Four college standouts represented Team USA college pickleball this fall, traveling to Thailand for the Asia Pickleball University Championship, a qualifier for the 2026 College World Championship. JOOLA sponsored the full roster: Katie Murphy (Harvard), Keena Cheng (Wisconsin), Carter Maris (Indiana), and Charles Anderson (Miami University). 

Team bracket: India claims gold

Seven countries sent teams to compete for the team title: Thailand, India, Japan, Chinese Taipei, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the United States. Team India took gold, beating Team Japan in the final.

The result wasn't a huge surprise. India finished as runner-up at the 2025 College World Championship, falling in that final.

Team USA went 2-0 in group play before losing to Team Japan in the semifinals. India, Japan, and Chinese Taipei all locked in bids to the 2026 College World Championship with their finishes here. After a gold medal run like that, expect India right back in title contention next year.

Individual brackets: two silver medals for Team USA

Team USA also competed in singles and doubles, and came home with hardware. In women's singles, Keena Cheng took silver, falling to Huai Shu Chen of Chinese Taipei 3-11 in the championship match.

In men's doubles, Carter Maris and Charles Anderson also finished with silver, losing a tight 13-15 battle to Farreez Isqandar (Malaysia) and Mayur Narayan Patil (India). Two silver medals on the road says plenty about the level of talent coming out of the college game right now.

What it means for Team USA college pickleball

This trip is proof that college pickleball is moving fast onto the world stage. Partners like JOOLA make trips like this possible, giving players a shot to test themselves internationally before the College World Championship even starts. 

Thanks to JOOLA for backing this trip. With India, Japan, and Chinese Taipei already qualified, the road to the 2026 College World Championship is heating up. Follow DUPR's college rankings to track how these teams build toward next year.

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