West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) announced Monday that it will launch the nation’s second varsity pickleball program offering scholarships—with its debut roster beginning in Fall 2026.

Plans are underway to renovate the former WVWC tennis courts into a home for WVWC Pickleball.

“Renovating and utilizing the former home of WVWC Tennis will breathe new life into a facility that has hosted many matches and tournaments in the past,” said WVWC Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Kyle Hoffman. “We look forward to creating a new home for WVWC Pickleball that will provide athletes the space they need to train at the highest level. We will be able to host local, regional, and potentially national college tournaments in the future.”

The College and community currently use these courts for pickleball, and renovations will allow for eight courts, with the potential to expand in the future. 

“We think there is a real opportunity for utilizing a space on campus that is already being used for recreational pickleball,” added Hoffman. “We want to invest in our student experience, and this is an example of how we can take existing space that we have on campus and repurpose it to our students’ interests. Not only will this give us a collegiate-level facility, but it will be steps away from where our students live and be easily accessible for them to participate.”

Alec Moran joins the WVWC pickleball staff as general manager.

“As an avid racket sports advocate in the state of West Virginia, I am very excited about the opportunity to help WVWC establish and grow the first scholarship college pickleball program in the state/region,” said Moran. “We look forward to recruiting not only exceptional athletes, but also students who embody Wesleyan’s culture and will become future leaders of tomorrow.”

Drury University in Springfield, MO was the first university in the U.S. to officially launch varsity pickleball.

Click here to learn more about pickleball scholarship opportunities at WVWC.