The Hillsdale Roundnet Club held its first Spikeball tournament of the year Sept. 10, with more than 25 two-person teams participating. 

Marty Hubbard, owner of 42 Union and Rough Draft, sponsored the tournament. Each participant received a Rough Draft coupon, and the winner received a $50 gift card courtesy of Hubbard, who said she sponsored the event because she remembers playing Spikeball early in the development of Rough Draft. 

Roundnet is a growing sport in which two two-person teams play a ball across a small trampoline-like net. Many players call it “Spikeball,” after the company that makes roundnet equipment.

Spikeball partners sophomore Christian Mancuso and senior Avery Noel said they were excited for the tournament. 

“I am impressed with the competition here,” Mancusso said. “It’s competitive, but also casual enough that it’s still fun.”

Sophomore Thomas McKenna and junior Nathan Furness won the tournament. 

“I’ve been playing Spikeball recreationally for seven to eight years, but this was the first official tournament I’ve participated in,” Furness said. “The competition was pretty difficult toward the later rounds when all the players were playing at a really high level.”

Sophomore Joseph Duncan, president of the Hillsdale Roundnet Club, started the organization in 2022 as a freshman. 

“When I got to college I missed doing something competitive,” Duncan said. “Spikeball requires a high variety of skills and there is always room for improvement, all of which led to the creation of this club.”

The Roundnet Club has seen significant growth within the past year. Duncan said he estimated about 20 members were active participants when the club started. Less than a year later, the club has close to 150 members, 60 of whom are consistent participants within the club. Duncan attributes the popularity of Spikeball on campus to the competitive spirit that he says many Hillsdale students hold. 

“I don’t expect the growth to stop any time soon,” Duncan said. “Interest continues to grow around campus, especially in the fall and spring.”