The German University Championships (DHM) in badminton took place in Essen from May 14 to 17. The event was hosted by the University of Duisburg-Essen, which first hosted the Final Four of the team competition and then the individual events. The WG Karlsruhe, or KIT, was also represented by a six-member delegation.

The team set out early Thursday morning for the Ruhr region.

They left Karlsruhe at 6:30 a.m., and after several hours on the road, the final round of the team championship began. Qualifying for the Final Four was already a major success for WG Karlsruhe, which had previously advanced through the preliminary round in Karlsruhe.

In Essen, however, they faced the absolute heavyweights of German college badminton: the teams from Duisburg-Essen, Bonn, and Dresden. Many universities fielded players from the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, making it quickly clear that it would be difficult to keep up with the top favorites on a competitive level. For the Karlsruhe team, therefore, team spirit and the shared experience were the top priorities.

It was particularly important to the team that everyone got enough playing time and could be part of the Final Four weekend. Despite the strong competition, WG Karlsruhe showed great dedication, fought for every point in every match, and presented itself as a united and motivated team.

Following the team competition, the individual events continued on Friday and Saturday. Representing Karlsruhe in the men’s singles were Mathis Alt, Leo Weiske, Alexis Riebschläger, and Dennis Moschina, while Emilie Moschina represented KIT in the women’s singles. In the mixed doubles, Eva Sickmüller and Mathis Alt, as well as Dennis Moschina and Emilie Moschina, took to the court. In the men’s doubles, Alexis Riebschläger and Mathis Alt played together, and Leo Weiske and Dennis Moschina also formed a doubles pair.

The weekend was particularly successful for Mathis Alt. He reached the quarterfinals in both the men’s singles and, together with Alexis Riebschläger, in the men’s doubles, thereby achieving strong results at the national collegiate level. Given the high-caliber field of participants—which included numerous players from Germany’s top leagues—this is a remarkable achievement for WG Karlsruhe.

Beyond the athletic competition, the time spent together as a team was particularly memorable. Amid long tournament days, many exciting matches, and interactions with students from all over Germany, the DHM 2026 once again offered precisely the special atmosphere that characterizes college sports. Team spirit was also palpable off the field: With homemade cake to get them through the long tournament days, the Karlsruhe delegation was well taken care of.