The Spartans compete in the NCDA’s "Pinch" division, a co-ed format that pits teams from across the country against each other. With only 18 travel roster spots and around 25 players in the club most years, competition for a place on the squad is fierce.

This past weekend, MSU hosted the Michigan Dodgeball Cup at IM West, welcoming Central Michigan, Saginaw Valley State and its biggest rival, Grand Valley State. In front of a packed gym, the Spartans secured their fourth straight title.

Senior public relations major Matt Zivian has been with the team since his freshman year. On Feb. 1, he broke his hand after taking a high-speed rubber ball to the hand.

"This team means the world to me," Zivian said. "I've grown as an athlete and as a person thanks to this program. My teammates and my coaches have been my rock for the last 4 years."

MSU was one of the founding members of the NCDA in 2003 and won its first national championship in 2023.

To the uninitiated, a game of NCDA dodgeball might seem unfamiliar, as the league enforces a strict set of rules. Teams play with a 15-second shot clock, requiring players to throw the ball within that time frame. Volleyball court lines mark the "neutral zone," an area in the middle of the court where both teams can enter. The game is highly competitive, with some players throwing at speeds exceeding 70 mph.

Head coach Kevin Nguyen has led the team since 2016 and previously played for MSU in 2008. Now 34, Nguyen credits the team’s continued success to one key factor: total buy-in from every player.

"All our returners know what it takes to win. They see how hard every other team works, and they know how hard we have worked," said Nguyen. "There's confidence in our strategy, our athleticism and our overall gameplay."

Grand Valley State has long been the team to beat in the NCDA, having won 11 of the league’s 19 national championships, most recently in 2022. This season, GVSU defeated the Spartans three times before MSU finally broke through at the Michigan Dodgeball Cup. For Nguyen, that victory was the defining moment of the season so far.

"We lost to GV three times this year, and that was our first (win) against them," said Nguyen. "We knew we were feeling confident after the last game, we were missing some big players, but it didn’t matter; it validated everything we've been doing."

MSU Dodgeball, despite its achievements, receives no funding from Michigan State. Evidently, fundraising has become a large part of how the team stays afloat. Super Bowl squares, golf outings and March Madness brackets have become a staple for the team's fundraising efforts. The team travels across the Midwest and the country for tournaments. Travel costs don’t come easy, though to this tight-knit group all the fundraising is worth it. 

"We want to do anything we can do to raise money and help ease the burden on these guys," said Nguyen. "When we’re fundraising, we’re looking out for each other and putting others above ourselves. It’s not easy to fundraise, it’s just something we have to do."

On Feb. 22, MSU will compete in the Summit Street Slugfest at Kent State, facing No. 1 Akron, No. 7 Bowling Green State, Ohio State and Kent State. It will be the Spartans’ first tournament since the Michigan Dodgeball Cup.

In early April, the team will travel to Cleveland State for the NCDA Nationals on April 5-6, where they will look to secure their third straight national championship.