That's the number of college campuses which have either installed pickleball courts or even instituted competitive pickleball clubs.
Ben Van Hout at DUPR told KWTX News that it’s not just the big schools that take the sport seriously. "From 17 schools to 130 in a year is pretty tremendous. I probably see it doubling or tripling next year.”
Pickleball Scholarships?
The NCAA hasn't officially recognized pickleball - yet - but regardless, every new semester brings more reports of schools offering scholarship money for pickleball players.
Drury University's pickleball program will be one of the first in the U.S. with a full-time head coach, scholarships for student athletes and an on-campus facility.
Drury University's new on-campus pickleball facility.
NCAA's regulations state at least 40 schools must sponsor a sport before "championship" consideration. Only a percentage of that 130 schools who currently have pickleball clubs have done that - but surely 2024 will be the year that benchmark is met.
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