MC Announces New Pickleball Team Set to Launch Fall 2025
The addition of the new varsity-level sport is causing excitement across campus.
In a groundbreaking move, Mississippi College has officially announced the formation of the first-ever NCAA Division II pickleball team set to debut next fall. The decision, which surprised students, faculty, and staff, was made early Tuesday, April 1, by MC athletic director Kenny Bizot.
“I’m excited to announce that we’ll be adding this sport to our varsity line-up,” Bizot said. “Pickleball continues to grow in popularity in our country. I hope we’ll be able to attract a new group of student-athletes to our campus who are interested in being part of the team.”
MC pickleball athletes will compete in a newly created Southern Collegiate Pickleball Conference (SCPC). Officials from the NCAA are reportedly in discussions about authorizing pickleball as an official collegiate-level sport, with MC taking the lead.
Although the team, which will officially be known as the Golden Choctaws, will actively recruit students of non-traditional college age, several current members of the campus community are also interested in joining the team. MC has already made waves by signing its first recruit, Emma “The Paddle” Ellard. Known for her aggressive net play and signature spin serve, Ellard is a dominant force on local courts and is eager to take her talents to the next level.
“As someone who is deeply passionate about the sport of pickleball, I am thrilled that campus will have the opportunity to experience the sheer euphoria and profound joy of the sport,” Ellard said. “I can’t wait to wipe the floor with all my competitors. In a friendly way.”
To accommodate the new program, MC has announced plans to convert a portion of the Healthplex into a state-of-the-art pickleball arena featuring professional courts and stadium seating. The new Krason-Melancon Arena will be named after MC’s humanities professors and social media stars Ashley Krason and Kristi Melancon, whose donations have made the facility renovations possible. Free pickles and Choctaws-themed paddles will be available to fans at all home matches.
Even before playing their first match, the Golden Choctaws are already engaged in some friendly competitive banter with their rivals at Delta State, who are reportedly also launching a pickleball team because they are already outfitted in pickle-green uniforms.
