By Willy Leparulo; guest writer
NCTTA Press Committee

The NCTTA Championships have been hosted at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire twice before in 2015 and 2017 and now back for a third time in 2024. Each time the local Eau Claire population, which includes nearby Chippewa Valley, has stepped up for help with the event.

NCTTA wants to recognize some folks in the area:

Lucas Connolly from Visit Eau Claire has been everything we have asked for and more. We had to unload a large number of specific sport equipment at a nearby storage area and he not once but twice helped us out. I don't know that I have ever had a CVB go to bat for us like this ever before.

Garrett Larson, Facility Director of the McPhee and Olson University gym, has bent over backwards at our every request. We can’t thank him enough for his help.

Gordy Bischoff, of the local Eau Claire Table Tennis community, from connecting NCTTA with help from the University to helping with table fixing and connecting to others to help. Huge help, thank you Gordy!

Last but not least, Dr. Jianjun Ji and University of Wisconsin Eau Claire table tennis team deserves a shout out as they have assisted us with volunteers and our table shipment. It is great having their “can do” attitude.

Gordy Bischoff says it well, “I have come to find that one of the core elements of my long career (building and repairing guitars) has been my desire to help people.
As table tennis is a passion for me, it was an easy choice to offer my time and help to such a prestigious event, this year’s NCTTA tournament and an added feature of being presented in my home city of Eau Claire Wisconsin. I have found a wonderful core group here of like minded positive people with ‘can do’ attitudes.”

About 2024 NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships
The championships are hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and the Visit Eau Claire CVB.
The event will feature: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, and Men’s/Coed Teams, Women’s Teams.
PongSpace, Joola, the US Coast Guard, Visit Eau Claire and Bluestone Designs sponsor the event.

Watch the event on live stream starting Friday, April 12th on http://www.nctta.org/champs/2024/video.html

About NCTTA
The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively to promote the sport of table tennis at the college level. As the national governing body for college table tennis in the United States and Canada, NCTTA organizes elite intercollegiate competitions throughout North America. www.nctta.org