Game On: The 2025 APP Collegiate Championship Powered by PB5star

Key takeaways:

• Collegiate pickleball reached new heights with intense matches, standout performances, and strong team showings.
• Individual and team brackets delivered high-level play, with athletes stepping up across singles, doubles, and mixed events.
• PB5star played a key role in supporting players both on and off the court, showcasing the importance of performance gear in competitive play.

College pickleball came in strong at the 2025 APP Collegiate Championship, March 28-30, 2025, and Cape Coral felt every bit of that energy. The weekend was buzzing with energy, thanks to teams flying in from everywhere and matchups full of up-and-coming talent.

PB5star was right in the mix as a presenting sponsor, showing love for the next generation of players with gear, support, and surprises throughout the event. From intense rallies to unexpected finishes, we’re breaking down the biggest highlights, standout players, and how it all came together on and off the court.

Power plays in the team bracket

Team play kicked off Friday, March 28th, with 32 colleges that had battled through regional qualifiers to earn their spot in Cape Coral. Programs from all over—Stanford, Virginia, Indiana, Maine, and more—showed up ready to compete. Friday’s round-robin pool play set the bracket, and by Saturday, every match had real stakes. With a total pool of $50,000 in scholarship money on the line, teams went all out in every round of elimination.

By the time finals hit, it came down to Florida (Blue) and Texas. The championship included singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, and it ended in a nail-biting 4-4 tie. The winner came down to overall point percentage, and Florida edged out Texas with 53.2% to 46.8%, clinching the national title by the slimmest margins.

Florida Atlantic secured third place after defeating Florida (Orange) with strong wins across the board. Every podium finish was hard-earned—and the level of play across the bracket showed just how far college pickleball has come.

Here’s how the final team standings shook out after an intense Saturday match play:

Individual brackets bring the heat

With the team finals behind them, players shifted gears for the individual rounds—and the energy stayed just as strong. Sunday’s schedule was packed from the jump, starting with gender doubles and ending in a string of intense singles showdowns. Mixed doubles had already kicked things off on Friday, giving everyone a taste of what was coming.

A few athletes stood out for their consistency across multiple events. Texas’ Jack Munro collected two gold medals, including one with Virginia’s Alexandra McDonald in mixed. 

On the women’s side, Utah Tech’s Mary Monson swept both of her brackets, backing up her doubles win with a confident run in singles. New names, tight scores, and plenty of high-level play kept things interesting throughout the weekend.

Below is a full rundown of the medalists for the individual competition:

Behind the scenes of our championship weekend

We knew this weekend would be intense, so we did what we could to make things easier on the athletes. As the presenting sponsor of the 2025 APP Collegiate Championship, PB5star helped cover hotel accommodations for more than 100 players. With so much on the line in both team and individual events, the goal was to take a few things off their plate so they could focus on playing their best.

To keep things comfortable between matches, every athlete received a pair of our PB5 Aprés Sport Slide and a custom Stanley mug co-branded for the event. One of our favorite moments? Surprising the Stanford team—huge fans of the brand—with some fresh PB5star footwear. It was a small way to give back to players who bring so much heart to the game.

What makes PB5 Court2 shoes a game-changer

As the level of pickleball play keeps rising, players need reliable gear and performance footwear that can actually keep up. That’s precisely why we created PB5 Court2, pickleball shoes that are built for the way you move and to hold up when the pressure’s on.

The PB5 Court2 shoes didn’t come from guesswork. With over 30 years of biomechanics expertise behind them, they’re specifically designed for the demands of pickleball. At the center of it all is our Dynamic Stability Assist™ system—tech inspired by automotive suspension design to give players better control and balance through every pivot, stop, and sprint.

Here’s what makes the PB5 Court2 shoes stand out on the court:

• Serious comfort: A wide toe box, padded collar, and cushioned heel work together to keep your foot secure and supported from the first serve to the final point.
• Game-day durability: Reinforced rubber zones hold up through tough court sessions without wearing down where it matters most.
• Built-in flexibility: The multi-zoned knit uppers adapt to your movement, giving you structure without stiffness.
• Locked-in grip: Our outsole pattern gives you traction in all directions so you can move aggressively without losing control.
• Clean design: Built for performance but styled for players who care about how their gear looks, too.

Every detail of the PB5 Court2 shoes was made with purpose—so when the match gets intense, your shoes stay steady, comfortable, and ready for more.

Passion meets performance

The pace of pickleball’s growth is only speeding up. From casual matchups to competitive college tournaments like the 2025 APP Collegiate Championship, it’s clear the game is evolving. What we saw in Cape Coral was more than just an intense weekend of play—it was a glimpse into what the next phase of the sport looks like.

At PB5star, we’re proud to help power that experience, from supporting athletes behind the scenes to creating performance footwear that meets the demands of pickleball games. We’re all in on where pickleball’s headed, and we’re not slowing down either.