I feel like I blinked and we are now entering week four of the 2026 Major League Pickleball season, and MLP Austin is already here. Catch up on what you missed: the MLP St. Louis recap and the overall 2026 standings picture heading into Stop #4.

The St. Louis Shock have a commanding point lead, having played the first three events of the year. The New Jersey 5s and Columbus Sliders are in Austin, both hoping to win the event to boost themselves into top four contention.

For the second straight year, the Austin Pickle Ranch is hosting the event. In my opinion, this is one of the nicest indoor facilities in the country. The pros are playing on outdoor courts, which were built last year for this event. 

As I mentioned, the New Jersey 5s and Columbus Sliders are the favorites to make it to the main match on Super Sunday, but other teams are looking to play spoilers. 

The Texas Ranchers are hosting the event and recently made the highest-profile trade of the season. They sent Dylan Frazier to Miami with cash in exchange for Nico Acevedo. It's a massive swing for a home event.

The Dallas Flash haven't played since hosting MLP Dallas three weeks ago, where they earned 10 standings points finishing fifth. The Dallas Flash remain one of the most storied teams in MLP history, and MLP Austin gives them a chance to reload their momentum. Can they earn more points in Austin?

Weather Outlook for MLP Austin

This is the first outdoor stop of the 2026 MLP season, and there is some worry about precipitation headed into the weekend. Hopefully play is not delayed or affected by the weather. If you are attending in person, be prepared for the heat - not only is it hot, but it is also going to be extremely humid. The ball will definitely be playing a bit slower than it has in the previous indoor events this year.

MLP Austin Pool Breakdown

Group A 

• California Black Bears 
• Carolina Hogs 
• Columbus Sliders 
• Miami Pickleball Club 
• SoCal Hard Eights 

Group B 

• Atlanta Bouncers 
• Bay Area Breakers 
• Dallas Flash 
• Florida Smash 
• New Jersey 5s 
• Texas Ranchers 

How to Watch MLP Austin

All times listed are local CT

All matches available on Pickleballtv and the Pickleballtv App, in addition to:

Sunday, June 14

• All day on MSG Network 11AM ET - 5PM ET (9AM - 4PM CT Local)

MLP Austin Team-by-Team Quick Glance

Group A 

California Black Bears 

• Roster: Sahra Dennehy, Kiora Kunimoto, Anouar Braham, Emma Nelson, Joey Wild, and Jamed Delgado (Luca Mack on IR)

Carolina Hogs 

• Roster: Brandon French, DJ Young, Michael Loyd, Aiko Yoshitomi, Nicole Conard, and Abbigal Hatton

Columbus Sliders

• Roster: Andrei Daescu, Parris Todd, CJ Klinger, Danni-Elle Townsend, Alex Crum, and Judit Castillo

Miami Pickleball Club

• Roster: Dylan Frazier, Yuta Funemizu, Estee Widdershoven, Isabella Dunlap, Clayton Powell, and Rika Fujiwara

SoCal Hard Eights 

• Roster: Meghan Dizon, Armaan Bhatia, Cailyn Campbell, Will Mackinnon, Rafa Lenhard, and Naomi Nguyen

Group B 

Atlanta Bouncers 

• Roster: Jaume Martinez Vich, Jay Devilliers, Jessie Irvine, Kaitlyn Christian, Keilly Ulery, and Donald Young

Bay Area Breakers

• Roster: Pablo Tellez, Genie Erokhina, Luc Pham, Mya Bui, Len Yang, and Ella Yeh

Dallas Flash 

• Roster: JW Johnson, Hurricane Tyra Black, Augie Ge, Brooke Buckner, Ivan Jakovljevic, and Albie Huang

Florida Smash 

• Roster: Travis Rettenmaier, Martina Frantova, Cason Campbell, Paula Rives Palau, Chris Crouch, and Zoey Weil

New Jersey 5s 

• Roster: Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Will Howells, Noe Khlif, Martin Emmrich, and Lina Padigemaite

Texas Ranchers 

• Roster: Eric Oncins, Lea Jansen, Layne Sleeth, Nico Acevedo, Matthew Barlow, and Marcela Hones

MLP Austin is the first outdoor stop of the 2026 season, and Austin Pickle Ranch is one of the premier pickleball venues in the country. The Texas Ranchers are hoping a home crowd and a bold trade give them the breakthrough result they're looking for. Learn more about the Texas Ranchers' ownership group and vision for the franchise as they gear up to host Stop #4.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MLP Austin event?

MLP Austin is the fourth stop of the 2026 Major League Pickleball season, hosted at Austin Pickle Ranch. It's the first outdoor event of the year, featuring 11 teams split across two pools competing for standings points and event titles.

Which teams are in MLP Austin Group A?

Group A includes the California Black Bears, Carolina Hogs, Columbus Sliders, Miami Pickleball Club, and SoCal Hard Eights. The Columbus Sliders are the Group A favorites and one of the event favorites overall.

Which teams are in MLP Austin Group B?

Group B features the Atlanta Bouncers, Bay Area Breakers, Dallas Flash, Florida Smash, New Jersey 5s, and Texas Ranchers. The New Jersey 5s and the host Texas Ranchers are the teams to watch heading into the weekend.

How do you watch MLP Austin?

MLP Austin matches are available on PickleballTV and the PickleballTV app throughout the weekend. Sunday's Super Sunday action is also broadcasting all day on MSG Network from 11AM–5PM ET (9AM–4PM local CT).

What happened with the Texas Ranchers and the Nico Acevedo trade?

The Texas Ranchers sent Dylan Frazier and cash to the Miami Pickleball Club in exchange for Nico Acevedo, the biggest trade of the 2026 MLP season so far. Acevedo joins the Ranchers just in time for their home event at MLP Austin.