Bouchard, Bellamy added during MLP Premier Waiver Period 3
Genie Bouchard and Roscoe Bellamy are now on MLP Premier level rosters after the third and final waiver period of the season.
The Utah Black Diamonds added Bouchard to replace the newly acquired Genie Erokhina; the Columbus Sliders tapped Bellamy to fill in for Jay Devilliers, who will miss the remainder of the 2024 season with a knee injury.
These moves come with both teams already eliminated from playoff contention.
Bouchard will join a Utah squad also featuring Connor Garnett, Tyler Loong, and Alix Truong.
She will make her MLP debut at MLP Las Vegas, where the Black Diamonds will play their final five matches of the season.
Bellamy will join a Columbus team that also has Riley Newman, Parris Todd, and Callie Smith. Both Smith and Todd were acquired at the trade deadline from Utah and Orlando, respectively.
Bellamy began the year on the Miami Pickleball Club at the Challenger level and filled in for the Orlando Squeeze at MLP Salt Lake City.
The former UCLA tennis standout is excited to be back competing in Major League Pickleball.
“I’m honored to play for a Premier team,” he said of the opportunity. “I’m really fortunate to be called up, so hopefully I can perform well and give it my all.”
Coincidentally, Bellamy and Smith are playing mixed doubles together at this week’s Stratusphere Gin Virginia Beach Cup.
They pulled off an upset win over No. 13 seeds Etta Wright and Tyler Loong earlier Wednesday afternoon, so it seems like they’re already developing a rapport ahead of their first MLP event together.
The Sliders—like the Black Diamonds—will finish their season with five matches at MLP Las Vegas.
Be on the lookout for updates from Waiver Period 3 for the Challenger teams, which will take place Thursday afternoon.
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