The 2024 USHA Three-Wall Nationals brought together our handball family for another phenomenal week of handball and camaraderie at the George D. Miller Three-Wall Courts.
The Toledo Handball Club again went above and beyond by providing their unmatched tournament hospitality, keeping players and spectators well fed and happy throughout the week. The amount of work put in by the members of the Toledo Handball Club is tremendous and it is appreciated by all.
We had a pair of first time open champions in 2024, with Killian Carroll winning the Men’s Open title and Mikaila Esser winning the Women’s Open title.
With Sean Lenning hurt, Carroll was one of the favorites to win the tournament, but faced stiff competition from the likes of Luis Cordova, Tyree Bastidas, Shorty Ruiz, Sam Esser, Ivan Burgos and more.
Carroll left no doubt he was the best player in the tournament and cruised past Cordova in the finals by the scores of 21-4, 21-7. He was relentless in every rally and never let Cordova get comfortable. A laser serve earned him several free points, and he was able to push Cordova all around the court.
Killian Carroll had a successful first trip to the Three-Wall Nationals
Carroll earned his finals spot ousting Ray Ure in the quarterfinals in two competitive games. Burgos awaited Carroll in the semis but stood little chance. Carroll looked unbeatable, winning the match 21-3, 21-0 in the span of just 20 minutes.
Cordova had a shaky start to his tournament and needed a tiebreaker to overcome Abraham Montijo in his quarterfinal, but looked strong in his two game sweep in the semifinals against Sam Esser.
On the Women’s side, Mikaila Esser took down three-wall legend Megan Dorneker in a tiebreaker. After a strong game one and a commanding 14-7 lead in game two, Esser looked in control. Dornerker made a run though that was fueled by a strong serve and a right hand down the right kill shot. She came all the way back to force the tiebreaker. Esser was able to regroup, and started the tiebreaker fast and never looked back, winning the match 21-11, 15-21, 11-0.
Esser defeated Jennifer Schmitt in the semifinals in two games while Dornerker took down Irish star Clodagh Munroe in a tiebreaker.
Mikaila Esser slammed the Women’s Open divisions with the help of partner Jen Schmitt
In the doubles, Shorty Ruiz and Sam Esser returned to the top by winning their third open title together, taking down Killian Carroll and Tyree Bastidas in the finals.
In the Women’s Open, Mikaila Esser completed the slam by teaming with Jen Schmitt to defeat Kristen Hughes and Leah Kirk in the finals.
Shorty Ruiz and Sam Esser won their third three-wall open doubles title.
Thank you again to the Toledo Handball Club for their efforts in putting on the best event of the year and all of the tournament volunteers who make it possible.
Congratulations to all of our 2024 Three-Wall National Champions:
Open Singles: Killian Carroll
Women’s Open Singles: Mikaila Esser
Open Doubles: Shorty Ruiz and Sam Esser
Women’s Open Doubles: Mikaila Esser and Jennifer Schmitt
Big Ball Open Doubles: Ray Ure and John Bike
A singles: Matt Job
Women’s A singles: Audrey Peters
A doubles: Anthony Collado and Chandler Straw
B singles: Vincent Yam
B doubles: Cameron Lowe and Zach Dybal
C singles: Antonio Rivera
35 singles: Abe Montijo
Women’s 35 singles: Sabrina Zamora
35 doubles: Cary Dohman and Tony Clarke
40 singles: Tyler Stevens
40 doubles: Dave Munson and Mike Munson
45 singles: Carlos Chavez
45 doubles: Adam Szatkowski and Shane Conneely
50 singles: Dan Zimet
50 doubles: Dan Zimet and Alan Frank
55 singles: Rick Leonard
60 singles: Thomas Valenzuela
60B singles: Greg Burns
60 doubles: Thomas Valenzuela and Agustin Herrera
65 singles: Dave Dohman
65 doubles: Dave Dohman and Scott Rosenthal
70 singles: John Friedrich
70 doubles: Kevin Jarvis and Ray Estevez
75 doubles: Jim Smith and Rick Graham
80 singles: Rick Graham
MAUMEE, Ohio – HOLY TOLEDO, Three-Wall Nationals Week is here! The 73rd USHA Three-Wall National Championships will commence Thursday afternoon at the Lucas County Rec Center’s George D. Miller Handball Courts. This year’s event is particularly notable as it will see the crowning of a new Men’s Pro Singles champion for the first time in a decade. The last player to win not named “Sean Lenning” was Tyree Bastidas, who claimed the title in 2013. Bastidas returns to the competition, facing a field of determined contenders, including 2023 runner-up Luis Cordova Jr. and first-time entrant Killian Carroll.
In the Women’s Open Singles draw, nine-time champion Megan Dorneker is aiming to reclaim the title after falling short in last year’s final. Her path to victory will be challenging, with formidable opponents such as Mikaila Esser, Jen Schmitt, Clodagh Munroe, Kristen Hughes, and others standing in her way.
Follow all the action and check out the brackets HERE for the latest results from the Championships!
Marston shoots for championship point in the Men’s Open Wallball Final. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
LIMERICK, Ireland – The atmosphere at the University of Limerick Sports Arena was electric on the final day of the ONeills.com 2024 World Wallball Championships. Over 1,000 enthusiastic fans filled the venue, driven by the high stakes of the World Championship final and a palpable sense of national pride. The morning commenced with the Junior and Masters finals, setting the stage for the highly anticipated Open division showdown.
Excitement buzzed through the arena as fans eagerly awaited what promised to be a thrilling final. The two contenders, both hailing from Brooklyn, New York, did not disappoint. As play commenced, the crowd fell into a captivated silence, watching the world’s top Wallball athletes execute incredible shots from seemingly impossible angles, trading blistering serves and returns at point-blank range.
Gonzalez, a seasoned veteran accustomed to the pressures of high-stakes titles, faced Marston, who was making his first appearance in a World Championship final. The day before, Marston had triumphed over defending champion Conor McElduff, overcoming the pressure of playing against a hometown favorite. That victory bolstered his confidence, which he carried into the final.
The match began with the intensity of two fighters testing each other, reaching an even 10-10 tie. Both players delivered an extraordinary sequence of rallies, each point hard-earned. Despite using two timeouts, Gonzalez stayed level with Marston until the score reached 15-15. However, Marston then began to pull ahead, capitalizing on rally scoring to secure the first game, 21-17.
In the second game, Gonzalez, determined to force a tiebreaker, played with renewed purpose. Although he gained a slight advantage, the players once again found themselves deadlocked at 10-10. As the rallies continued, Gonzalez began to show signs of fatigue, yet he kept the score close. Marston, however, seized control, building a three-point lead. Gonzalez responded with two consecutive kills, narrowing the gap to 16-18 and prompting Marston to call a timeout.
When play resumed, Marston quickly regained his composure, overcoming a Gonzalez kill to gain the side out and a 19-17 lead. With a powerful left-handed shot, he secured the final two points, clinching the championship with identical scores of 21-17. Marston celebrated with the crowd, shared a respectful handshake with Gonzalez, and then sprinted to the cameras, basking in the applause that rained down.
While Gonzalez and the other top Wallballers remain formidable contenders for future titles, this moment belonged to Marston, whose star first rose at the USHA National Wallball final in 2023.
In the all-USA 50s final at the World Championships, Joe Kaplan emerged victorious over Jared Vale, winning in two straight games, 21-18 and 21-11. Earlier in the week, Kaplan narrowly missed capturing a second World Open Small Ball Singles title, but the Brooklyn native rebounded with a determined performance in the 50s division.
The first game was a tightly contested battle, with Vale pushing his fellow New Yorker to the limit. Kaplan, however, managed to power through the intense rallies, edging out Vale to take the opening game 21-18. In the second game, Kaplan took command, dictating the pace of play. Despite Vale’s valiant efforts to keep up, Kaplan maintained control, ultimately sealing the victory and the championship with a decisive 21-11 win.
USA’s William Polanco turned back the clock, winning the small ball Open Singles against fellow American Joe Kaplan. Both Masters eligible players played an exceptionally entertaining final, with Polanco edging out Kaplan, 11-21, 21-12 11-5.
Polanco would also win the Men’s 40-plus Singles over Ireland’s Dominick Lynch, 21-13, 21-14.
USA’s William Polanco had a tremendous World Championships, successfully defending his Open Small Ball titles and winning the 40-Plus Singles. Photo by Stephen Marken/SportsfileMcMahon gets low for a return against Tully in the Women’s Open final. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
The Women’s Open Singles final featured an all-Ireland showdown between defending World Champion Martina McMahon and Fiona Tully. Tully demonstrated the brilliance that carried her to the championship match, but McMahon’s two-handed power and control, honed over the past decade, proved decisive. Although both games were closely contested, McMahon secured a convincing victory, winning 21-10, 21-9.
Gonzalez digs an amazing return in front of Marston in the Open Wallball Doubles final. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
In the doubles competition, Marston teamed up with Tywan Cook to complete a remarkable slam, defeating Gonzalez and Allan Sanchez in a thrilling match, 18-21, 21-16, 11-4. Gonzalez and Sanchez, fresh off their small ball World title win, seemed poised to claim another World Doubles crown after taking the first game. However, Marston and Cook, undeterred by the early setback, elevated their game, going toe-to-toe with their opponents to clinch the final and achieve a rare World Championships Slam.
Matches of the ONeills.com 2024 World Wallball Championships are available at the TG4 YouTube ChannelHERE.
See how “Team USA” fared in the table below (scroll to the bottom of the page).
LIMERICK, Ireland — The semifinals are set for the Men’s and Women’s Open Divisions. Kicking things off at 10 AM (Eastern), defending Women’s Champion Martina McMahon (Ireland) will tussle with Cailiosa Ni Dhuill (Ireland). In the second all-Ireland semifinal, Elise McCrory faces Fiona Tully.
Three of four spots in the Men’s semifinals hail from Brooklyn, N.Y. Defending 2018 Men’s Champion Conor McElduff (Ireland) faces Nazir Marston (USA) at 11 AM Eastern. Timbo Gonzalez and Tywan Cook square off in an all-USA semifinal.
View the draws and follow real-time results at: knowmyscore.ie
Matches of the ONeills.com 2024 World Wallball Championships will be live-streamed on the TG4 YouTube ChannelHERE.
Follow along with all of our American Players in the table below, which shows which Americans are still in their division and when their next match will be. The table will update shortly after a match concludes, so check back often for updates! The streaming schedule is also below!
LIMERICK, Ireland — With the closing ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics now behind us, we eagerly anticipate the start of the World Wallball Championships, set to take place at the University of Limerick from August 18-24. We are proud to send some of our top one-wall competitors to represent Team USA in the Men’s and Ladies’ Open Singles and Doubles events.
In the Men’s Open Wallball Singles, five-time USHA National Wallball Champion Tywan Cook from Brooklyn, N.Y. He will also team up with Brooklyn’s Nazir Marston, who is making his World Championships debut, to compete in the Men’s Open Wallball Doubles.
Mel Sky from the Bronx, N.Y., will represent Team USA in the Ladies’ Open Wallball Singles while also competing in the Ladies’ Open Wallball Doubles alongside fellow Bronx player Sully Ruiz. We wish them the best of luck as they compete for Team USA in pursuit of World Wallball titles in Ireland!
The World Wallball Championships kick off a massive celebration of handball this year in Ireland, as 2024 marks 100 years of GAA Handball. Fittingly hosted in Ireland, this event is the first stand-alone Wallball/One-Wall World Championships. The action begins at the University of Limerick on August 18 and concludes on August 23. All draws, or “fixtures,” are now available. Check them out HERE.
The World Wallball Championships will be using the Official Irish Wallball Rules. Download the GAA Handball Combined Rulebook HERE, and watch a video explaining the rules being used at the tournament click HERE. Follow along and cheer on our Team USA players!
See how all the American Players performed in the table below. Congrats to the 12 champions!!
BROOKLYN — Through 63 years of USHA One-Wall Championships, nobody has won more Men’s Pro Singles titles than Tyree Bastidas. Showcasing unparalleled skill and relentless drive, Bastidas redefined one-wall greatness by winning his tenth title, defeating his brother Jurell in Sunday’s final, 21-7, 21-9. His tenth title breaks a 30-year record held by Hall of Famer Joe Durso.
The previous weekend, the brothers faced off in the Speaker’s Cup final, which was won by Tyree. Once again in the Nationals Pro draw, his brother Jurell posed the only real threat to his younger sibling’s record-breaking title hunt. Jurell held a small lead in the first game, but that threat was quashed by Tyree’s crushing serve-and-volley game. The two opponents battled fiercely, chasing every shot and providing a tremendously entertaining final for the Coney Island crowd and those watching the Facebook live stream. A blistering serve to Jurell’s left secured match point, along with Tyree’s place in handball history.
The weather played a significant role as the matches continued. When the sun was out, temperatures on the concrete soared. Rain clouds badgered players and tournament organizers the entire weekend, but all matches were completed by Sunday afternoon, just before the rain showers resumed. We extend our deepest gratitude to the players, referees, and volunteers for making this year’s One-Wall Nationals a great experience for everyone. Special thanks to Jared Vale, Tiffany Chiu, Laurence DuBois, Glenn Usher, TripOg Fyllth, Albert Apuzzi, William Rolon, and many others!
Men’s Pro Doubles finalists Jurell and Tyree Bastidas joined by Tournament Director Jared Vale and Champions Carlin Rosa and Allan Sanchez.
In the Men’s Pro Doubles action, the Bastidas brothers faced Carlin Rosa and Allan Sanchez. This championship final provided all the drama and excitement that the singles final may have lacked, going to three games. Sanchez and Rosa jumped on their opponents out of the gate, cruising to an impressive 21-6 win, but Team Bastidas forced a tiebreaker with a 21-16 game two win. In the third set, Rosa and Sanchez regained their game one dominance, storming to a 10-3 lead before the Bastidas brothers forced a side out. That service inning for Team Bastidas only yielded one point before Sanchez and Rosa regained the serve, subsequently calling a timeout to regroup. Once play resumed, Sanchez placed a high-arcing serve down the middle to clinch championship point.
In other divisions, several players who made the trip to New York will be taking hardware back home.
Kendall Lewis celebrated his Brooklyn homecoming by outlasting Jonathan Davila in the 35-plus final tiebreaker, winning 8-21, 21-13, 11-4.
William Polanco secured the 40-plus singles crown, defeating Alvaro Rebaza 21-15, 21-12.
Joe Kaplan won the 50-plus singles, defeating defending champion Tim Moeller 21-9, 21-10.
Southern California’s Tommy Valenzuela won the 60-plus singles by defeating Richard Mascia 21-16, 21-10.
In Men’s B Singles, Andrew Acosta held off Max Churbakov 21-7, 21-17.
Jai Ragoo and Alvaro Rebaza won the Men’s 40-plus Doubles, stopping Tony Roberts and David Rojas 21-4, 21-9.
In 50-plus Doubles, Oscar DeJesus and Robert Sostre stopped Milton Jones and Carlos Madera 21-12, 21-15.
See the draws and results of the 63rd USHA One-Wall National Championships HERE.
