‍College pickleball is evolving at lightning speed and Drury University made history by becoming the first university in the nation to officially launch varsity pickleball. At the heart of this groundbreaking move is Jarrod Smith, a pickleball pro, multi-time national champion, and longtime head tennis coach at Drury. Just a year ago, Smith transitioned from the tennis court to take the reins as head coach of Drury’s varsity pickleball team.

What Are “Varsity” Sports?

At most colleges, you’ll hear about two types of sports: club and varsity.

1. Club sports are run by students, usually with small budgets and volunteer coaches. They’re fun, competitive, and community-driven but they aren’t officially part of the school’s athletic department.
   
   
2. Varsity sports, on the other hand, are official university teams. They receive full support from the athletic department, which includes:
   
   - Scholarships to help players pay for school
   - Full-time coaches dedicated to training and developing athletes
   - Team budgets and facilities on par with other big-name sports
   - Official competition schedules where the school is represented at intercollegiate events

While more than 125 universities currently offer pickleball club programs, Drury became the first to integrate pickleball into its athletics department as a fully recognized varsity sport. Pickleball players at Drury now receive the same backing, resources, and recognition as athletes in basketball, tennis, or soccer. That means scholarship opportunities, coaching staff, and dedicated program budgets.

Why Being First Matters

Drury’s decision is more than symbolic;  it’s a spark. Smith hopes their leadership will encourage other universities to follow suit.

“We wanted to be the first, but we don’t want to be the only,” he said in an interview with Pickleballers. “I want Drury to be a resource for other schools. We’ve seen pickleball grow recreationally, professionally, and at the junior level. Now college is the final frontier and we’re ready to help others get there.”

A Unique Advantage: Beyond NCAA

Launching a varsity sport with no blueprint is no small task. Recruiting is uncharted territory, since few high school athletes currently specialize in pickleball. Smith sees opportunity in crossover tennis players, transfers, and even pros eager for the collegiate experience.

The high school pipeline is also growing, with juniors encouraged to participate in high school pickleball tournaments to be drafted into future college varsity teams.

For now, Drury enjoys a unique advantage: they aren’t bound by NCAA regulations.

“It’s wide open,” Smith said in that same interview with Pickleballers. “That freedom lets us create a schedule that prepares players for both college competition and professional aspirations. We can play in charity events, pro circuits, or matches against club programs. The flexibility is huge.”

Check out the collegiate pickleball tour schedule here. 

The Start of a Movement

Drury’s leap into varsity pickleball marks the beginning of a new era.

“Pickleball is coming fast,” Smith said in the interview. “We want to make it great at the college level. And once one school does it, the dominoes will fall.”

Collegiate Season is Here

The timing couldn’t be better. The opening weekend of the collegiate pickleball season is almost here with four tournaments happening the weekend of September 27th:

• Utah Super Regional on September 27th and 28th
  
  • Register here
• 3 Campus Regionals on September 27th
  
  • Pickleball Kingdom Charleston Campus Regional: To register, email danw@pbkingdom.com
  • College Cup Roanoke: To register, email derekkraje@gmail.com
  • Purdue Campus Regional: To register, fill out this form.

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