ahm NPL '26 Draft Complete - Teams Locked In for Australia's Biggest Pickleball Season Yet

The ahm NPL ’26 Draft is officially complete.

For the first time in league history, selections unfolded live on air during the ahm NPL ’26 Draft Show from ahm Health Insurance HQ, giving players, captains and fans a first real look at how the 2026 season is taking shape.

Now the squads are locked, the combinations are real, and the countdown to Round 1 is on.

This is not a one-off tournament. This is Australia’s first full-length national teams pickleball season. Seven rounds across the country, a mid-season draft, and a Finals weekend in Melbourne. With the draft now complete, the road to the 2026 title has officially begun.

12 Pro franchises locked in

The ahm NPL ’26 season will feature 12 franchise teams in the Pro Division, each with a corresponding Division 2 side. Across the draft, teams built their line-ups through a mix of proven performers, emerging players and strategic selections.

Queensland franchises

Opals

Pro Division: Crystal Mildwaters (C), Nicola Schoeman, Hamish Bartos, Aaron Johnson Division 2: Ryan Simmons (C), Mitch Rodgers, Irie Heather-Pereira, Debbie Rossi

Outback

Pro Division: Harry Brown (C), Katy Hart, Kirsty McCorkindale, Daniel Fogl-Kulich Division 2: Thanh Huynh (C), Luther Ferris, Maddy Hetherington, Leona Huynh

Brumbies

Pro Division: Andy Horridge (C), Aleisha Horridge, Simone Kessell, Josh Nipperess Division 2: Penny Moran (C), Kate Rorrison, Joseph Crowther, Jason Smith

Reef

Pro Division: James Wilson (C), Tayah Cross, Connor Robertshawe, Zoey Dagmarr Division 2: Sam Gibbs (C), Ben Johns, Jessica Christie, Sophie Mason

Victoria franchises

Adders

Pro Division: Matt Kouznetsov (C), Kat Westbury, Timothy Kouznetsov, Amy Munro Division 2: Gabby May (C), Chris Maasi, Olivia Moir, Marlino Pascual

Roos

Pro Division: Sahil Dang (C), Kat Valos, Natalie Fisher, Ethan Chung Division 2: Pierre Enjolras (C), Clare Butler, Tam Le-Vo, Letha Gaigher

Tide

Pro Division: Ayesha Dang (C), Ethan Butson, Memory Lelenoa, Josh Fisher Division 2: Brandan Lai (C), Kelly Martin, Louis Duckworth, Chau Vo

29ers

Pro Division: Isabelle Papazyan (C), Nives Baric, Nigel Lee, Dan Kouznetsov Division 2: Ryan Lee (C), Ryan Hosseini, Samantha Chan, Nicole Mullen

New South Wales franchises

Stingers

Pro Division: Kyle Stoker (C), Ryan Henry, Louise Oxnevad, Gianni Martine Division 2: Ryan Morris (C), Kyron Pinter, Mary Massih, Jessica Williams

Heat

Pro Division: Selina Turulja (C), Shannon Spencer, Ashton Chan, Josh Chia Division 2: Maria Bayan (C), Tektea, Cathy Hoang, Dat Pham

Dinkers

Pro Division: Brian Tran (C), Daiki Tanabe, Tyra Calderwood, Tatjana Bozovic Division 2: Ivan Stride (C), Emma Redmond, Flynn Burrage, Shaylyn Geenty

Comets

Pro Division: Mickie Haet (C), Matt Barton, Nancy Ferguson, Guillermo Jacquet Division 2: Robbie Manzano (C), Monique Burton, Jarred Wynan, Alexis Cooper

### Additional Division 2 teams confirmed

Alongside the 12 main franchises, the ahm NPL ’26 structure also includes additional Division 2 teams across Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand.

Queensland Division 2 additional teams

Burras

Grace Sorbello (C), Sudharshan Janakiraman, Jon Kubler, Katie Weibler

Setters

Sonia Bailey (C), Indiana Heather-Pereira, Hala Fitikefu, Sueme Rajpal

Victoria Division 2 additional teams

Sharks

Stefan Djordjic (C), Aria Henare, Lucas Vuradin, Jennifer Farnatree

Rangers

Liam Lamb (C), Emily Martin, Chanchai Sooktoon-Eng, Ashlee Gerbach-Seib

New South Wales Division 2 additional teams

Aggies Alexandra Havas (C), Bruno Maurmann, Ben Murace, Eliza Cook

Bandicoots Adam Walters (C), Nick De Vivo, Rebecca Wu, Danielle Tu

New Zealand Division 2 teams

Taika Ela Vakaukamea (C), Feiloakitohi Tavelea, Elena Tavalea, Semisi Fasiunga

Taniwha Shaun Tumai (C), Mint Brown, Quinny Pari-Collins, Mikaylah Winiata

Kōura Lizzie Brady (C), Jordan Halliday, Mia Hardie, John Southern

Tuatara Spencer Sandridge (C), Hikaru Hang, Andy van der Vyver, Sophie Hawk

Kauri Janelle Nikora (C), Willard Sunnex, Rima Solomon, Tama Skipper

Moa Joshua Mathews (C), Gretch Lund, Harrison Young, Jo Blackadder

Biggest takeaways from draft night

A few storylines immediately stand out. The Opals made one of the headline moves of the draft, with Nicola Schoeman joining Crystal Mildwaters in a roster that will attract plenty of attention heading into Round 1.

Outback look strong and balanced, with Harry Brown leading a line-up that includes Katy Hart, Kirsty McCorkindale and Daniel Fogl-Kulich. That group looks capable of making an immediate impact.

The Brumbies bring a settled and recognisable core around Andy Horridge and Aleisha Horridge, while Reef have assembled a roster that looks dangerous across both divisions.

In Victoria, the Adders, Roos, Tide and 29ers all look like they have genuine depth. The Tide pairing of Ayesha Dang and Ethan Butson will draw attention, while the 29ers have built an intriguing roster around Isabelle Papazyan.

In New South Wales, the Stingers, Heat, Dinkers and Comets all emerged with strong Pro Division combinations. Selina Turulja headlines a Heat team that looks highly competitive, while the Comets appear particularly well placed with Mickie Haet, Matt Barton and Nancy Ferguson in the same line-up.

Just as importantly, Division 2 across the competition looks deep. In a season-long structure, that matters. This season will not be won on top-end names alone. Depth, chemistry and adaptability across the wider competition will be critical.

What happens next

With the draft complete, focus now shifts to Round 1 on 25 April, when the ahm NPL ’26 season officially begins.

The season will run across seven rounds nationally before culminating in the Finals in Melbourne from 28 to 30 August. There is also the added twist of the Mid-Season Draft on 1 June, meaning roster strategy will remain a live part of the competition all year.

2026 season dates

Draft completed: 13 March Round 1: 25 April Round 2: 9 May Round 3: 16 May Round 4: 22 to 24 May Mid-Season Draft: 1 June Round 5: 27 June Round 6: 11 July Round 7: 25 July Finals: 28 to 30 August, Melbourne

The season is now real Up until now, ahm NPL ’26 has been about registrations, announcements and anticipation. Now it is about teams. Real teams. Real line-ups. Real rivalries. A genuine national title race. The captains have their squads. The players know their colours. The road to the ahm NPL ’26 championship has officially begun.