In May, Cal Poly Roundnet finished as the national runner-up at the 2026 College Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina, falling just short of its first title.
Cal Poly has Division I and Division II Roundnet (better known as Spikeball) teams, with the Division I squad serving as the club’s top competitive group. The squad competes against other college clubs at regional sectional tournaments and at College Nationals, the season-ending championship.
Building on last season’s run, Cal Poly enters the new season ranked No. 2 in USA College Roundnet’s preseason power rankings. But before the club can make another run at a title, its Division I squad must replace graduating talent and prepare a new group of players to compete at that same level.
Last season, Cal Poly’s top squad led the West at both sectional tournaments before placing second at nationals, according to second-year aerospace engineering major Jake Madrid.
Cal Poly advanced through two rounds of pool play before defeating Virginia Commonwealth University in the quarterfinal and the University of Georgia in the semifinal. The team ultimately fell to Northeastern in the national championship match.
The 2026 College Nationals featured 18 Division I squads, 17 Division II squads and 10 individual teams, bringing together 302 collegiate athletes from programs across the country.
Now this season, the overall goal is straightforward.
“We’ve got one more spot to go up. Got one more team to beat,” Madrid said.
Two of the Division I squad’s top players graduated after last season, including Jake Woolley, who represented Team USA at the 2026 Roundnet World Championship in Paris, France. Still, the club has seen new players attend practices and pickup games, while returning players have continued to improve, giving Cal Poly more talent to work with heading into the season.
“We have a lot of really good talent on the team,” Madrid said. “Our returning players are a lot better, too. I feel like we’re looking pretty good so far.”
Cal Poly had about 20 competitors last year across its Division I and Division II squads, Madrid said. This season, the club has seen significantly more students attend both competitive practices and casual pickup games.
Second-year aerospace engineering major Kai Calbreath said around 50 players have consistently attended pickup games this year, compared with roughly 20 to 30 at this time last season.
“The amount of teams we put out might go up,” Calbreath said.
That larger turnout could help the club offset the loss of its graduates, increase internal competition, and develop players who can contribute at the top level.
For Madrid, that mix of casual play and serious competition keeps players coming back.
“It’s fun to play Spikeball, which is not a serious sport at all, but it’s fun to take it seriously,” Madrid said.
Cal Poly will compete in regional sectionals throughout the fall and spring, with College Nationals capping the season in May. The No. 2 preseason ranking has raised expectations for the season ahead, and how the club’s returning and new players respond could determine whether it can live up to them.