D.C.'S FIRST PROFESSIONAL PICKLEBALL TEAM, D.C. PICKLEBALL TEAM DONATE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL PICKLEBALL PADDLES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND PICKLEBALL CLUB

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- D.C. Pickleball Team (DCPT), an expansion team of Major League Pickleball (MLP) and D.C.'s newest professional sports team, announced a partnership with the University of Maryland Pickleball Club.

DCPT joined MLP ahead of the 2023 season that began January 26th in Mesa, Arizona. Like the other high-profile investor backed teams that have joined MLP, DCPT's ownership group includes Al Tylis, Sam Porter, Eva Longoria, Justin Verlander, Kate Upton, Rip Hamilton, Shawn Marion, Odell Beckham Jr. and Mesut Ozil.

D.C. Pickleball Team will donate professional level pickleball equipment including JOOLA pickleball paddles to the University of Maryland Pickleball Club. DCPT aims to unite communities through the accessible sport of pickleball, and to help grow and elevate the sport in every way possible. When DCPT learned of the club's mission to give students the opportunity to learn and play the sport of pickleball, meet new people, and stay active on campus there was immediate interest in helping support the club's mission.

 "D.C. Pickleball Team is grateful for the opportunity to donate professional level JOOLA paddles to the University of Maryland Pickleball Club," says Adam Behnke, Chief Operating Officer of D.C. Pickleball Team. "We were inspired by the club's enthusiasm for the sport from the first time we connected and appreciate their commitment to bringing pickleball to the University of Maryland campus. We look forward to seeing the players take their game to the next level with the new paddles and supporting both the game and their club."

"We can't thank D.C. Pickleball Team enough for supporting our club and helping us improve our pickleball games with professional level equipment," says Sydney Skalka, President of UMD Pickleball Club. "We appreciate what D.C. Pickleball Team and their ownership group brings to our pickleball loving community and can't wait to cheer them on in their first Major League Pickleball season."

For more information about D.C. Pickleball Team, visit dcpickleballteam.com and follow them on social media:

Twitter - @dcpickleball_tm
Instagram - @dcpickleballteam
Facebook - @dcpickleballteam
TikTok - @d.c.pickleballteam

About D.C. Pickleball Team:

D.C. Pickleball Team (DCPT) is the newest professional pickleball team to join Major League Pickleball (MLP) ahead of the 2023 season that began January 26th. DCPT's ownership group includes Al Tylis, Sam Porter, Eva Longoria, Justin Verlander, Kate Upton, Rip Hamilton, Shawn Marion, Odell Beckham Jr. and Mesut Ozil.

DCPT is playing in the Challenger Level in season one and the Premier Level in season two. The year will be divided into two "seasons" of three events — in the first season, 12 teams will compete in the MLP Premier Level (the first 48 drafted players) and 12 will compete in the MLP Challenger Level (the next 48 drafted players), with rosters consisting of two men and two women. The teams will then flip levels and re-draft players for the second season that starts September 21st. Season one's roster includes Sam Querrey, 10-time ATP Tour titleist and ranked 11th in the world in 2018; Stefan Auvergne, an exciting new player from France and a former competitive tennis player, competitive gamer and race car driver; Shelby Bates, former D1 tennis player at Coastal Carolina University; and Amanda Hendry, former D1 field hockey player at University of North Carolina.

About University of Maryland Pickleball Club:

The University of Maryland Pickleball Club was founded in 2017 with a mission to give students the opportunity to learn and play the sport of pickleball. meet new people, and stay active on campus. Learn more about University of Maryland Pickleball Club at https://terplink.umd.edu/organization/pickleball-club

About Major League Pickleball:

Major League Pickleball (MLP) is the premier team league and the standard-bearer for the fastest-growing sport in the United States. MLP is committed to perpetuating the sport's larger role in society and permeating every facet of pickleball's business, marketing and community relations. With iconic team owners, a co-ed team format, an innovative draft, easy-to-understand scoring, groundbreaking broadcast quality and the highest prize money in pro pickleball, MLP's goal is to elevate and grow the sport in everything it does. For more information on Major League Pickleball, visit majorleaguepickleball.net and follow Major League Pickleball on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE D.C. Pickleball Team