Jack Munro has made a name for himself as a star in the collegiate pickleball ranks.

Over the weekend, the 20-year-old helped the University of Texas at Austin claim the DUPR Collegiate National Championship at Life Time Peachtree Corners in Georgia.

Munro has competed on the pro scene, too, playing both PPA Tour and MLP events.

Admittedly, the up-and-comer has a genuine appreciation for the college pickleball scene. 

“I like competing with people my age and representing my school. It’s such a blast to spend a weekend together at a tournament and meet new people,” said Munro. “The college pickleball atmosphere is a lot rowdier than pro. Playing on an MLP team prepared me a little bit for that high energy on the sidelines, but nothing beats the school spirit aspect of it.”

College pickleball certainly brings high energy from the competing teams and spectators watching the action. There’s something about that college pride that makes the fans cheer a little louder and celebrate a little bigger, and encourages players to kick things up a notch.

Munro has seen the sport grow first-hand at the collegiate level.

“College pickleball is only getting better. It’s certainly gotten a lot better compared to last year,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot more players come into the sport that have a very high ceiling or potential, and if they took this seriously then they could go from college to actually playing pro.”

A major reason why Munro and the Longhorns reached the top of the podium this year was their female contingent.

And he couldn't be prouder.

“For college pickleball, it’s most important to have a good girl because they’re a lot more rare just based purely on numbers,” he shared. “There’s a ton of good guys playing, but having high level girls is a game-changer.”

Munro has quite a schedule between navigating classes towards his economics degree, pickleball, and tournament travel.

It’s not easy to balance it all.  

“We practice three times a week or so, and balancing it while playing pro and doing my classes can be miserable at times. I travel Wednesday through Sunday, and it’s not a school sponsored sport, so I have to communicate that with my teachers,” he explained. “Sometimes the teachers are lenient and sometimes they’re not, but after I explain that I’m using it to help pay for my education, they understand. But, it can be tough.”

Despite the challenge, Munro is making it work.

And he truly admires those who juggle even more on their respective plates. 

“This makes me put more respect on all the people who work a full-time job while pursuing their MBA, or all the single moms,“ he stated. “I just have a lot more respect for those people.”  

Munro’s pickleball aspirations continue to grow as his game gets better and better.

He's looking forward to the day that he graduates so he can further explore his passion for America's fastest-growing sport. 

In the meantime, though, he’s just enjoying the ride.

For more insight from the top players in the game, follow us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).