Up Next: MLP St. Louis

The Hard 8s Head to St. Louis for Their 2026 MLP Debut

The SoCal Hard 8s open their 2026 Major League Pickleball season this week in St. Louis, slotted into Group A alongside five other teams. It’s a competitive draw to kick off the year, and each matchup comes with its own storyline.

SoCal Hard 8s vs. Phoenix Flames The Flames recently added Alix Truong to their roster, where she’ll be paired with her brother Jonathan. Sibling teams are rare in professional pickleball, and it’ll be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out on the court.

SoCal Hard 8s vs. Las Vegas Night Owls A familiar face awaits in Las Vegas – former Hard 8 Blaine Hovenier is now on the Night Owls’ side of the net. Those matchups against ex-teammates tend to bring out a little something extra in everyone involved.

SoCal Hard 8s vs. Utah Black Diamonds Tama Shimabukuro has been one of the more talked-about players heading into this event, putting together some impressive stretches of play over the last few months. Utah will be a good early test.

SoCal Hard 8s vs. Brooklyn Pickleball Team Brooklyn is also making their 2026 debut in St. Louis, so both teams are in the same position – no results on the board yet and something to prove. Their roster includes Rachel Rohrabacher, Jackie Kawamoto, Christian Alshon, and Riley Newman.

SoCal Hard 8s vs. Los Angeles Mad Drops The Mad Drops come in as one of the hotter teams in the field after winning the opening event of the season. They’ll be a measuring stick for where the Hard 8s stand heading into the rest of 2026.

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The Hard 8s play June 4–7 in St. Louis. ROLL THE DICE!