KEARNEY, Neb. (Oct. 20, 2026) —The Nebraska NetFest Pickleball and Volleyball State Championships took place Oct. 16–18, 2026, at the Kearney SportsPlex, bringing together athletes from across the state.
This year’s NetFest Pickleball tournament welcomed 42 participants across all divisions, while NetFest Volleyball saw approximately 500 participants on 62 teams competing in four divisions.
NetFest Pickleball featured strong competition across the Singles and Mixed Doubles Divisions. In the Open 3.0-3.5 Singles Gold Bracket, Patrick McIlnay (Kearney) claimed first place, while Janell Patton (Lexington) won the Silver Bracket. Scott Hayden (Kearney) earned the title in the Open 3.5-4.0 Singles Division.
In Mixed Doubles competition, Rick Everett (Hastings) and Suzanne Anstine (Hastings) captured gold in the 3.5 Division, defeating Patrick McIlnay and Melissa Morrison (Kearney) in the championship match. McIlnay and Morrison returned to the podium as silver medalists for the second consecutive year. Brandon and Molly Kircher (Johnson Lake) won the 3.0-3.25 Mixed Doubles Gold Bracket, while Carlos and Callie Vargas (Grand Island) finished first in the Silver Bracket.
NetFest Volleyball featured close, high-level matches throughout the weekend. On Saturday, in the 5th/6th A-B Gold Bracket, Ogallala 6 defeated the Mullen Broncos in two sets, 25-23 and 25-18. In the 5th/6th C Gold match, Cross County defeated Sidney Raiders Black in a competitive two-set match, 25-21 and 25-23. In the 3rd/4th Gold Bracket, the Mullen Broncos secured a two-set win against Pleasanton Red, 25–17 and 25–20. On Sunday, in the 7th/8th Gold Bracket, Freeman claimed victory over the Kearney Catholic Stars in a three-set thriller, 18–25, 25–21 and 15-9.
Nebraska NetFest is presented by Visit Kearney and hosted by Kearney SportsPlex and the City of Kearney Parks and Recreation. Contributing partners include AKRS Equipment / John Deere, Sukup | Ramco, Sporting Edge, Edgewater Insurance + Real Estate, The Chicken Coop, and MCL Construction. Lodging is provided by Younes Hospitality, Holiday Inn, and LaQuinta. Official Videographer is Digital Sky.
Nebraska NetFest is organized by the Nebraska Sports Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality competition for amateur athletes of all ages and skill levels while promoting healthy and active lifestyles.
Platinum partners of the Nebraska Sports Council include FMNE Insurance, Grand Island Tourism, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center, and Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln.