Binghamton features an Olympic Table Tennis hopeful for 2020, Kai Zhang. Binghamton University has never been to the National Championships and is poised to be one of the best teams yet! This may be their first time as a team at the College Table Tennis Championships but they are brimming with confidence in their first year.

Binghamton not only survived but dominated their division tournaments and came in 4^th in the Regional Championships in Canada earning a wildcard into the Championships. Team leader Julio Almonte states, “We are very proud to see our school qualify for such an event, we believe that it is a great opportunity for all of our players to showcase their talents.”

Talents is a bit of an understatement perhaps as Kai Zhang and Akshay Gadikar are featured in Men’s doubles and will look to win also in the team event. Zhang is an Olympic hopeful and Gadikar an Indian international majoring in Computer Science.

Back home in Binghamton, New York, the club is very tight knit with many of their non playing club members glued to the live stream and championship website to see how their team is doing. This is their 2^nd year as a competitive program within the Campus Recreation Sport club program. Almonte says, “WE hope that our continuing success will impress our club’s goals and dedication.”

The College Table Tennis Championships is a different event from any other competition in North America in that all tables will have umpires and scorekeepers, and rules that normally are not as strict will be this time. Almonte goes on to say, “Even though our players have played in some of the best facilities in the country, they haven’t played on tournament flooring with umpires throughout this school year (excluding individual tournaments they have participated in). That being said, I’m sure these facilities will live right up to their expectations.”

Binghamton is seeded #16 out of 24 Men’s/Coed teams and while that isn’t the highest seeding, they shouldn’t be trifled with by some of the other school teams. Almonte states, “It is hard to predict where we will place as a team, as this is the first time we are sending out a full team to nationals. We recognize that the level of play will be much greater in regards to the divisional and regional tournaments, and we have been training in preparation for the tournament.” This is why we play because on any given day in Sports, anything can happen.

Tune in April 20-22^nd to the 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships!

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). www.usatt.org

By Andy Kanengiser

NCTTA Media Chair

Cornell University graduate Dennis Yanga brought much to the table as he worked video productions at the NCTTA’s 2017 championships.

A bright 27-year-old, Yanga grew up near New York City. He’s one of the awesome members of the NCTTA’s team of volunteers making the national championships such a success each season.

After winning kudos for his assistance at the three-day NCTTA tournament in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Dennis will return to the 2018 games in Round Rock, Texas.

“My favorite thing about volunteering with the NCTTA is how much passion and energy everyone has,’’ Yanga said. “It’s a joy being able to work with people that share the same interest in table tennis.’’

Yanga was pretty passionate about hitting the books at Cornell. He earned a MEng in chemical engineering degree from the Ivy League school in 2013. He now works for a company called EaglePicher Technologies.

After graduating from Cornell in Ithaca, New York, Dennis moved to Joplin, Missouri. He worked in the Midwest as a research and development engineer for a company that develops batteries for space, medical and military applications. He continues to play his favorite Olympic sport at the Joplin Table Tennis Club. He volunteers with the group in the Show Me State as an umpire, coach and certified referee.

It's fun stuff. “We host tournaments and have had a few NCTTA players/alumni show up to our previous events.’’

At the NCTTA nationals, Yanga loves being involved in the video work. It’s rewarding as he hears stories of fans across the USA and the globe watching exciting table tennis action live on computer screens.

 “Video production plays a key role in helping alumni support their former teams at Nationals and Regionals with live streams,’’ Yanga said. “It gives alumni a chance to relive Nationals and feel like they are still cheering on their friends and teammates.’’

Dennis also was busy creating last year’s NCTTA Nationals promo video.

The Cornell grad’s really got a good sense for what it’s like to play collegiate table tennis on a big stage. He competed for Cornell’s coed team in NCTTA divisional and regional matches. Dennis traveled to Rockford, Illinois for the 2013 NCTTA championships. He pitched in as the coach of the Cornell women’s team swatting table tennis balls in the Land of Lincoln.

Each year, the NCTTA’s largest tournament of the year attracts more than 250 of the best collegiate table tennis players in the USA and Canada. That will be the case at the 2018 games near Austin April 20-22.

“Volunteers like Dennis Yanga do incredible work at the nationals and other major tournaments all season,’’ said NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. “We never can thank them enough.’’

Championship volunteers like Shelly Huang-Leparulo greets visitors with a smile at the registration tables. Media commentators like NCTTA Vice President Joseph Wells offer insightful analysis to make the games a memorable experience for the fans. The same goes for other hard working volunteers like Ed & Diana Hogshead, Chris Wang, David Del Vecchio, Michael Hillard, Scott Ryan, Kagin Lee, Randy Kendle (and many more).

There were about 75 volunteers helping at the 2017 championships in Wisconsin. But NCTTA officials say they could always use a few more good ones at the 2018 games or next season.

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). www.usatt.org

Pictured above are members of UT Arlington Table Tennis team that will participate at the Championships

What do Arizona State, Bryn Mawr College, Brandeis, Binghamton, Santa Monica College, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Toledo, Wichita State and Wright State University have in common? They are all new schools to the 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships! Each with their own history and story to tote.

Binghamton features an Olympic Table Tennis hopeful for 2020, Kai Zhang. Binghamton University has never been to the National Championships and is poised with one of the best teams yet!

Another school sure to turn heads is all the way over on the west coach in beautiful sunny Santa Monica College in California. SMC is sending their top two players Indian International Ayush Kapoor and Italian international Tiziano Aiello. They are competing in Men’s singles and Men’s doubles. SMC is appearing for the first time in the College Table Tennis Championships this year and looks to surprise the draw.

Tiziano Aiello Italian international is excited about the event and their chances stating, “This is my second NCTTA tournament as I played for UCLA in 2016. It is definitely an honor for our college being at this college National Championships. Furthermore it is really impressive how a table tennis college tournament is that well organized. In double we might be a surprise. Playing with Ayush Kapoor, a 2450 long pips aggressive player, give us a unique game of both power attacks and slow defense when is needed. Thus our expectations in double are really high.”

Brandeis University out of the Northeast is very strong but no one knows about them and Team Captain, Brian Gao states “We are the underdog, but if some teams don’t take us seriously, there is a chance we can win” This is true in all sports and especially in College Table Tennis where the best of the best have congregated.

Wright State University in Ohio features two players in the event. Joshua Cabay talks to us, “This is the first time Wright State has been represented at a Championships. I Feel honored to be able to compete against players of this caliber”

Last but certainly not least is University of Texas at Arlington which is sending 3 singles players to this event 1 woman and 2 men. UTA as they are called features Texas Wesleyan Alumni, Yahao Zhang as their coach. Vikas Sagi, playing in Men’s singles and Doubles, has many to thank for the team’s success, “Yahao Zhang is the biggest reason for this achievement. I am very thankful for his advice and belief in us throughout the year. I would like to specially thank our sponsors Ready Real Estate (Khanty, Realtor) and HappySpin Table Tennis Club for their support. Also I appreciate Mr. Scott Ryan for being there every time i needed him for any advice.” Sagi eloquently states about their chances, “The odd say I am an underdog, but I believe low aim is a crime. I will be eyeing the title.”

It is a crime indeed to give up before the first point! Year after year similar faces and schools come in, but it is always nice to see the rookies come in and shake things up.

Look out for these schools and others at the 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships!

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). www.usatt.org

By Michael Reff

NCTTA Media Committee

Temple University class of 2017 alum Daniel Moon is currently the coach of the Bryn Mawr women’s table tennis team, a group of players that have successfully qualified for the 2018 iSet NCTTA Championships in Round Rock, TX April 20-22. He studied biophysics with a pre-pharmacy path. In addition to coaching the up and coming Bryn Mawr Owls, he holds a position in the pharmacy division at a human services company called Merakey and work’s part-time at SPIN Philadelphia. Furthermore, due to being an ITTF level 1 coach, he privately coaches table tennis as well.

You might be asking how a male table tennis player arrived at coaching a historically all female (nowadays graduate admissions is open to both genders) college’s team. Well as in most good things in life, it happened with a little coincidental networking. Back in Daniel’s senior year at Temple, he was participating in the men’s singles regionals tournament in North Carolina. Since it was a long trip, he stayed the weekend, and although he is an avid churchgoer, he had to miss church that weekend.  A girl who attended the church and Bryn Mawr college inquired about why he missed church, and Daniel related the story of playing in NCTTA regionals. By chance, the girl said she oversaw the table tennis team at Bryn Mawr, and that the team was looking for a coach with more experience to lead the team. Daniel relates that he was delighted to be told this and thought it would be a great chance for him to bolster his coaching abilities, while also spreading the joy of playing table tennis to other schools in the Pennsylvania area. 

Ironically, Daniel’s experiences without having coaches during his tenure playing NCTTA tournaments have helped shape his coaching perspectives in a beneficial way. He says, “As a former athlete for NCTTA at Temple University, I can confidently say that my experience in NCTTA has done nothing but help with my coaching at Bryn Mawr University. During my time at Temple University... I was only able to qualify to the next level through the Men's Singles event. As I participated in the regional and national tournaments, most times alone because my teammates were unable to qualify, I would see other teams interacting with their coaches, getting crucial advice and tips on opponents' weaknesses, and I realized the importance of having a coach in such situations.”

Many table tennis players and aspiring athletes in general would have taken the experience of not having a coach as being a detriment to their improvement as player and future coaches, but Daniel has spun it into something productive. He has taken these years in NCTTA as teachable building blocks to successfully coaching the Bryn Mawr women’s team to a nationals. How is the team preparing for the big day? With lots of training, according to Daniel. “Qualifying for nationals as a first-year team in NCTTA brings us great joy and excitement, but also instills a slight fear and intimidation as we know very well that there are very strong women's teams throughout the country. Regardless, our women's team has been working hard to up their game, practicing not only during our weekly sessions at Bryn Mawr College, but also practicing at the couple available local clubs throughout the weekdays.” Congratulations Daniel on coaching the Bryn Mawr women’s team to contend at the nationals and happy ponging Bryn Mawr Owls!

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). www.usatt.org

50, 78, 39, 24, 15, 14, 31, 32

Prime numbers, numbers to the next lottery picks? Yes that is all plausible, but actually these numbers represent different areas within the 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships.

50 Colleges/Universities

78 Men’s Singles

39 Women’s Singles

24 Men’s/Coed Teams

15 Women’s Teams

14 Women’s Doubles

31 Men’s Doubles

32 Nations represented

Let the last number truly sink in. 32 Nations represented from around the world. Welcome to the United Nations type of sport where diversity is first and “being just one of many” isn’t really an option!

We have Kiwi’s from New Zealand on the Duke University team, we have a myriad of folks from our brother from the north (Canada) with the University of British Columbia and Ottawa teams and we have number of players from Brazil, India, China and of course the United States.

PHD in Linguistics, NCTTA Alum and former University of Connecticut standout Vanessa Petroj says, “as a linguist and a table tennis player, going to NCTTA tournaments was fantastic! If I hadn't already chosen a topic for my dissertation, I would have written one on the origins and different ways of chole-ing! Every tournament is a blend of cultures, languages, and different people, but crucially - we all respect and understand each other through our universal TT language!"

This “blend of cultures” is evident in the 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships. Just to name some multi-cultural teams to watch out for: Texas Wesleyan featuring players from (China, Norway, Spain and more) or Lindenwood University featuring players from (Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Nepal and the Czech Republic). There are many others too, so our advice is to come check it out!

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). www.usatt.org

By Andy Kanengiser

NCTTA Media Chair

Round Rock bills itself as the Sports Capital of Texas, but the wonderful city near Austin is much more. So is the Round Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Its friendly staff of leaders did a terrific job hosting the 2016 NCTTA Championships in the Lone Star State. And they will once again roll out the red carpet to 250-plus table tennis players, coaches, volunteers & fans at the 2018 games.

The same high level of enthusiasm combines nicely with fantastic hospitality. City officials are clearly stepping up their game as they help make Round Rock an appealing oasis to table tennis people across the USA and Canada. The NCTTA’s biggest tournament of the year runs from April 20-22 at the Round Rock Sports Center.

Nancy Yawn, CVB director for the City of Round Rock, is perhaps the biggest cheerleader for her lively hometown. It’s brimming with many things to do away from the table tennis venue.

“When the table tennis games are over, you’ll find some of the best shopping around with the Round Rock Premium Outlets, Bass Pro Shops and Ikea,’’ Yawn said. “Plus, fabulous restaurants await the entire table tennis family and team with ample seating for the whole group to enjoy.’’

Don’t let her last name fool you. Nancy Yawn is really just getting started with her zealous pitch for Round Rock. Visitors should experience a world famous Round Rock Donut, she suggests.

Barbecue sandwiches are another delicious way to go. Baseball fans should check out the action with the Round Rock Express. It’s the Texas Rangers successful Triple A franchise, the speedy gateway to the MLB. Who knows? Baseball legends like Nolan Ryan may be in town for a game at Dell Diamond. The season opened April 5.

Table tennis stars could check out other attractions in Round Rock as they take a break from their favorite Olympic sport. The Chisholm Trail Crossing Park might be the perfect place to go. Or try Round Rock’s live escape room known as Escapology.

Music on Main (on the city’s Main Street Plaza) is an option once players put away their paddles. It features live music from April 14-September 8. Pinthouse Pizza is one of the latest eateries to break ground in the city. Round Rockers and visitors love a slice of pizza no matter the occasion.

Round Rock is conveniently located near the state capital of Austin, that’s also home to the University of Texas. It should be a short 30-minute ride to the venue for UT Longhorns student-athletes who eat and breathe table tennis.

Round Rock CVB people are proud of all the positives in scenic Williamson County. It’s rated the 2^nd healthiest county in Texas. Folks there believe in riding bikes, playing sports, having fun, and working out.

Table tennis players and fans are invited to stop by the downtown Round Rock Visitors Center to discover much more about the city’s multitude of attractions, shopping, and dining possibilities. Said Nancy Yawn (and she means every word): “Our knowledgeable staff is ready to help you find local favorites and ensure a great stay!’’

For more information, go online to SportsCapitalofTexas.com

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). www.usatt.org

Year after year we ask for suggestions for improvements.
We heard all your feedback and the League Rep of Directors are proud to announce a big change for next year!

Starting next year, we will be switching from the tradition plastic material to a new type of ball made of a synthetic polymer polybutadiene as well as hydrated silica, zinc oxide, and stearic acid to produce a super elastic ball engineered to match the bounce and spin displacement of the traditional balls but at a fraction of the price and 1000% the durability!

Pictured above from Grant Bergmann Texas Wesleyan Doubles pair: Jishan Liang and Feng Zhe

NCTTA is known for its team event, founded on the concept of team table tennis back in the late 1990’s. NCTTA has in recent years branched out to include singles and doubles events at their National Championships and it is going to be exciting!

Singles players had to get through a rigorous qualification season

(Division play-->Regional Championships--> to here at the Championships) 

Men’s singles is the top 80 and Women feature the top 40. This year’s championships is a blend of who’s who in college table tennis.

The Men’s singles number one seed is Kaden Xu from Pillar College. He is one the highest rated players to date in this competition, but he doesn’t have to look far for competition as former US Open champion, Jinxin Wang from Texas Wesleyan looks to make things difficult for Xu! Men’s singles has a total of 78 this year with a staggering 2/3^rd of the draw over 2000. Our pick for a dark horse is Adar Alguetti (NYU) who has had a great year and is ranked #9 and due to surprise many!

In women’s singles, crowd favorite, reigning collegiate champ and USA Table Tennis women’s national team player Lily Zhang leads the draw. On her heels is Texas Wesleyan’s Yue “Jennifer” Wu who also appears with Lily on the USA National team. Watch out for another potential contender in the competition who is in the draw, former 2012 London Olympics US National Team member Erica Wu (Princeton).

Doubles is only available at the National Championships and is open to any players that have qualified in the team or singles event and are of the same school. Men’s doubles are the best 32 pairs and women’s are the best 16 pairs. There is no actual qualification for doubles, but the levels of synergy for this event between pairs is integral for success.  In men’s doubles look for Texas Wesleyan to provide much of the firepower as in the Top 10 they feature three teams! Women’s doubles sees an equal Texas Wesleyan presence with four teams within the top 8! This is what in sport jargon one calls a “deep team”.

Come check out the event in Round Rock, Texas on April 20-22.

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis

By Michael Reff

NCTTA Media Relations Committee

Northwestern University is a model school for table tennis team building efforts and results. Just this last regional tournament at Lindenwood, the coed team pulled off a second-place finish by defeating formidable opponent Minnesota in doubles 3-2. It was a heartwarming experience and, as Northwestern coach Ned Leuchtner recalled, “The team came together in an embrace after and there was not a dry eye to be found among us.” This win qualifies them for the NCTTA championships that will take place April 20-22 in Round Rock, Texas.

Northwestern University has had a table tennis program for 10 years, the product of Coach Leuchtner’s hard work, passion and experience being a table tennis student athlete himself growing up in Elkhart, Indiana. “I went on to play in many National Tournaments, and played in the same collegiate tournaments that I coach in now as table tennis champion at Indiana University,” Ned reminisced. Before coaching at Northwestern, he taught table tennis to high schoolers. According to Ned, “I still am in touch with most of my former student athletes, who have gone on to good jobs and live in all parts of the world. They enjoy staying in touch with our program. Quite an honor for me indeed.” This statement epitomizes what college table tennis is all about: fostering athleticism and academics in equal parts.

Like many college table tennis programs among the NCTTA, Northwestern’s club had modest beginnings. For two years, they had to fight for practice times and space with the Ball Room Dancing Club in the Norris Center Student Union building (the author of this article can commiserate with this experience, having had trying times with cheerleading squadrons and volley ball teams in both undergraduate and graduate schools!). Mr. Leuchtner finally, with the accompaniment of the team captain, met with staff from Sports Clubs on campus, and successfully convinced them to move their practice venues to a better facility. “That was 8 years ago, and have not looked back,” Ned stated.

This most recent success at the regionals is due to several factors. One reason is because of the instructive table tennis coaching certification program that NCTTA president Willy Leparulo created. The first classes were conducted in September 2017 at Iowa University and Coach Leuchtner participated in them. He says that what he learned from the course “was to create individual goals for each teammate AND a team goal for the season.” Another factor for the impressive performance has been the team members themselves shining through in leadership roles. Coach Leuchtner cites graduating seniors David Lee and Eddy Lin as pivotal players that have exemplified consistency and tenacity in their respective tenures with the team.

In response to a question on how Northwestern was preparing for the championships in Round Rock, Texas  Coach Leuchtner exuded optimism and was goal-driven. “Our preparation for Nationals, has been to stay the course on our practice schedules and stay focused on the various drills that we do,” he said. Congratulations on a strong finish Northwestern and best of luck at the Nationals!

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis

by Andy Kanengiser

NCTTA Media Chair

A star studded roster of sponsors is signed up for the 2018 national collegiate table championships in the Lone Star State.

The Sports Capital of Texas, Round Rock will be the place to be April 20-22 for the iSet national collegiate table tennis games. Round Rock did a great job hosting the national tournament attracting more than 250 players in 2016. NCTTA leaders anticipate a bigger and even better tournament with its stellar lineup of sponsors on board.

"Our biggest tournament of the year is a huge success thanks to our sponsors,'' says NCTTA President Willy Leparulo. " We can't thank them enough for all they do from one season to the next. This year is no different.''

Sponsors like USA Table Tennis play an awesome role. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the group is the national governing board for the support of table tennis in the United States. The organization creates opportunities for athletes and coaches to in participate year-round. They are involved in nearly 300 clubs and over 350 tournaments per year in the USA. USATT sanctions events like the U.S. Open and U.S. Nationals.

In addition, USA Table Tennis officials are responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Pan American and Olympic games. It is a member of the International Table Tennis Federation and is affiliated with the United States Olympic Committee.

Other star sponsors in the 2018 championships lineup include equipment sponsors Double Fish and Gerflor.

Based in Guangzhou, China, Double Fish has been in the table tennis business since 1954. Double Fish balls are used by players at NCTTA tournaments in the USA and Canada earlier in the year. The balls will be flying around and spinning at the April games at the Round Rock Sports Center. Double Fish's bragging points included supplying equipment at the 2017 NCTTA championships in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and at the 2016 ITTF-North America Cup.

Founded in 1937 in Lyon, France, Gerflor is a leading floor manufacturer. The company provides resilient sports flooring.

DHS, the company many know as Double Happiness, served as the official supplier for the World Table Tennis Championships in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. The company produces balls, rubber blades, bats and other items. DHS was the official supplier at the Olympic games in 2008 and 2012.

The games are now titled after iSet, and NCTTA officials were delighted to welcome them aboard earlier this year, Leparulo noted. "The iSet announcement was a shining moment for us in the collegiate table tennis world.''

When nearly 300 student-athletes, coaches and volunteers travel to the 2018 tournament near Austin, they are likely to encounter several of the event's leading sponsors.

 "Please take the time to thank them for their support of collegiate table tennis,'' Leparulo said. "It would be impossible to stage our premier event of the year without their support. They stand tall in the eyes of NCTTA leaders.''

Consisting entirely of volunteers, the NCTTA is a non-profit that promotes and governs the Olympic sport of table tennis at the college level in North America.

The 2018 iSET College Table Tennis Championships is hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Round Rock CVB and is one of the premier table tennis tournaments in North America featuring 6 events: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.  The event is sponsored by iSET, Double Happiness, Gerflor, Double Fish and USA Table Tennis

Players and spectators alike will enjoy a jam-packed weekend of table tennis at the iSET College Table Tennis Championships. The event starts Friday April 20th and continues through Sunday April 22^nd.

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively for promoting 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 intercollegiate competition throughout North America. www.nctta.org

About USA Table Tennis

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States, serving 9,000+ members and nearly 300 clubs. USATT sanctions 200+ events a year including the US Open and US Nationals. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Table-Tennis