The Island Has Returned! UPRA of Puerto Rico in the NCTTA Champs

By Michael Reff
Press Committee Chair

Breaking news! Our friends in Puerto Rico have returned with the strength and passion of their island! For the first time since the 2011 season, a Puerto Rican team has participated in NCTTA, and since 2012, that a Puerto Rican team has advanced to the Championships! This time the team is the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo (UPRA). I got to ask the UPRA Athletic Director, Mr. Christian Tellado, for a quote on how he feels about his team’s accomplishments.

(Translated by Press Committee Chair from Spanish)

This is a historical moment, not only for our program, but also for Puerto Rico. After more than 15 years, since 2011 without representation in NCTTA, returning to the scene is a reflection of the vision, the compromise, and the consistent work of our student athletes and technical staff. As Athletic Director, I feel a deep pride. Our student athletes understand the responsibility that they carry, that they not only represent the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo, rather the island as a whole with a great tradition in table tennis. This opportunity means a lot for them, they are motivated, focused, and grateful to be able to be part of something bigger than themselves. Our goals for this Championships go way beyond the results. We aspire to compete at the highest level with discipline and passion, establishing a solid presence, and creating the foundation so that more Puerto Rican programs become part of NCTTA in the future. For us, success is representing our institution and Puerto Rico with excellence, dignity, and pride, while we open the path for future generations.

As you all can see, overall this accomplishment is for Puerto Rico as a whole.

Here in NCTTA we congratulate the UPRA team who carry the pride of Puerto Rico through to the Championships in Rockford, IL!

(featured in the photo is the UPRA team at the Northeast Regionals)

About the 2026 NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships

The championships are hosted by the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and GoRockford (Rockford Convention and Visitors Bureau). The event crowns national champions in Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles, Men’s/Coed Teams, and Women’s Teams and Collegiate Peakapong Singles.

PongSpace, PeakaPong, Major League Table Tennis, Nittaku and Paddle Palace will sponsor the event.
Watch the event on live stream starting Friday, April 10th on https://www.nctta.org/champs/2026/video.html

About NCTTA

The National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) is a non-profit organization established exclusively to promote the sport of table tennis at the college level. As the national governing body for college table tennis in the United States and Canada, NCTTA organizes elite intercollegiate competitions throughout North America. www.nctta.org