Team Selkirk’s Mary Monson wins big at the APP US Collegiate Champions

Team Selkirk’s Mary Monson wins big at the APP US Collegiate Championships

College pickleball teams from across the country gathered in Cape Coral, Florida, over the weekend to compete in the second annual APP U.S. Collegiate Championships. College pickleball is steadily on the rise, as evidenced by the tournament, with over 150 students participating in five divisions: mixed doubles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, men’s singles, and women’s singles.

One of the standouts of the weekend was Team Selkirk’s Mary Monson, who captured two titles — women’s doubles and women’s singles. At just 16-years-old, Monson is technically still a sophomore in high school, but she is ambitiously tackling 12 CE credits, making her eligible to play for the Utah Tech University pickleball team.

Mary Monson playing doubles alongside teammate Yolena Carlon at the APP College Nationals

Monson went a perfect 7-0 (3-0 in round-robin play and 4-0 in the playoff rounds) in women’s doubles alongside teammate Yolena Carlon. In the final, Monson and Carlon took down the defending champions — and fellow teammates — Averee Beck and Kamryn Bliss, 15-10. Monson then went on to compete for the singles title that same day.

Monson went 3-1 in the singles round-robin matches, earning the No. 9 seed in the playoffs. She defeated her doubles partner, Carlon, in the round of 16 before upsetting No. 1 seed Alexandra McDonald, 13-11, in the quarterfinals. In the final, Monson defeated Florida Atlantic University’s Ava Cavataio, 11-4, to win her first collegiate singles title.

“I was just taking one game at a time and was so grateful to come away with the win in women's doubles. In singles, I felt like the underdog in all my matches, and it wasn't until the finals that it really struck me how far I had come, and I started to get emotional. I was overcome with gratitude and so grateful for all of the support I had received. I really surprised myself and exceeded all of my expectations,” said Monson after winning both titles.

Monson has been a member of Team Selkirk for five years and currently plays with the Selkirk Labs Project 008 paddle. She prefers the Tour shape for its power, longer handle — perfect for her two-handed backhand — and shortened paddle face for faster movement at the kitchen.