Playoff Positioning At Stake and New Faces Making Their Debuts at MLP Salt Lake City
Major League Pickleball is back in action this weekend after a successful Mid-Season Tournament in Grand Rapids. While the Mid-Season Tournament didn’t count towards the regular season standings, the inaugural MLP Salt Lake City has major implications for playoff viability.
Ten of the 12 Premier Level teams are playing this weekend, and each of those teams plays six matches, which is 26 percent of the entire regular season match schedule. The Hustlers and D.C. Pickleball Team are the only teams not playing in SLC this weekend.
There are only four teams playing on the Challenger side and they play each other once for a total of three matches. The four teams playing are the California Black Bears, Las Vegas Night Owls, SoCal Hard Eights, and the Bay Area Breakers.
The tournament is taking place at The Picklr in Kaysville, Utah, the first time Major League Pickleball has made its way to the state of Utah. Additionally, this is the first time Major League Pickleball is being played entirely indoors.
Player Availability and Substitutions
There are quite a few roster changes for the MLP Salt Lake City. Here is a brief overview:
- Columbus Sliders traded Brooke Buckner to the Carolina Pickleball Club for Andrea Koop
- Columbus Sliders traded Connor Garnett to the Utah Black Diamonds for Jay Devilliers
Substitutions
- The LA Mad Drops have chosen to keep Blaine Hovenier on the roster (played for the team in the Mid-Season Tournament) in place of Thomas Wilson, who is still on IR.
- The Orlando Squeeze received an "approved absence" for Vivienne David, and Milan Rane will play for the Squeeze in MLP SLC on loan from the Miami Pickleball Club of the Challenger Level.
Alternate players on-site in case of injury
- Men: Roscoe Bellamy, Greg Dow, Spencer Smith, and Pesa Teoni
- Women: Michelle Esquivel and Dominique Schaefer
Complete Schedule
How to Watch MLP Salt Lake City
- All Thursday Championship Court matches will be livestreamed on Pickleball TV and Game+ (Canada). PBTV will air the final four Championship Court matches of the day Fri.-Sun. (except for ESPN2 exclusive).
- All Grandstand Court matches, in addition to the first Championship Court match of the day on Fri.-Sun., will air on the MLP YouTube channel
- Fri. on TV: FS1 from 5-7 p.m. MT (7-9 p.m. ET)
- Sat. on TV: FS2 from 7-9 p.m. MT (9-11 p.m. ET)
- Sun. on TV: ESPN2 from 2-4 p.m. MT (4-6 p.m. ET) / FS1 tape delayed from 4-6 p.m. MT (6-8 p.m. ET; airing a match from Saturday) / Tennis Channel from 6-8 p.m. MT (8-10 p.m. ET)
Top Storylines
There are three tiers of teams in my mind going into Salt Lake City – will they stay the same?
There are six playoff spots on the line in 2024. As of today, there are five teams who are guaranteed playoff spots: St. Louis Shock, New Jersey 5s, Dallas Flash, Texas Ranchers and the D.C. Pickleball Team.
The next group of teams vying for that last playoff spot is the Orlando Squeeze, NY Hustlers and the LA Mad Drops.
Below that tier lies everyone else – AZ Drive, Carolina Pickleball Club, Columbus Sliders and the Utah Black Diamonds.
The biggest storyline of MLP Salt Lake City is this: will these tiers stay the same, or will there be a disrupter this weekend?
Premier Level
Players playing with the team for the first time are italicized
Utah Black Diamonds
Four Matches Played, 0 Points, 0 Points Per Match - 12th Place in PPM
Roster: Callie Jo Smith, Tyler Loong, Connor Garnett, Alix Truong
Opponents at SLC: AZ Drive, Mad Drops, Dallas, Carolina, Orlando, St. Louis
- Will the trade for Connor Garnett pay off? Will he be able to get his serve in?
- Callie Jo Smith and Alix Truong haven’t won a match in women’s doubles in the six matches they have played. They are a combined -48, averaging -8 points per match. Will they be able to get a win in Utah?
- Connor has won bronze with Alix on the PPA Tour in Utah, but can he help Truong get her first MLP win in 2024 in Utah?
Predictions: This team finds a couple wins in Utah, earning themselves 4 points in 6 matches, keeping them in 12th place.
Orlando Squeeze
Three Matches Played, 3 Points, 1 Point Per Match - T-8th Place in PPM
Roster: Federico Staksrud, Parris Todd, Tyson McGuffin, Vivienne David
Opponents at SLC: Columbus, AZ, 5s, Dallas, Texas, Utah
- This team is really starting to gel and played well in the Mid-Season Tournament.
- Parris and Vivienne don’t have a win yet together in the regular season – look for them to break that streak in Utah.
- This is a very good Dreambreaker team, which we saw in the Mid-Season Tournament when they beat the Hustlers.
Predictions: The Squeeze continue to find their way in Utah, earning 8 points in 6 matches, keeping them in the hunt.
Carolina Pickleball Club
Five Matches Played, 5 Points, 1 Point Per Match - T-8th Place in PPM
Roster: Ben Johns, Jessie Irvine, Collin Johns, Brooke Buckner
Opponents at SLC: Dallas, LA Mad Drops, 5s, Utah, Columbus, Texas
- This team went 0-6 in the Mid-Season Tournament and looked terrible.
- Ben Johns does not like playing indoors, which is a problem this week in Utah.
- Can the Brooke Buckner trade help the team win a couple more mixed matches?
- Does this team care about winning?
Predictions: I am very unsure about the last question - Carolina wins two matches in regulation and earns 9 points in their 6 matches.
AZ Drive
Four Matches Played, 4 Points, 1 Point Per Match - T-8th Place in PPM
Roster: Andrei Daescu (back from suspension), Dylan Frazier, Lacy Schneemann, Kaitlyn Christian
Opponents at SLC: Orlando, LA, St. Louis, Utah, Columbus, Texas
- The big man is back! Andrei Daescu is back off his 60-day suspension and I'm sure he wants to play well after the hiatus.
- Lacy and Kaitlyn continue to look better together in women’s - can they find some sustained success in Utah?
- Dylan has underperformed in MLP this year while taking over the No. 1 spot in PPA – can he start to turn it around in Utah?
Predictions: I think Morgan Evans and his team come in with a chip on their shoulder and actually do some damage in Utah. The Drive earns 10 points in their 6 matches.
Columbus Sliders
Four Matches Played, 4 Points, 1 Point Per Match - T-8th Place in PPM
Roster: Riley Newman, Meghan Dizon, Jay Devilliers, Andrea Koop
Opponents for SLC: 5s, Orlando, AZ Drive, LA Mad Drops, St. Louis, Carolina
- Will the trades immediately pay off, or does Columbus continue to struggle?
- Jay is used to playing the left; does he continue playing the left with Riley?
- This team is versatile enough to switch up mixed doubles pairings and see who plays well with each other.
Predictions: I don’t think the trades do enough to make a huge difference in results. Columbus earns 5 points in 6 matches.
LA Mad Drops
Three Matches Played, 4 Points, 1.33 Points Per Match - 7th Place in PPM
Roster: Catherine Parenteau, Hunter Johnson, Jade Kawamoto, Blaine Hovenier (subbing for Thomas Wilson)
Opponents in SLC: Dallas, AZ, Carolina, Utah, Columbus, Texas
- Now I am actually worried about Thomas Wilson and his injury. We still don’t know what it is, but I was hoping it was something minor keeping him out of the Mid-Season Tournament. Now we know it’s something bigger.
- Blaine Hovenier subbed for Wilson in the MST and went 0-4 in doubles and lost all eight Dreambreaker points he played. The good news? He can only go up from here.
- With Catherine back, this team has a chance, especially in Dreambreakers.
Predictions: I think the Mad Drops really struggle without Wilson and only earn 5 points in 6 matches.
Texas Ranchers
Nine Matches Played, 13 Points, 1.44 Points Per Match - 6th Place in PPM
Roster: Christian Alshon, Etta Wright, Tina Pisnik, Quang Duong
Opponents in SLC: 5s, St. Louis, AZ, Mad Drops, Orlando, Carolina
- Quang Duong is the real deal. He went 3-0 in mixed doubles at the MST with Pisnik, and 3-3 in men’s doubles with Alshon. He also went 8-4 in Dreambreaker points.
- Tina Pisnik is making the case to have her name in the conversation for MVP of MLP in 2024. She is looking like a STEAL after being drafted 30th overall.
- This team looks like a real team - they cheer for each other and have great chemistry.
Predictions: The Ranchers stay in the top 6 in terms of PPM, and earn 10 points in their 6 matches.
Dallas Flash
Eight Matches Played, 16 Points, 2 Points Per Match - T-2nd in PPM
Roster: JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Hurricane Tyra Black, Augie Ge
Opponents in SLC: 5s, Mad Drops, Orlando, Carolina, St. Louis, Utah
- The Flash did well at the Mid-Season Tournament, finishing fourth.
- Augie Ge has played well in the regular season but didn’t have a great Mid-Season Tournament. His match win percentage was 43 percent and his points won percentage was 49.2 percent, which are both well below his regular-season stats. Can he get a few more wins in Utah?
- JW Johnson is on fire this year in MLP – he has won 75 percent of his doubles matches thus far this year in both the regular season and the MST.
Predictions: Dallas gets four wins this weekend and brings home 9 points from their 6 matches.
New Jersey 5s
Three Matches Played, 6 Points, 2 Points Per Match - T-2nd in PPM
Roster: Anna Leigh Waters, Zane Navratil, Mari Humberg, Will Howells
Opponents for SLC: Columbus, Dallas, Orlando, Texas, St. Louis, Carolina
- This team is still undefeated and the only team that hasn’t lost in 2024.
- Will Howells and Zane Navratil are now 1-5 this year and they have to face some dynamic men’s doubles teams in Utah. Can they figure it out?
- Is the "lose 2 win 2" strategy that the 5s utilize sustainable for success?
Predictions: The 5s are going to win at least four matches, bringing home 12 points in their 6 matches.
St. Louis Shock
Eight Matches Played, 17 Points, 2.14 Points Per Match - 1st in PPM
Roster: Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, Kate Fahey
Opponents in SLC: Texas, AZ, 5s, Dallas, Columbus, Utah
- The Shock played very well in the Mid-Season Tournament but lost to the 5s and the Ranchers.
- Gabe Tardio and Kate Fahey have now gone 2-6 in mixed doubles matches this year. If they can put together three or more wins this weekend, the Shock could leave the event with the most points.
- Anna Bright has won 18/21 matches, which is an astounding 86 percent win percentage.
Predictions: St. Louis leaves Salt Lake City with the most points in the event - 14 points from their 6 matches.
Challenger Level
This week is the tale of the haves and the have nots in Challenger Level. The top two teams in terms of points per match and the last place and third-to-last place team are playing against each other.
Players playing with the team for the first time is italicized
California Black Bears
Seven Matches Played, 4 Points, 0.57 Points Per Match - 10th in PPM
Roster: Rafa Hewett, Susannah Barr, Brandon French, Amanda Hendry
- Brandon French is not great at mixed doubles, but maybe he and Amanda Hendry can turn it around.
- Rafa Hewett has significantly underperformed this year in MLP - going 8/22 in doubles for a 36 percent win percentage.
- After this event, the Black Bears will have played 43 percent of their season. If they are still in 10th place forget about a promotion; the team will be lucky to make the playoffs.
Predictions: The Black Bears win one match and stay below one point per match, taking away 3 points.
SoCal Hard Eights
Six Matches Played, 6 Points, 1 Point Per Match - 8th in PPM
Roster: Irina Tereschenko, Erik Lange, Yana Newell, Max Manthou
- The Hard Eights looked really good in the Mid-Season Tournament, finishing third.
- Yana Newell looks like a top-level Challenger player (not surprising).
- Max and Erik are both beasts in men’s doubles. If this team can figure out mixed doubles, they will quickly move up the standings.
Predictions: The Hard Eights take 6 Points from their 3 Matches.
Bay Area Breakers
6 Matches Played, 12 Points, 2 Points Per Match - 2nd in PPM
Roster: Allyce Jones, Collin Shick, DJ Young, Jill Braverman
- Allyce Jones, DJ Young, and Jill Braverman are playing their first MLP event in 2024.
- The team that is in 2nd place overall has changed three players in the last four weeks.
- Is DJ Young healthy? He has been taking time off due to a wrist injury.
Predictions: Even though they are star studded, I think the Breakers have a "break in" period and only pull 4 points from the event.
Las Vegas Night Owls
Five Matches Played, 11 Points, 2.2 Points Per Match - 1st in PPM
Roster: Zoey Wang, Judit Castillo, Anderson Scarpa, Mo Alhouni
- Kaitlyn Kerr was fired as the GM of the Night Owls this week, despite the fact that the team is first in Challenger Level. The players are not happy about this.
- The women’s team is top of the table, winning seven of eight matches.
- On top of all of this, the Night Owls are a GREAT Dreambreaker team - they have scored 128 points and only given up 89 in Dreambreakers for a 59 percent point win percentage.
Predictions: I think the team falters a little due to their issues with management. This is still a great team though. The Night Owls win 5 points from the 3 matches this weekend.
