DALLAS, TX - The Carolina Pickleball Club is sending Andrea Koop to the Columbus Sliders in exchange for Brooke Buckner.

The move comes as both teams search for a spark after disappointing starts to the season.

Both teams have won only a single match so far and are earning an average of 1 standings point per match, a mark that has them tied for eighth place in the Premier standings.

Despite boasting impressive pickleball resumes—including podium finishes at PPA events earlier this year—Koop and Buckner have struggled mightily on the MLP side of things so far.

Koop is 0-7 in women’s doubles with Jessie Irvine and 1-6 in mixed doubles with Collin Johns.

Buckner is 1-5 in women’s doubles with Meghan Dizon and 2-4 in mixed doubles playing with Riley Newman and Connor Garnett.

Let’s look at how this trade could impact the involved teams.

What this means for Columbus

Koop will play women’s doubles alongside Dizon. That move should benefit both players, as it will allow both Koop and Dizon to play their better sides.

Dizon has had most of her success on the PPA Tour in women's doubles this year playing the right side. She played the right side with Buckner, but that forced Buckner to play the left when she's had more success playing the left side herself.

Koop has had the most success this year playing the left side, which she did admirably when she and Jade Kawamoto made it to Championship Sunday at PPA Atlanta in May.

This dynamic should provide an upgrade in women’s doubles for the Sliders.

What this means for Carolina

Buckner will play women’s doubles alongside Irvine and mixed doubles with, most likely, Collin Johns.

Buckner and Johns do have some experience competing together in 2024 and even played the first three PPA events of the year together. Their best result came at the Desert Ridge Open, where they finished in tenth place.

This move, however, probably has more to do with Buckner’s singles prowess more than anything. Carolina is built to win most of its matches in DreamBreakers by relying on two victories from Ben Johns in men’s doubles and mixed doubles to force the deciding contest.

That strategy hasn’t panned out so far, though, as the team is 1-3 in DreamBreakers. As one of the top women’s singles players in the sport, Buckner will provide some extra firepower in DreamBreakers that should give the team more confidence in those do-or-die scenarios.

Fans will have a chance to see who benefits from the trade more when Carolina and Columbus square off on Sunday at the Vulcan MLP Salt Lake City by Margaritaville event.

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