By Ethan Swinford

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The UK dodgeball team fell one game short of a third straight National Collegiate Dodgeball Association Final Four.

This year, UK graduated 11 players from last year’s Final Four team and brought in nine first year players. Preseason expectations were sky high, as the team began the season ranked No. 3.

The Dodgeball Cats took longer than expected to get the hang of the game and finished the regular season with a disappointing record of 5-6. Still, the team ended the regular season ranked No. 10 and won three of their last five games before Nationals.

The Dodgeball Cats began pool play by taking on Bowling Green. After falling behind early, the Cats came back to pull out the 2-1 win.

Next up for UK was a match against the number-one ranked, defending and eventual NCDA champ, Grand Valley State. Grand Valley State’s experience was too much for the inexperienced Cats though, as they beat UK 4-0.

A typical dodgeball team’s roster is stacked with upperclassmen, and UK only returned five players from last year’s Final Four team.

A full roster is 20 players with 15 playing on the court at once. UK only took 15 players to Nationals and lost a player due to injury during the Grand Valley State game. Already playing with a depleted team, UK was unable to take home the victory against Maryland, losing 3-1. The Cats finished pool play with a record of 1-2.

To begin elimination play, UK faced off against No. 7 Central Michigan University. The Cats fell behind early before storming back to pull off the upset, 3-2.

UK had little time to celebrate the win, as they had to get ready to play against eventual runner-up Saginaw Valley State University. But the Cats could not muster up enough tournament magic to get to a third straight Final Four victory, as they were beaten 4-0.

“In all honesty I would have liked to pick up another win or two between pool play and the single elimination part of the tournament,” said graduate student and former captain Zac Brown. “But, I am extremely proud of the team.”

In regards to UK’s youth this season, Brown was pleased with where the team finished this year.

“We showcased a lot of youth and that is fine,” Brown said. “Our players will learn and grow.”

The Cats are already looking forward to next season. Much like this year’s UK basketball team, the Dodgeball Cats will be returning a lot of talent and hope to have a geographical homecourt advantage next year during Nationals.

“We are exceptionally pleased with the fact that Nationals next year will be hosted at WKU in Bowling Green, Kentucky,” Brown said. “Bowling Green is right down the road and we’ve played in their facilities on multiple occasions.”