NCTTA Newsletter
January 2012

The new year brings some exciting new happenings in NCTTA. Starting with the NCTTA division singles competitions this spring. We'll cover all the details of where they'll be held and the registration process. Plus we've got the mid-season rankings and profiles of some of the top teams to watch this season.

Read on for all this and more ...

NCTTA Launches Singles Competition in 2012
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

The games are on, with NCTTA leaders delighted to announce the start of singles competition for collegiate table tennis players in 2012.

It took a great deal of study and planning dating back to 2010, and NCTTA officials expect singles action will catch on at campuses across the USA and Canada as winter turns to spring. NCTTA President Willy Leparulo in mid-January discussed how it’s going to work, whether at the divisional, regional or national levels.

“We started discussing this back in 2010 after talks with the NCAA about how to go to the next level and offer members a little more,” Leparulo said. “For years, the NCTTA was known as a league where you can organize your club to play in a team-based league. But now in 2012 both teams and singles qualifiers from divisional play and beyond will get a shot at making it to the big national championships in Plano, Texas in April 2012,” he added. “This is just a start, but a good one at that.”

Leparulo and others at NCTTA headquarters are hoping to see loads of people sign up for singles contests in their areas. Cost to play singles will be $25 for men and $20 for women. We believe it’s a great investment in helping us step up collegiate table tennis action!

To register for the singles competition in your division, head to: www.nctta.org/singles
See also the complete list of competition dates on the NCTTA website. Registration deadline is 3 days before the competition (Wed. by 11:59 PM for Sat. competitions. Thu. by 11:59 PM for Sun. competitions).

2011-2012 Mid-Season Rankings Released

Little suprise at the top of the rankings, with Texas Wesleyan and Lindenwood retaining the No. 1 and No. 2 spots they held in the pre-season rankings. But from there down there were lots of surprises. Like San Jose St. at No. 4 or newcomer Simon Fraser of the Canuck Division at No. 10.

In the women's rankings, Lindenwood is holding steady at the top with a trio of Canadian schools, British Columbia, Waterloo, and Toronto looking to challenge. The Texas Lady Longhorns round out the top 5.

Check out the complete 2011-2012 Mid-Season Rankings to see how all the top teams stack up so far this season.

Sponsor Corner
Special thanks to our sponsors, Butterfly and Newgy!

NCTTA, would like to thank Butterfly for its support of college table tennis. Butterfly is the exclusive NCTTA League and Championship Equipment sponsor for the 2011-2012 season. Grab all your favorite Butterfly equipment in the online Butterfly store.

Also, special thanks to NEWGY Industries, for its continued support of college table tennis Newgy offers a great way to fundraise for your club and help out our sponsor as well by signing up and participating in their Newgy Robo Pong Affiliate Program.

2013 Championships Bidding Deadline Set for Feb. 1
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

While the 2012 National Championships in Plano, Texas are fast approaching this April, the deadline also draws near for cities to bid to host the 2013 games.

NCTTA officials set a February 1, 2012 deadline to receive site proposals. Once city leaders submit their plans, NCTTA's team will explore all of the bids with a close look at a facility's flooring, lighting, space, spectator capacity, food services and parking. Folks at NCTTA headquarters also want to know the details about nearby hotels, banquet facilities, the crew of dozens of volunteers available to staff the weekend of championship games, transportation to and from the site, restaurants, local cultural attractions and much more.

It's a lengthy and time-consuming process that NCTTA leaders go through year after year to try to ensure that the best proposal is ultimately selected. Proposals will be posted on the NCTTA website shortly after the bid deadline to gain feedback from the rest of the collegiate table tennis family. There are also site visits made by NCTTA's team to get an up-close look at the facilities available for our big event.

For those newcomers to NCTTA ranks, the 2011 championships were held in Rochester, Minnesota, the city that's known worldwide as the home of the famed Mayo Clinic. The 2010 games were held at a site near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the years, the games have taken the finest collegiate table tennis players in the USA and Canada to championship competition in Columbus, Ohio, and in cities in Texas and California.

San Jose St. Emerges as Northern California Power
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

When 13,000 San Jose State University Facebook fans were recently asked to name their favorite place to study on campus, the overwhelming choice was the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

If the San Jose State family was asked to name the school’s best sports team, the obvious pick would have to be the Spartans fabulous table tennis squad. At the moment, the coed team is ranked No. 4 in the USA and Canada, according to this month’s NCTTA mid-season rankings.

That’s super for a team that showed strength in the Northern California Division last year with a No. 19 ranking nationwide. They showed they are no flash in the pan. This team is great and getting better no matter where they play. They are undefeated – 4-0 – so far in the division and are already looking ahead to the West Regional competition and perhaps the national tourney in Plano, Texas in April 2012.

With seven players on the team, SJSU is led by No. 1 player Truong Tu, a native of Vietnam who once played on a team in Ho Chi Minh City. He brings a powerful 2454 USATT rating to the table. He’s also a smart guy who’s in pursuit of an MBA at San Jose State after getting his marketing degree at the school in the Silicon Valley.

Read more ...

Canada’s Table Tennis Teams Stay Hot
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

Canada is always freezing cold in the winter, but stays awfully hot year-round when it comes to the sport of table tennis on college campuses.

The latest NCTTA rankings show a whopping seven of Canada’s 10 college teams in the top 25 in the coed/men’s division. Teams from Canada are also strong in the women’s rankings.

The newest NCTTA Mid-Season rankings for 2011-2012 were released in early January, around the time of the coldest weather in Canada. Take a look at the temps in Canada on Saturday January 14, 2012. Ottawa recorded a frigid minus 18 degrees, and it was a teeth-chattering 11 degrees below in Toronto. Calgary rated as one of the nation’s warm spots that day at 3 degrees.

Evidently, some of the sharpest table tennis players on college campuses throughout Canada are avoiding the ice, snow and strong wind gusts outdoors. They are improving their game indoors when the cold weather hits, but also polishing their game year-round.
Having seven of the ten colleges in Canada that play the Olympic sport ranked in the NCTTA’s Top 25 is really quite remarkable.

“It’s absolutely amazing” says NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. “We added a new Canuck Division this season, but even still the overall strength of the Canadian teams is impressive.”

Read more ...

Virginia Tech's Consistency Continues in 2012
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

When it comes to football, Virginia Tech has been one of the most consistent teams over the past two decades, winning their way to 19 consecutive post-season bowl games under legendary Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.

Inside on the table tennis court, Virginia Tech is quietly working on assembling a similar streak. They’ve qualified for the NCTTA Championships 9 times in a row. In fact, Virginia Tech’s table tennis team has made it to the post season every year of its existence. They know how to win, having never once experienced a losing season.

Even with the graduation of the team’s top two players last season, Virginia Tech’s winning ways continue. The team currently sits at No. 21 in the Mid-Season Rankings and in first place atop the Virginia division.

“Virginia Tech’s roster has undergone some changes this season, yet they still remain the team to beat in the Virginia division,” says Abrahm Behnam, the division director. It’s a case of Virginia Tech’s fresh faces stepping up with their paddles to keep the Hokies No. 1 in their league.

Read more ...

Spring Eligibility Form Reminder

Let's make things nice and simple. We know there are lots of college table tennis competitions coming up this spring, from NCTTA team competitions, to NCTTA division singles, to the Regional and National Championships.

But you only need 1 eligibility form for all of them. That would be the 2012 Spring Eligibility Form due February 6, 2012.

If your 1st division competition of the semester is held before Feb. 6 you can turn it in to your division director. Otherwise mail it directly to NCTTA (address is on the form).

Don't delay, if you don't submit your eligibility form you won't be able to compete in any of those great spring competitions we mentioned. If you're confused about NCTTA's eligibility rules, see the Eligibility FAQ at the end of the December newsletter.

Got an idea for a future story or newsletter topic? Email the NCTTA Media Relations Chair.