Columbus continues its winning streak in sports with the Sliders capturing the 2025 Major League Pickleball (MLP) championship in only their third season. The Sliders defeated the New Jersey Fives in the DoorDash MLP Finals held at Central Park, New York City, overcoming injuries and tough competition, including top-seeded teams like the St. Louis Shock and defending champions Dallas Flash. The team, based at Pickle and Chill in Columbus and owned by local residents David Kass and Doug Ulman, has garnered strong community support from thousands of local players and fans.
The MLP season featured ten regular season events nationwide, a mid-season tournament, and playoffs starting in San Diego. Columbus’s victory adds to the city’s recent sports successes, joining the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff national title and the Crew’s MLS Cup and Leagues Cup wins. Team captain Andrei Daescu expressed pride in their hard-fought journey, highlighting the team’s resilience through the season’s challenges.
