Watch a college pickleball match and one thing jumps out: the players are swinging the same paddles as the pros. If you are wondering what paddles college pickleball players use — and whether you should buy one — here is what we saw on court and how to think about it.
College players use pro-level paddles
At the 2026 NCPA Massachusetts Regional, the brands on court read like the top of the pro rankings. JOOLA was everywhere — the champion, Harvard’s Katie Murphy, even plays for a JOOLA team — with the Perseus and Scorpeus lines leading the way. Selkirk was the other heavyweight, with Tufts’ roster on Selkirk paddles including the popular Selkirk models. You also see CRBN, Six Zero, and other thermoformed carbon paddles across UConn, BU, and WPI rosters.
Why college players lean premium
College competitors are mostly advanced players (4.0 and up) with the consistent contact to use a hotter, more demanding paddle face, and many have NIL or sponsorship relationships with brands. For them, the small gains at the top of the market — spin, feel, a specific shape — are worth it. That is a very different calculus from a developing rec player.
Should you buy what college players use?
Not necessarily. When we analyzed hundreds of paddles, performance did not scale with price the way the tags imply, and premium power paddles often shrink the sweet spot — which can actively hurt a player who mis-hits. If you are below about 4.0, buy for forgiveness and control, not for the logo the pros carry. Our best pickleball paddles hub and the paddle finder match a paddle to your level, and the beginner guide is a better starting point than the pro shelf.
The paddles that fit college-style play
If you do play an aggressive, college-style game — hard drives, fast hands, spin serves — the same do-everything paddles that dominate campus rosters are a fair target: balanced thermoformed carbon paddles with a 16mm core. See our best all-court paddles and best power paddles guides for the current picks, most of which cost far less than the flagship models the sponsored pros swing.
Following the college gear scene
We track what New England’s college players use as part of covering the region’s teams. Explore the programs and players on our College Pickleball hub, and for the paddles the actual pros use, see what paddle every pro uses.
College pickleball paddles: FAQ
What paddles do college pickleball players use? Mostly pro-level thermoformed carbon paddles — JOOLA (Perseus, Scorpeus) and Selkirk are the most common, with CRBN and Six Zero also on rosters.
Should a beginner buy the paddle a college player uses? Usually not. Premium paddles often trade sweet spot for power, so a developing player is better served by a more forgiving control paddle until their contact is consistent.
Do college players get paddles for free? Many advanced college players have NIL or sponsorship deals, which is part of why premium brands are so visible on college rosters.
What is a good paddle for aggressive, college-style play? A balanced thermoformed carbon paddle with a 16mm core; see our best all-court and best power paddle guides for current picks, most far cheaper than flagship pro models.
