At the 2025 The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Championship, history was made when MiLP Nationals became the first-ever DUPR Verified Event, setting a new standard for competitive amateur pickleball and how ratings, fairness, and credibility show up on the national stage.

What Does “DUPR Verified” Actually Mean?

A DUPR Verified Event represents the highest standard of competitive pickleball.

These events are designed for players and organizers who want fair matchups, trusted results, and real competitive credibility. Clubs and tours that run DUPR Verified events meet elevated quality standards and go through an approval process to ensure match integrity at every level.

To compete in a Verified Event, all players must complete a validation process, including:

• An active DUPR+ subscription
• An authenticated phone number

This added layer of verification helps protect the integrity of ratings and ensures that every match played is legitimate, accountable, and meaningful.

Because Verified Events are held to higher standards, they are reviewed and approved by the DUPR Fairplay Committee. Organizers who fail to uphold these standards are removed from the program, reinforcing trust for players who rely on their DUPR to reflect their true level.

At a Verified Event:

• Matches are run using official DUPR standards
• Player ratings are trusted and actively protected
• Results carry 50% more weight toward a player’s DUPR
• Competitive integrity, transparency, and fairness are prioritized

MiLP Nationals becoming the first event to earn this designation signaled something important: amateur pickleball is evolving, and accuracy now matters as much as atmosphere.

Why MiLP Nationals Was the Perfect First

If any event was going to set the bar, it was MiLP Nationals.

The 2025 championship brought together:

• 1,000 players
• 318 teams
• 35 U.S. states
• 23 countries
• $100,000 prize purse

Players ranged from 10 to 76 years old, across dozens of DUPR-based divisions, all competing under one unified rating system.

From juniors winning open-age divisions to 50+ brackets delivering some of the most competitive matches of the week, MiLP Nationals showed what happens when ratings are applied correctly and consistently.

DreamBreakers Everywhere And That’s the Point

One of the biggest indicators that the DUPR system was doing its job?

DreamBreakers. Lots of them.

This year’s Nationals set a record for the most DreamBreakers ever played at a MiLP event. That doesn’t happen when teams are mismatched or where there is too much sandbagging. It happens when ratings are tight, divisions are accurate, and every lineup belongs on the same court.

One unforgettable moment came in the DUPR 14 division, when the Cranky Pickle Opossums erased a 12–20 DreamBreaker deficit to win 23–21, a comeback that had the entire venue buzzing. Watch it here.

That kind of drama doesn’t exist without balance.

Global, Inclusive, Competitive: All at Once

MiLP Nationals 2025 wasn’t just verified. It was global.

Players traveled from Romania, Israel, Japan, Puerto Rico, Argentina, India, Australia, Italy, the Philippines, and beyond turning Dallas into a true international championship.

At 76 years old, Rochelle Martinez earned a bronze medal in the Women’s DUPR 9 V3 division. At 11, Carsen Ngo captured gold in both Men’s DUPR 11 V3 and DUPR 14 Open Age.

That’s what a verified system allows: everyone competing where they belong, regardless of age or background.

A New Standard for Amateur Pickleball

This first-ever DUPR Verified Event wasn’t just about one tournament. Leading pickleball tours, leagues, and clubs including National Pickleball, World of Pickleball, The Dink Minor League Pickleball, Triple Team Pickleball League, Pickleball Is Great, The Picklr, Performance Pickleball, and The Flying Pickle have confirmed to host DUPR Verified Events in 2026, so check out their schedule or find them in the DUPR app. 

📸 Want to relive the moments? Check out the full photo gallery and highlight clips from MiLP Nationals 2025 here.