With MLP Virginia Beach starting on Thursday, I decided to take a closer look at the jerseys being sported by the Challenger Level teams competing in the event.

The Premier Level squads had some standouts in the jersey departent, while others could use some extra pizzazz. And it’s no different at the Challenger Level.

Here are the rankings from best to worst:

1. Las Vegas Night Owls

Current players: Rafa Hewett, Blaine Hovenier, Judit Castillo, Zoey Wang

I didn't foresee this team sitting atop the list, but here we are. The Night Owls are definitely doing something interesting with their jerseys. From afar, the all-black look seems simple, but there’s actually a white speckled texture that’s reminiscent of the night sky. Come on, that’s so cool!

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Las Vegas Night Owls (@lv.nightowls)

And their other jersey - a dip dye white to hot pink look - is completely different than anything else in MLP.

Props for the creativity and attention to detail.

2. Miami Pickleball Club

Current players: Noe Khlif, Bobbi Oshiro, Eric Oncins, Milan Rane

Give me a pink and white combo with a penguin logo and I’m a happy camper. Thanks to their partnership with Original Penguin, these jerseys are playful, fun, and fit wonderfully with the bright Miami aesthetic. I prefer the pink uniforms paired with white bottoms because it really stands out, but the all-black and all-white uniforms featuring a pop of pink in the logo are just as sharp.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Milan Rane (@milan_rane)

3. Bay Area Breakers

Current players: Allyce Jones, Martin Emmrich, Jill Braverman, Collin Shick

The Breakers were at the top for best MLP merch, and their jerseys by Stack Athletics are equally outstanding. If there’s one thing we can count on with Stack, it's that they’ll make players look effortlessly cool. This is a textbook example of a clean and sleek look.

4. Florida Smash

Current players: Donald Young, Christa Gecheva, Travis Rettenmaier, Martina Frantova

I genuinely appreciate this simple outfit from the Smash. The standout jersey look is the white tank top and dark green bottoms. It’s minimal, but it just looks good. And hats off to the Smash for incorporating another color that isn't pink. Dark green is a welcome change on the Challenger court.

5. California Black Bears

Current players: Genie Erokhina, Chris Haworth, Brandon French, Amanda Hendry

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by California Black Bears (@cablackbears)

 

Like the Breakers, the Black Bears also work with Stack, so they look super cool, too. But, I’d love to see something more unique for this partnership. If there was a way to incorporate more of that light pink color or something California specific like the bear on the state flag, that would really take this jersey to the next level.  

6. SoCal Hard Eights

Current Players: Yana Newell, Max Manthou, Irina Tereschenko, Erik Lange

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hard Eights | Major League Pickleball (@hard8s.mlp)

This is a tricky one rankings-wise because you can never go wrong with an all-black look. It's flattering on everyone. But, this jersey isn’t going that extra mile to really shine. Think about the Night Owls and the small speckled detailing. SoCal could absolutely do something similar. Maybe checkerboard or dice detailing would help.

7. Frisco Pandas

Current players: Tammy Emmrich, Ewa Radzikowska, John Cincola, Stefan Auvergne

I’m torn with this one as well. The black and white pallet literally matches the color of a panda. And their logo is big and obvious enough to easily differentiate their team from the rest of the black and white uniforms. The Pandas can probably stay in this pallet while other teams get more eccentric with their looks. Bottom line, these jerseys belong in the middle of the pack.

8. Brooklyn Aces

Current players: Pablo Tellez, Lina Padegimate, Daniel De La Rosa, Layne Sleeth

The Brooklyn Aces fall into a similar spot as the Pandas because they also look clean, but the jerseys could be elevated. They have a cool blue color incorporated into their logo, and I’d love to see a monochromatic look in that blue, too. Think of how beautifully the squad would stand out against the other black and white uniforms. And they have a partnership with Lotto that already creates some very unique looks in soccer and golf. I’d love to see that same creativity on the court.  

9. Atlanta Bouncers

Current players: Susannah Barr, Emily Cederquist, Todd Fought, Jaume Martinez Vich

I really like the merch and brewery vibe from Atlanta thanks to their partnership with Michelob Ultra, but their jerseys could be having a lot more fun based on that vibe. They could also incorporate their cool logo into their jersey, or develop a more specific color pallet like black and peach to represent the Peach State. I think their jersey screams Michelob Ultra, not Atlanta Bouncers. 

10. Chicago Slice

Current players: Megan Fudge, Allison Harris, Brendon Long, Jack Munro

I appreciate that Chicago decided to add more flare to their jerseys with the pizza slice shape and the stars at the bottom, but the design isn’t as strong as it could be. I’d love to see it developed just a little bit more. Less cheesy (pun intended) is best.

Which Challenger Level team has your favorite jerseys? Let us know on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).