Dinky will face off against the Haiders beginning at 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 30 as the doubles competitive intramural pickleball league opens the playoff tournament at the Omar Smith Instructional Tennis Center. 

Dinky ended the regular season with a 2-2 record, but the team only played three out of four games due to a forfeit. With 110 teams scheduled for playoff matches in the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday leagues, the full pickleball playoff schedule can be found at Pickleball IMLeague.

Pickleball at Texas A&M is following a national trajectory as America’s fastest-growing sport, according to PickleForPay.com. Colleges are embracing the rapidly expanding sport in support of both the competition and community-building within the game. In addition, pickleball is low-cost and described by students as a great way to blow off steam from academic pressures in an inclusive athletic environment. 

In addition to the three competitive doubles intramural leagues, A&M has a pickleball club and pickleball courses are offered through the Physical Education Activity Program. 

Dinky gave it its all for its first game, but it was not enough, industrial engineering senior Devadath Nair said. In a fight to stay in the game, Nair ripped his pants trying to return the ball. The doubles team fell 21-1 to the Chaps.

“A bloodbath is an understatement,” Nair said of the match.

The second game was a game of catch-up and ended 21-17, with Dinky falling to TickleBalls. As soon as one team gained possession, it was taken right back. The back-and-forth scoring continued until Dinky could not delay its inevitable loss, kinesiology senior Ananya Luthria said.

“The second game was more fun because we were able to hold our ground a little longer,”  Luthria said. Dinky will play on Court 7 against the Haiders. For complete pickleball playoff schedules, visit the Pickleball IMLeague website.