CPC worker, grad, to shoot for pickleball record
He and three teamates will try to play for 48 hours.
The event is set for Nov. 28 in Enola.
By Noah Lopez
Knightly News Reporter
The current world record for the longest pickleball match stands at 36 hours, set by The Pickle Breakers in April in Carrollton, Texas, but this month, Knightly News Hall of Famer and former Central Penn College soccer player Andrew Hunter and some friends are hoping to break that record.
Hunter and three teammates plan to play the popular game for 48 consecutive hours, beginning at 6 a.m., on Black Friday at the Ace Pickleball Club, Enola, and to find their way to a listing by Guinness World Records.
Hunter, who works in the college’s athletics department, first picked up pickleball in high school but rediscovered it during college. After starting a job at Ace last August, he began taking the sport more seriously through frequent drills, games and tournaments.
The idea for the record attempt began when a member at the club suggested it to Hunter during a shift. What started as a casual conversation quickly turned into a serious plan.
Hunter and his teammates said they want to break the record because they thought it would be a great way to promote the club and to help raise funds for charities.
Because doubles requires four players, Hunter and his teammates initially struggled to find enough participants. Eventually, two of his close friends, who also happen to be his men’s and mixed-doubles partners, agreed to join, forming the team that will take on the 48-hour challenge.
Joining Hunter in the 48-hour marathon are Renee Sipos, Steve Lesko and Steve Dunham. Each player will represent a different charity during the event. Hunter chose to play for his church’s homelessness fund, which he connected to after producing a class video on homelessness in Harrisburg. Sipos will play for Four Diamonds, a charity that helps children with cancer, while Lesko will raise awareness for suicide prevention.
“The team has to play with the same partners for the whole time,” Hunter explained. “You get five-minute breaks per hour. If you do not use those breaks, they stack up over time. If you don’t use a break for three hours, then you have 15 minutes. All break time is added to the end of your time. We can play as slow as you want, You just have to follow basic pickleball rules.”
The event’s main sponsor, Head Pickleball, will provide top-tier gear for the team, including four paddles, 36 of their top-of-the-line balls, shirts and banners to display around the court. HEAD’s global headquarters is in Kennelbach, Austria, and its U.S. headquarters is in Boulder, Colorado.
To make the record official, the group had to apply through Guinness World Records. Hunter said the process included submitting an application, waiting for approval, and reviewing a detailed rulebook outlining what players can and cannot do.
“We got our approval faster than expected, so we decided to move the date up to Black Friday,” he said.
Hunter also mentioned the match will be livestreamed on YouTube and recorded, as the video must be submitted to Guinness World Records for official review.
While Hunter’s soccer days at Central Penn are behind him, his drive to compete and represent his community remains strong. As a former Knights goalkeeper, Knightly News vice president and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, Hunter continues to embody the spirit of dedication and teamwork he built during his college years.
Lopez is president of The Knightly News Media Club @ Central Penn College.
Comment or story idea? Contact [email protected].
Edited by media-club co-adviser and Knightly News editor Professor Michael Lear-Olimpi.
