World University Games Feature: Charles Deng

By Willy Leparulo, Press Committee Member

The World University Games are governed by FISU, which is the International University Sports Federation and luckily table tennis has been a sport in what can best be described as an Olympic games for University athletes!

NCTTA has been organizing and managing the USA Collegiate Team since 2006 when it was in Maribor, Slovenia. NCTTA is once again organizing the tryouts and team as well as the team leader and coach selection for these games.

Charles Deng, who played for Brown University, attended the 2019 World University Table Tennis Championships that took place in Naples, Italy. Deng competed previously for TEAM USA as a member of the Cadet and Junior teams, but the World University Games was a very different experience!

Deng says, "the set-up as an Olympic-lite experience; I've never participated in the Olympics, but the city of Naples really leaned into its role as a host - from the time I landed and arrived at the airport you could see giant banners/commercials for the World University Games, shops were selling WUG merchandise, etc. The opening ceremony and walking through the tunnel into the Naples stadium with the rest of the American athletes was a key memory, and we also got ten Team USA pins to trade with athletes from other countries which I'll keep for the rest of my life."

It was one of those experiences that one would describe as once in a lifetime. Deng says "I would absolutely go to the WUG again if given a chance! It was expensive, but one of those things you only get one opportunity to participate in."

To those interested, NCTTA is hosting the tryouts in Rockford, Illinois at the 2025 NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships April 3rd!

See here the team that represented USA in 2019!
2019 (Napoli, Italy)

Men:
Charles Deng, Brown
Anthony Chu, UC San Diego
Kunal Chodri, UC Davis

Women:
Isabel Chu, UCLA
Lucy Ma, Stanford
Joy Li, UT Austin