MAUMEE, Ohio — Championship Sunday at the 2025 USHA Three-Wall Nationals was a thriller and delivered some exciting matches. It was highlighted by Shorty Ruiz achieving a lifelong dream with his first Men’s Pro Singles title.
Ruiz captured the championship with a decisive two-game victory over John Bike. The opening game was a tense battle. Bike stood just two points from winning game one before a few untimely errors allowed Ruiz to seize momentum and steal game one. In game two, Ruiz found his rhythm and never looked back, cruising to a 21-12 win. Fittingly, the match ended with Ruiz’s signature ceiling shot soaring over Bike’s reach, prompting a roar of triumph from the new national champion. After the match, Ruiz thanked the crowd and praised Bike’s performance. He also admitted that him being in better shape this year helped him prevail.
In the Women’s Open final, Mikaila Esser successfully defended her title, defeating doubles partner Ashley Ruiz. Ruiz came out strong, jumping to an early 5-0 lead, but Esser’s trademark combination of powerful drives and well-placed ceiling shots quickly turned the tide. She rallied to take game one, 21-13, then carried that momentum into game two with a fast start and a commanding 21-7 finish. “This is my favorite tournament, and I’m so happy to win it again.” Esser said after the match, smiling with her second consecutive singles crown in hand.
The Pro Doubles final saw the debut partnership of John Bike and Sean Lenning produce gold, as the pair claimed the championship by defeating first-time three-wall finalists Ivan Burgos and Ray Ure.
Esser completed a “slam” in the Women’s Open division, teaming with Ashley Ruiz to sweep the four-team doubles field. For the second straight year, Kristen Hughes and Leah Kirk finished as runners-up.
This year marked the 50th edition of the USHA Three-Wall Nationals at the George D. Miller Handball Courts in Maumee, and once again, the Toledo Handball Club delivered unmatched hospitality and a first-class tournament. For five decades, this Labor Day tradition has brought the handball community together in Toledo, and this year was a celebration worthy of that legacy. Here’s to another 50 years!
Congratulations to our 2025 National Champions:
Men’s Open: Shorty Ruiz
Women’s Open: Mikaila Esser
Men’s A: Carter Kounovsky
Men’s B: Zach Gabriel
Women’s B: Scarlett Smith
Men’s C: Eddie Rodriguez
Women’s 35: Mel Sky
Men’s 40: Tony Clarke
Men’s 45: Adam Zimet
Men’s 50: Joe Kaplan
Men’s 50B: Juan Pichardo
Men’s 55: Pete Hanover
Men’s 60: Thomas Valenzuela
Men’s 65: Phil Kirk
Men’s 70: John Friedrich
Men’s 75: Ed Campbell
Men’s Open Doubles: Sean Lenning and John Bike
Women’s Open Doubles: Mikaila Esser and Ashley Ruiz
Men’s Big Ball Open Doubles: Allan Sanchez and Shorty Ruiz
Men’s A Doubles: Carter Kounovsky and Vincent Yam
Men’s B Doubles: Rob and Michael Humphreys
Men’s 35 Doubles: Dave and Mike Munson
Men’s 35 Big Ball Doubles: Freddy Torres and Allan Sanchez
Men’s 45 Doubles: Shane Conneely and Adam Szatkowski
Men’s 55 Doubles: Dan Zimet and Alan Frank
Men’s 60 Doubles: Alan Frank and Mark Zamora
Men’s 65 Doubles: Jake Esser and Brad Bronenkamp
Men’s 70 Doubles: Ray Estevez and Tim Sterrett
Men’s 75 Doubles: Bob Bardwell and Ed Campbell
Mixed Fun One-Wall Doubles: Allan Sanchez and Mel Sky
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MAUMEE, Ohio — Perfect weather set the stage for Saturday’s semifinal action at the 2025 USHA Three-Wall National Championships, with temperatures in the low 70s creating ideal playing conditions for a memorable day of handball.
In the Men’s Open division, the first semifinal delivered a stunning upset as John Bike defeated 14-time champion Sean Lenning. Bike edged out a hard-fought first game, 21-18, then unleashed a devastating serving attack in game two, overwhelming Lenning, 21-3. With the win, Bike continues a remarkable family legacy, joining his father and grandfather as finalists at the Three-Wall Nationals.
The second Men’s Open semifinal featured a rematch of the recent WPH Ice Bowl final between Shorty Ruiz and Luis Cordova. Cordova appeared to be in control after cruising in game one and holding match point at 20-17 in game two. Ruiz, however, refused to yield, saving match point, rattling off four consecutive points to force the tiebreaker, and seizing control early. Leading 10-3 in the breaker, Ruiz executed a perfectly placed ceiling fist shot to clinch the match and book his place in the final. “Bike’s the only one standing in my way of getting this title I’ve been wanting my whole life, so I need to keep executing my game in the final,” Ruiz said afterward.
On the Women’s Open side, defending champion Mikaila Esser showcased her power and precision in a commanding win over former champion Tracy Davis. Esser controlled the match from start to finish, keeping Davis deep in the court with a steady mix of drives and ceiling shots.
Esser will face her doubles partner, Ashley Ruiz, in Sunday’s championship match after Ruiz defeated last year’s runner-up, Megan Dorneker, in straight games. “My serve was working and getting me setups in the front court, where I’m most comfortable,” Ruiz said. Both Ashley and her husband, Shorty Ruiz, will be playing for Open titles on Championship Sunday.
Saturday evening also featured a celebration of a remarkable milestone: 50 years of the USHA Three-Wall Nationals in Toledo. Since 1975 (with only one cancellation due to COVID-19), the Toledo Handball Club has set the standard for hospitality and tournament excellence, drawing players back year after year.
Jim Lowe, speaking on behalf of the Toledo Handball Club, captured the sentiment perfectly, sharing that he has continuously skipped a family reunion over Labor Day weekend — because his handball family gathers in Toledo at the same time.
The evening also honored brothers Mike and Dave Munson, who were awarded their “Grand Master” sweaters, recognizing players who have won 10 age-division national titles. Remarkably, the Munsons achieved this feat in under a decade, winning nine of the 10 titles together as a doubles team. Bill Mehilos teamed with each brother for the other title, or as Dave Munson joked, “tagged along.” In an emotional speech, Mike Munson thanked his family, the Chicago Handball community, Lake Forest coach Mike Dau, and his brother Dave for their role in reaching this milestone.
Follow along with all the draws HERE.
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MAUMEE, Ohio – Under clear skies at the George D. Miller Handball Courts, the second day of competition closed in dramatic fashion, with players and fans soaking in the action on the center’s eight courts. Meanwhile off the courts, the grills were fired up with Toledo Handball Cooks delivering up amazing hospitality, adding to the relaxing Three-Wall Nationals atmosphere.
In Men’s Open Singles action, Sean looked like his vintage self, firing crack serves and ripping drives down the walls against One-Wall Champion, Tyree Bastidas. What might have been a championship final a decade ago played out as a quarterfinal today, showing just how deep this field has become.
In other quarterfinal action, Ray Ure came out blazing against John A. Bike, taking the first game 21–12 and carrying that momentum to a 16–10 lead in the second. But Bike wasn’t done—he steadied, got his serve rolling, and stormed back to win 21–16. The tiebreaker saw Ure bolt to a 7–0 lead, but a skipped setup cracked the door open. Bike pounced, caught fire, and completed the comeback 11–7, as Ure was hesitant at some key moments.
In the lower have of the bracket, Luis Cordova and Sam Esser went shot for shot in a nail-biter. Locked at 8–8, Esser had the serve when Cordova unleashed a perfectly executed 50-foot ceiling ball that stunned the gallery and swung momentum. Cordova kept the serve and closed it out, showing why he’s so dangerous under pressure.
In another thriller, Shorty Ruiz trailed Daniel Cordova 17–20 in game one before digging deep. Ruiz fought off game point, stole the opener 21–20, and then dominated the second 21–7. His trademark ceiling shot was on full display, pushing Cordova off the court and sending him to the sidelines in frustration.
In Women’s Open Singles action, Mikaila Esser looked unstoppable, blitzing Ireland’s Jodie Keeling in two quick games by capitalizing on her opponent’s inexperience at this level.
Former champion Tracy Davis returned to Toledo in top form, dispatching Kristen Hughes in straight games with the poise of a veteran.
Ashley Ruiz was equally sharp, dismantling newcomer Christina Pecaut without giving her room to breathe.
Meanwhile, Megan Dorneker’s serve was red-hot against Leah Kirk, propelling her into the semifinals and setting up an impressive foursome of past champions in the Women’s Open semis.
The Men’s C division delivered some of the closest matches of the tournament so far, with three out of four decided in tiebreakers. Rhys Cohen (Chevy Chase, Md.) advanced with two tiebreaker wins in his opening matches, while Eddie Rodriguez (Elkhart, Ind.) went 2–0, including a gritty three-game victory over Austin Tyler (Loveland, Ohio), 12–21, 21–8, 11–2.
That set up a championship showdown between Cohen and Rodriguez, scheduled for Noon on Sunday. With the margins razor-thin in round-robin play, every rally has carried weight—and the Men’s C final promises more of the same.
See the latest draws and updates HERE.
See some clips from today’s matches (Facebook) HERE.
MAUMEE, Ohio – HOLY TOLEDO, Three-Wall Nationals Week is here, and we can’t wait for another awesome tournament. This year is extra special as this is the 50th year that the Toledo Handball Club has hosted the tournament! They are amazing and do tournament hospitality like nobody else!
The 74th USHA Three-Wall National Championships will begin Thursday afternoon at the Lucas County Rec Center’s George D. Miller Handball Courts. This year’s event will see the return of Sean Lenning who holds the all-time record with 14 Three-Wall National Titles! If he wants to win his fifteenth it won’t be easy, as top players Luis Cordova, Daniel Cordova, Shorty Ruiz, Ray Ure, John Bike, Tyree Bastidas and many more will stand in his way of the title!
In the Women’s Open Singles draw, Mikaila Esser is back to defend her title. She is joined by a stacked Women’s Open division that includes three other prior champions: Megan Dorneker, Ashley Ruiz, and Tracy Davis! It will be fun to watch.
Follow all the action and check out the brackets HERE for the latest results from the Championships! Stay tuned to this page and our social media pages for updates from the tournament.