NATIONALS PREVIEW
Written by Drew Ryder
Setting the Scene
Over the course of a calendar year, roundnet players across the country have packed cars, booked flights, and competed at tournaments of various sizes and significance. This combination of local and regional events was all to bring us to the biggest tournament of the year: Nationals. This tournament weekend stands above all others and is the first date circled into the calendars of roundnet players across the country. This Saturday, October 4th, Club Volo in Baltimore will be taken over by Premier Spike nets, coolers and tents, and hundreds of competitors ready to showcase their skills on the biggest stage our sport has to offer. Whether competing in intermediate or Pro, there will be no shortage of high stakes gameplay combined with guaranteed fun.
Nationals By the Numbers
The US National Championship boasts over 180 teams competing across all divisions, making it the largest event on the national series this season (as expected)
Pro divisions in both Open and Women’s have been revamped in structure compared to previous years, with an 8 team women’s and 24 team open pro divisions. The top 8 teams in open, based on series points, will be competing in a power pool.
The typical Bronze+/premier division will be broken up into Bronze+ and Silver+ with 24 teams in each division. This change will promote evenly matched gameplay and clearer progress goals for competitive players
The ruleset for this tournament was voted on by the community, with key changes from the 2025 NA ruleset being bigger ball and 30-foot boundary. Fun fact: Traditional serving will be active for nationals due to just a narrow 1% win over equal serve distribution!
Must-Read Storylines
The 24 team Open pro division is full of storylines to digest. The larger sized division has led to many players making their Pro division debut, with 32 of the 48 players not having Open Pro championship experience prior to this Saturday. Don’t let these statistics fool you as many of the competitors have demonstrated talent worthy of a deep run.
In Power Pools, the safe bet is to say that this is anyone’s game for a top seed. The #1 seed in pool A is Rogue. Two household names within the community, Ryan Marino and Thomas Hamilton come into this tournament as two of the most experienced players on the field. This could be valuable in a division filled with newer talent. They also come in with a point to prove, having lost in the finals in their most recent tournament appearance as a team. There is definitely more left in the tank for Rogue, but wins won’t come easy in a stacked pool of Drawing Dead (Rose/Fernandez), NEM Seazonal(Snover/Summers), and Somewhere Between the Mountain (Finocchi/Gross). In Power Pool B, it’s J.A.R.V.I.S. who lead the pack. Josh Fragiacomo and Connor Nelson earned themselves a #1 seed with their 1st place finish at Mountain Regionals in Utah. Expect a similarly high level from these two as their pro division experience from last year, where they made a finals run, is sure to calm the nerves in key moments. They face Abrams/Picone, Snarl (Morgan/Savage), and Party Foul (Maddox/Fowler) in Power Pool B.
Outside of power pools, Group C features two heavy hitting teams of 2025 that both are capable of deep runs at their best. First in that grouping is the Group C 1 seed, LL Come & Go. The New Jersey pairing of Jake Mottershead and Mike Garrett have been turning heads since the end of last year into 2025 with high level play and meaningful runs at tournaments. This duo has a common partnership recipe for roundnet of support player with a break player. Expect Garrett to generate breaks with Jake offering consistency in serve receive and overall cleanliness. The other team of note in their pool is Clip Farm. Although they haven’t appeared at a large tournament together in a few months, Andrew Greer and Polk Denmark showcased their dominance early on with a 1st place finish at Southeast Regionals. The two teams of note are yet to face a non-placement match this year, so their matchup will be one to keep an eye on in Open Pro outside the power pools this Saturday.
A restructured 8 team women’s pro division means that every match will be crucial and the margin for error is extremely slim. 11:1, made up of Julia Timan and Kalin Morgan, are #1 in pool A. Although it’s a pro division debut for Timan, these two are a tough out for any of the 7 other teams. Equally threatening in their pool is ABG Scale Theory. Some arguethat Karah Hui is the best player in the world, and with Elle Lowe bringing high serve pressure and a stacked resume of her own to the table, these two are a problem. In pool B, the leader of the pack is Carry Set made up of Malia Wanderer and Abigail Lamontagne. The Northeastern Roundnet Stars offer clean gameplay and a strong understanding of the sport that is sure to make it difficult to hit around them. Expect Malia to provide breaks with Abby supporting with her clean receive and hitting. Their pool is made especially difficult with don’t give a gaf (Kathleen Phan and Joanna Gould) as their two seed in Pool B. Joanna boasts 4 podium finishes in 2025, clearly demonstrating she is a top talent on the women’s scene. Phan is coming off a finals appearance at last year’s championship, demonstrating her experience on the biggest stage that is sure to play a part this Saturday.
Inside the mind of Pro Roundnet Players
For a better look at how our players approach game, what they’re doing to succeed, and more, a handful of pro players (Joanna Gould, Malia Wanderer, Kieran Rose, Dan Abrams) were generous enough to share their insight on this tournament and some of the things they do to make them the best versions of themselves.
For Joanna, the focus is on growth and balance. “I’ve been working really hard to bring up the parts of my game that I think are lacking, so I’m really excited to just show up and give it my all,” she said. She credits her partnership with Katheleen for keeping her grounded, as their contrasting mental approaches complement each other well. Joanna keeps things simple on tournament day: arriving early to catch up with friends and reminding herself through prayer that the sport is about fun, not pressure. When it comes to fuel, she leans on Trolli sour gummy worms and a pub sub.
Malia, meanwhile, views Nationals as the culmination of a strong season with Abby. “I feel like we’ve gotten pretty good results this year, so I’m just super excited to see what we can do in one more tournament before the season ends,” she said. The duo thrives on serve pressure and trust, building momentum as matches progress. Malia’s signature ritual includes shot gunning a Red Bull at lunch as a signal to lock in for bracket. Mentally, she focuses on gradual improvement throughout the day, trusting that her game will click when it matters most. Her go-to snacks include Goldfish, candy, and plenty of caffeine, with a light sandwich to refuel between matches.
Kieran enters Nationals eager to reunite with his partner, Tyler, after an injury disrupted their season. “Our season had a few ups and downs, and his knee injury in June derailed our plans. Now that he’s back and 100%, I’m excited to play with him against top level competition,” he shared. Their pairing is built on balance with Kieran’s strong serving complementing Tyler’s complete game. Pre-tournament, Kieran emphasizes rest and hydration, alongside a detailed gadget routine from muscle massage tools to grip trainers. Mentally, his goal is to stay confident with each point, recognizing how quickly momentum can swing. He prefers lighter meals during the day, opting for fruit and small portions to keep energy sharp.
For Dan, Nationals is about both friendship and focus. Playing with Will, a trusted partner and close friend, is what excites him most. “We’re pretty compatible, he puts a lot of pressure with his serves, and I thrive when I can play defense behind that. He does it better than anyone in the game,” Dan explained. His rituals are rooted in preparation: a consistent warm-up, at least nine hours of sleep, and sticking to his own bed the night before. Mentally, he emphasizes presence, reminding himself that “this point is the only thing that matters.” Fuel-wise, he prefers homemade salads filled with farm vegetables, with fruit throughout the day to stay light and sharp.
Bonus Saturday Fun
Unique to 2025 nationals is a Regional All-Star squad tournament! 10 of the best players from the East, Midwest, South, and West regions will be competing for glory and bragging rights in this uniquely formatted tournament. Be sure to stick around on Saturday for some must-see competition, and congratulations to the All-Stars!
Closing Thoughts + Predictions
The biggest tournament of the year is one day away and we couldn’t be more excited. Special thanks to Premier Spike and Club Volo, the sponsors for this weekend’s event! Every match from the first to the last will be high stakes, and the highest level of roundnet is sure to come out. With all that said, here are the predictions for Open and Women’s Pro:
Open: 1) Rogue 2) TRP Abrams/Picone 3) J.A.R.V.I.S 4) NEM Seazonal
Women’s: 1) ABG Scale Theory 2)don’t give a gaf 3) Carry Set 4) 11:1
