upset their higher-ranked rivals to boost their playoff chances.

In Group B, the New Jersey 5s stand out as one of the league's top teams. Their roster, featuring Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Will Howells, and Noe Khlif, is expected to be a strong contender for the title. The Dallas Flash and Texas Ranchers are anticipated to vie for second place in this group. Dallas continues to rely on JW Johnson, Tyra Black, Brooke Buckner, and Augie Ge, while Texas will introduce newly acquired Nico Acevedo alongside Lea Jansen, Layne Sleeth, and Eric Oncins. The group is rounded out by the Atlanta Bouncers, Bay Area Breakers, and Florida Smash.

MLP employs a co-ed team format that includes four matches: women's doubles, men's doubles, and two mixed doubles. If the teams are tied after these matches, a singles tiebreaker known as the DreamBreaker will determine the winner. The 2026 MLP season spans from May to August, featuring nine regular-season events, a Mid-Season Tournament, and a three-stage playoff series. The top 12 teams will qualify for the playoffs, with the leading four teams receiving first-round byes. Austin is a pivotal stop in this journey as teams strive for postseason qualification.