By Willy Leparulo; guest writer
NCTTA Press Committee

The NCTTA Championships have been hosted at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire twice before in 2015 and 2017 and now back for a third time in 2024. Each time the local Eau Claire population, which includes nearby Chippewa Valley, has stepped up for help with the event.

NCTTA wants to recognize some folks in the area:

Lucas Connolly from Visit Eau Claire has been everything we have asked for and more. We had to unload a large number of specific sport equipment at a nearby storage area and he not once but twice helped us out. I don't know that I have ever had a CVB go to bat for us like this ever before.

Garrett Larson, Facility Director of the McPhee and Olson University gym, has bent over backwards at our every request. We can’t thank him enough for his help.

Gordy Bischoff, of the local Eau Claire Table Tennis community, from connecting NCTTA with help from the University to helping with table fixing and connecting to others to help. Huge help, thank you Gordy!

Last but not least, Dr. Jianjun Ji and University of Wisconsin Eau Claire table tennis team deserves a shout out as they have assisted us with volunteers and our table shipment. It is great having their “can do” attitude.

Gordy Bischoff says it well, “I have come to find that one of the core elements of my long career (building and repairing guitars) has been my desire to help people.
As table tennis is a passion for me, it was an easy choice to offer my time and help to such a prestigious event, this year’s NCTTA tournament and an added feature of being presented in my home city of Eau Claire Wisconsin. I have found a wonderful core group here of like minded positive people with ‘can do’ attitudes.”

About 2024 NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships
The championships are hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Visit Eau Claire CVB.
The event will feature: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.
PongSpace, Joola, the US Coast Guard, Visit Eau Claire and Bluestone Designs sponsor the event.

Watch the event on live stream starting Friday, April 12th on http://www.nctta.org/champs/2024/video.html

About NCTTA
The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively to promote the sport of table tennis at the college level. As the national governing body for college table tennis in the United States and Canada, NCTTA organizes elite intercollegiate competitions throughout North America. www.nctta.org

NCTTA will conduct a live draw tonight for those that are interested!

When: Sunday, March 31st 10pm eastern
Where: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/9964546347

#livedraw #transparency #WhoPlaysWho #bracket #NCTTA

It is bittersweet for NCTTA these days as we say farewell to long-time National Organization Director, Brandon Lawrence. Brandon has a long history with NCTTA as a Division Director, Board member and many other areas.

He was selected to serve on the USATT board in January 2020 after several unfortunate delays (due to confusion by the USATT Board and their legal counsel) he was finally acknowledged to start his service to the USATT Board in February 2021.

We thank Brandon Lawrence for his service to NCTTA and his service as National Organization Director as a part of the USATT Board of Directors and wish him luck moving forward.

NCTTA Board of Directors has thus selected Kagin Lee to replace Brandon's position on the USA Table Tennis Board of Directors. Kagin Lee is a well-respected ITTF International Umpire and Referee. He was also a board member of NCTTA and the USA Table Tennis from 2013-2016. NCTTA Board of Directors selected and voted for Kagin to be the representative unanimously per USATT bylaws 7.6.

We look forward to Kagin representing the NCTTA as the National Organization Director on the USATT Board of Directors.

By Michael Reff
NCTTA Press Director

Exciting news! The United States Coast Guard is making waves by becoming a new NCTTA Sponsor! In doing so, they will be able to have their own booth at the 2024 Champs in Eau Claire and, according to Petty Officer Jackson, hope to bring a “crew of Coasties to this event and possibly a couple boats as a static display for people to hop on and view.”

Petty Officer Jackson has been a major player in securing the sponsorship deal between the NCTTA and the United States Coast Guard. He’s served for 18 years and has had “a host of adventures and good times within the service.”

He met NCTTA President Willy Leparulo through a mutual friend and “it didn’t take long for us to become friends.” One thing led to another and Petty Officer Jackson helped volunteer at the Champs in Round Rock 2 years back and assisted greatly with the flooring and much more!

Leparulo is ecstatic over the sponsorship! “I am super excited about getting US Coast Guard on board with NCTTA. We are a good match and am excited for USCG to be a part of the College Table Tennis landscape!”

The following is Petty Officer Jackson’s description of the United States Coast Guard and its many benefits for employment and service:

“The US Coast Guard is a fantastic place for young men and women from ages 17-41 to start or further their career. We fall under the Department of Homeland Security which means most of our jobs are here in the United States protecting our coasts and defending citizens from harsh elements on the water. We have a wide variety of benefits from getting your college paid for, 100% free medical, exciting jobs with active mission and a whole host of additional opportunities.

I am Proud to serve in this great service and love coming to work every day being able to spread this opportunity to many others making the coast guard family grow.”

Thank you so much to Petty Officer Jackson and the United States Coast Guard for what we hope will be just the beginning of a fruitful sponsorship!

By Michael Reff

The wait is finally over on who won the 2025 NCTTA Champs Bid! And the honor goes to…. Rockford, IL! All parties involved in this decision are overjoyed with the outcome.

Kara Davis, group sales manager for Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau had this to say about their successful bid:

“After a 12-year hiatus, the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the UW Health Sports Factory welcome back the 2025 National Collegiate Table Tennis Association. Early April is a great time of year to positively impact our hotels, restaurants, shopping and attractions. We are very excited to work with Willy Leparulo, President of the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association, and his team to host a memorable tournament for the athletes.”

Of course, on the NCTTA side of things it is all smiles there.

“We are super excited about coming back to Rockford,” NCTTA President Willy Leparulo exclaimed. “Last time I think was 2013 when we were in the clocktower tennis facility. Having played at the UW Health facility twice I know how awesome it is! The board is excited!”

Finally, we would be remiss to not acknowledge major player Ed Hogshead, a master tournament director in all things table tennis. Rockford, IL is also home to his very popular America’s Team Championship held annually every Memorial Day weekend.

Mark your calendars as the 2025 NCTTA Champs will proudly be hosted in Rockford, IL on the April 4th-6th weekend!

NCTTA Division tournaments are back in 2024 with almost 30 geographical divisions competing from January 20th to February 10th for that coveted place into the NCTTA postseason!

Division team winners are automatically qualified, so a lot is on the line!

Division tournaments will also host Men’s and Women’s Singles competitions where winners will also get direct qualification to the NCTTA Regionals.

To sign up for NCTTA Singles, go to nctta.app and click on Registration and from there Singles.

Speaking of NCTTA Regionals, these mini-Champs events will occur around the country from February 18th to March 3rd and will serve as a qualifier to the NCTTA Championships.

For all of these tournaments (Division singles/teams & Regional singles/teams) every student athlete MUST be on the NCTTA Eligibility Form turned in 72 hours prior to your division tournament this semester to be eligible. See here: http://nctta.org/doc/2024%20Spring%20League%20and%20Postseason%20Elig%20...

ANYONE and we mean ANYONE that is interested in playing in the postseason must be on this form, no exceptions.

Don’t forget rosters are due 72 hours prior to your event too on nctta.app

Announcement to any school who missed the Fall 2023 sign up for the current 2023-2024 season – NCTTA is offering a Limited Membership option – schools can put in a Coed team (A team and B team if you have more players) for $75 and play in a division tournament in the Spring semester.

A women’s team can also be registered for a small fee.

Limited Membership schools CANNOT qualify as a team for the NCTTA postseason (regional and national competitions). However, there are Men’s and Women’s Singles competition in every division tournament and a Limited Membership school’s singles players CAN qualify for the postseason competitions.

If you are considering joining next season, we recommend that you take advantage of this Limited Membership Promotion to get a preview of how playing College Table Tennis is!
To register, go to nctta.app.

Contact info@nctta.org with any questions

Given the current College Football fracas about the Top 25 and the playoff system, we here at NCTTA decided to look at our own Top 25 without all of the drama and chaos! These team ratings are based on your rosters that you submitted and using our NCTTA Team Ratings equations.

Note these Top 25 rankings have NO BEARING on any post season invitations, standings, etc. They are purely informational.

Schools, coaches, etc feel free to use this to help boost your image, reputation, etc within the Sport Club councils and University funding mechanisms to the extent you think it will help!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15NaouUusf1ZaWoFZB3bFGIq9eQh1mrml...

By Shaquila Sarapao
NCTTA Press Committee

Apply to volunteer: https://forms.gle/mQX8JGVgMeKB3cYU8

’Tis the time of year for jolly good fellows

To be on the lookout for the hearty bellows

Of one of the most spirited events of the year

That brings out the merry and the cheers.

The stadium lights shine bright from above

Showcasing the glory, winners, and love

For the sport that brought these people together

That keeps us bound by an unimaginable tether.

Year after year, we’re willing to come back (Featured above are Leah and

To help set up and break our old backs, Jarol Duerksen, our super

To see the athletes grow vigorously intense, volunteers!)

To watch the games, filled with suspense.

Now, for this year once again,

We’re looking for volunteers to begin.

You’ll fly out to Eau Claire

If you dare.

A few days worth of fighting spirit

And balls bouncing back, hit after hit.

Meet the players, professionals and all

Maybe you’ve seen them on screen, if you recall.

So don’t be scared to come out

Send an email, give us a shout

To fly sky high to Eau Claire

If you dare.

(Photo Credit: Yukong Zhang)

By Michael Reff
NCTTA Press Chair

Angela Guan has been an invaluable contributor to NCTTA, not only through her stellar
performances when she was an scintillating chopper University of California, Berkeley (2022
NCTTA women’s single’s champion in Round Rock, TX and 2019 Double’s Champion with
Ying Wang in Greensboro, NC), but also as a current co-DD.

Furthermore, she has now helped NCTTA financially via her company. Throughout October she
has been playing in a continuous tournament where she plays other winners, and she says it has
successfully “raised a total of $1192” that, according to Guan, her company will equal this full
amount and donate it to NCTTA. “It's my pleasure to share what I love with others and give back
to NCTTA in small ways,” she says.

Angela perfected the delicate balance of being a student athlete, as well as successfully
transitioning into the working world while still being able to use her skill and passion for table
tennis.

In addition to her work for NCTTA and day job, she is currently an ambassador for PongSpace (https://pongspace.com/) as
well as a player for MLTT's, Princeton Revolution: (https://mltt.com/princeton-revolution/)

NCTTA would like to thank Angela from the bottom of our hearts for going above and beyond to
assist NCTTA as well as the promotion of table tennis as a whole!