Pickleball champions. Florida Atlantic Owls win national tournament
FAU's Bella Nelson, Jayden Broderick, Gianna Jarman, and Alec LaMacchio defeated Utah Tech University in the championship final three games to one.
BOCA RATON — Florida Atlantic took home a national championship earlier this month - not in basketball, baseball or any of the traditional intercollegiate sports, but in pickleball . FAU’s club pickleball team won the 2026 APP Selkirk U. S.
Collegiate Championship, which featured 40 of the country’s top collegiate pickleball squads. Bella Nelson, Jayden Broderick, Gianna Jarman and Alec LaMacchio teamed up to defeat Utah Tech University in the championship final, three games to one. Florida Atlantic came away with victories over Texas, Radford, Mississippi State and Fresno State before securing the title.
More FAU sports: FAU Owls open spring football practice with plenty of new faces In the championship round, Nelson and Jarman lost 15-9 in the women’s doubles, but Broderick and LaMacchio won 17-15 in the men’s doubles to even the score. The Owls then won both mixed doubles matches - Broderick and Jarman 15-9, Nelson and LaMacchio 15-11 - to clinch the national title. “It was definitely a surreal experience,” Nelson said.
“I feel like there was a lot of hype around it, so we were really excited to come in there and prove to everyone that we’re winners. It was definitely a great feeling. ” Florida Atlantic shared a bond on and off the court that only grew stronger in victory.