New Jersey Fives Claim Major League Pickleball Austin Title Amid Challenging Conditions

The Pickle Ranch in Austin remains one of the best venues in the MLP rotation.

Major League Pickleball

Major League Pickleball (MLP), presented by DoorDash, concluded its fourth event of the 2026 season in Austin, Texas. The tournament presented unique challenges as play moved outdoors during a severe heat wave, with temperatures in the mid-90s and high humidity affecting playing conditions throughout the weekend.

The event showcased the emerging competitiveness across the league, as the five traditional powerhouses (New Jersey, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Columbus, and Brooklyn) remained tightly bunched at the top of the standings, while rebuilding teams trailed significantly behind.

Transaction Recap & Player News

Several roster changes and injuries shaped the event:

• Columbus’ No. 1 female Parris Todd opted out due to illness, pushing Danni-Elle Townsend and newly acquired Judit Castillo into key roles.
• Atlanta’s Kaitlyn Christian sat out with an ankle injury, replaced by bench player Keilly Ullery.
• Dallas’ Hurricane Tyra Black also sat, with Albie Huang filling in—a decision that would prove costly for the favored team.

Group Stage Highlights

Day 1 Observations

• Miami’s comeback victory over California featured dramatic momentum shifts, with Dylan Frazier leading the charge in Mixed Doubles.
• Florida’s dominant Women’s Doubles performance exposed Dallas’ vulnerability early.
• An intense matchup between Atlanta and Texas saw Jay Devilliers continue his elite play despite being in the “advanced age” category at 31.

Day 2-3 Developments

• Jay Devilliers returned to lead Atlanta past Dallas, while Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson kept New Jersey competitive.
• Columbus leveraged strong Mixed Doubles partnerships to secure first place in their group.

Final Standings & Results

The group stage culminated in decisive Event Standings matches:

• Group A: Columbus, SoCal, Miami, California, Carolina
• Group B: New Jersey, Texas, Bay Area, Florida, Atlanta, Dallas

New Jersey’s women’s duo of Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson delivered exceptional performances, going undefeated to claim the tournament title. Texas secured third place with a commanding performance over SoCal, while Miami defeated Bay Area 3-0 for fifth place.

League Standings Impact

Several teams made significant moves in the overall standings:

• New Jersey overtook St. Louis for second place overall.
• Texas jumped from 10th to 6th with their third-place finish.
• Dallas fell dramatically from 7th to 12th place.
• SoCal’s strong performance moved them from 17th to 10th place, entering playoff contention.

Notable Individual Performances

• Anna Leigh Waters and Jorja Johnson led New Jersey’s charge, finishing 12-1 and 11-1 respectively with outstanding points-won percentages.
• Layne Sleeth of Texas posted a 9-2 record with 69% points won.
• Carolina’s Aiko Yoshitomi struggled significantly, finishing 0-5 with just 13% points won.

Key Takeaways

1. Dallas faces a critical juncture after declining from playoff contender to last-place finisher, highlighted by their decision to start bench player Albie Huang over star Hurricane Tyra Black.
2. The Austin bracket structure favored certain teams while handicapping others, creating imbalanced competition that affected final standings.
3. Atlanta demonstrated both elite potential and puzzling inconsistencies, defeating Texas decisively before losing badly to Bay Area.

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