Boys 19 and under champion Trejo with runner-up GardeaGirls 19 and under champion Klicker with runner-up Peters
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The tournament wrapped up Saturday morning, concluding an epic week of handball and great hospitality from Don Quinlan and his group of volunteers.
Bryan Trejo completed the slam in the 19 and under, teaming with his collegiate teammate at Minnesota State, Nick Kerins, to defeat Ayden Brule and Eliseo Gutierrez in the doubles final. Trejo played phenomenal all weekend, and is a future star in the sport.
Moses Gardea won the 19 and under big ball division by defeating Ayden Brule in two straight games. Gardea has tremendous skills with the big ball, and Brule could not figure him out in the final.
The 15 and under big ball title went to Isaac Holguin, who defeated Jahaziel Montes Hernandez in convincing fashion to win the title. Holguin also won the 15 and under doubles division with Leo Day to end the tournament on a high note.
Anthony Mendez went 3 for 3 over the weekend in the 13 and under, winning the small ball, big ball, and small ball doubles in the division. He made a name for himself this week, and will be a player to watch going forward.
A big thank you again to Don Quinlan and his group of volunteers for hosting a tremendous tournament and to all the players and coaches who supported it.
We look forward to a great tournament again next year. Check out all of the results HERE.
Former junior champion Suhn Lee presented Anthony Mendez with the award. Mendez slammed the 13 and under.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — At the banquet Saturday night, players enjoyed Italian food, a ceremony that honored many of the players, and raffle drawings that gave away free handball prizes throughout the night.
It began with National Juniors Chair and tournament host Don Quinlan welcoming the players and coaches and giving a speech on how long he’d been involved with the junior tournament, which has been decades. Quinlan has seen many players come and go and stressed the importance of junior handball and growing the sport.
Three awards were presented, and all the winners were well-deserving:
The Tom Lynch Newcomer Award: Anthony Mendez
The Kate Conlon/Kurt Johansson Most Improved Award: Moses Gardea
The Vince Gabriele Jr. Sportsmanship Award: The Alberta Junior Handball Team
Lastly, the players competing in their last four-wall junior nationals and had played at least four times in their junior handball careers were given their USHA Junior Alumni Bag, a long-time tradition for those graduating the junior ranks.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Several players became champions on day 3 of the 2023 Junior Four-Wall Nationals.
Among them was first-time champion Anthony Mendez from Kansas City, who dominated the 13 and under bracket. Mendez beat Zait Bustillos in the final, who is a very talented player himself.
In the 15 and under division, Canada’s Leo Day outlasted his fellow Canadian friend Ryan Eisenbart in two straight games to win his first national title.
The 19 and under division was claimed by Bryan Trejo when he defeated Moses Gardea in two straight games. Trejo relied on his speed to track down all of Gardea’s shots, and punished his setups when he earned one.
The 17 and under girls division was won by Ireland’s Freya Donnellan. She defeated Canada’s Layla Kramer in two straight games to win her first national title.
The 19 and under girls division belonged to Izzy Klicker, who was too strong for Audrey Peters in the final. Klicker used her power to her advantage and executed a high-percentage of her kill shots.
The banquet will take place tonight, and some juniors will be honored for sportsmanship, most improved player, and newcomer of the year.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Day two of the 2023 Junior Four-Wall Nationals had lots of good action and saw our first champion crowned.
Eliseo Gutierrez defeated Ireland’s Caleb Donnellan in the 17 and under final with a dominating performance. Gutierrez controlled play in the first game and withstood a late charge from Donnellan to win. Gutierrez didn’t let up in the second game, and added another national title to his collection. He is just 15 years old.
The most exciting matchup of the day was Moses Gardea and Ayden Brule in the 19 and under semifinal. Brule is a several-time national champion, and was the top seed in the 19 and under, despite only being 17.
Gardea surprised Brule in the first game, hitting several fly kills and taking advantage of some bad Brule serves. Brule evened the count in game two, pushing Gardea around the court with crisp pass and kill shots. Gardea regained his form in the tiebreaker, and although Brule made him work for each point, he converted his setups to win the match and advance to the finals.
In the 19 and under semifinal, Bryan Trejo easily cruised past Canada’s Raul Asokhan to claim his spot in the finals, where he will face off with Gardea tomorrow morning. Audrey Peters and Izzy Klicker have been dominant in the Women’s 19 and under division, and will face off in the finals of that division tomorrow morning.
The highlight of the day was short court challenge, which brought many juniors together to play their favorite game and win prizes.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Day one of the 2023 Junior Four-Wall Nationals was a success. Players were greeted with a warm welcome from Don Quinlan and his group of volunteers, who provided excellent hospitality throughout the day.
There were several exciting matches between the juniors, especially in the 19 and under boys’ division. The most exciting may have been Canada’s Raul Asokhan vs Minnesota’s Nathan Stoffel. Stoffel started off the first game with a big lead, before Asokhan battled back to claim the first game 21-20. He used his quickness on the court to retrieve nearly every ball, wearing out Stoffel and taking the second game again by the score of 21-20.
The day concluded with a skills challenge for the 13 and under juniors, where the kids competed in a short handball obstacle course consisting of trick shots. The juniors were very impressive, and everyone won prizes! Play resumes tomorrow at 10am. Follow the draws HERE.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The 2023 Junior Four-Wall Nationals will kick off December 27 in at Schaumburg Tennis Plus, a six court facility located just outside Chicago!
See a schedule of the tournament below, and visit the R2Sports site for draws, scores and daily updates HERE.
Team Calgary with Coach Guy Martin arrived ready to complete!
Schedule of 2023 Junior Four-Wall Nationals Tournament:
December 27
Play begins at 10 a.m.
Lunch at 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Handball “Trick Shot Challenge” after play concludes
December 28
Play beginning at 10 a.m.
Lunch at 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
“Short Court Showdown” after play concludes
December 29
Play beginning at 10 a.m. / Championship finals begin
TACOMA, Wash. — Gordy Pfeifer was officially inducted as a Player in the USHA Handball Hall of Fame on Saturday night at the Tacoma Elks Lodge #174. The Tacoma Elks Handball group organized an incredible induction ceremony and reception for him. Many of Pfeifer’s family, friends, and former handball competitors were in attendance to celebrate Pfeifer and his decorated handball career.
In his short acceptance speech, Pfeifer thanked his competitors, his family and credited his faith for his handball achievements. Pfeifer has a court in his house, and still plays the “Perfect Game” today at 85 years young!
A big “thank you” to ceremony emcee Rob Nichols and program director/organizer Gil Mendoza. Without their work, this special night doesn’t take shape. A “special thank you” goes to Sandy Mendoza, who provided delicious cookies, a special addition to the outstanding banquet.
From the manufacturers of the ONE Ball, introducing the revolutionary 55 Ball – a game-changer designed exclusively for handball players!
The 55 is a PREMIUM HANDBALL with the peak performance features that handball players demand. 55 Handballs are approved for USHA-Sanctioned Tournaments.
We’re thrilled to unveil the remarkable 55 Ball, meticulously crafted to redefine your handball experience.
NEW 55 Handballs!
Weighing in at just 55 grams (compared to the 61 grams weight of ONE and Red 21 handballs), this ball sets a new standard in versatility, catering to players of all levels and ages. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or stepping onto the court for the first time, the 55 Ball is your ultimate companion.
Engineered with precision, the 55 Ball offers a seamless blend of comfort and performance and is meant to be easy on the hands and body, without you losing your “feel” of the ball when striking it. The 55 Ball offers lively performance straight out of the can and after many matches, this ball promises enduring excitement and engagement every time you play. Don’t just take our word for it—grab the 55 Ball, feel the difference, and witness firsthand the revolution it brings to the world of handball.
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USHA Members: $11.00 a can Non-Members: $13.75 a can
Quantity Discounts are available for USHA Members who purchase: 10 Cans, 24 Cans or 60 Cans (Case).
BROOKYLN — Tyree Bastidas and Danielle Daskalakis reminded us all of their greatness with their play at the 62nd USHA One-Wall Nationals in Coney Island, each slamming in their division.
Bastidas secured his ninth USHA One-Wall Pro singles title, an astonishing achievement which now ties him with Joe Durso for most all-time singles one-wall titles. Bastidas shows no signs of slowing down as he delivered an exceptional performance in the final match, triumphing over Tywan Cook. Both players looked strong, dominating opponents throughout the entire weekend to the championship. One of the top big ball stars of the game, Cook has adeptly transitioned to small ball, a skill that was evident in the finals.
The opening of the first game saw Cook and Bastidas locked in an even match. With the scored tied 11-11, Cook missed a setup that barely went outside the lines, giving Bastidas the serve. The error proved costly, as Bastidas rattled off seven straight points en route to a 10-3 scoring run, and eventually closed out the first game 21-14.
In the second game, Bastidas started with great intensity, aiming to secure a two-game victory. He surged to a commanding 13-2 lead. Despite Cook’s refusal to give up, battling back to 9-18, Bastidas closed out the game with a 21-9 score, securing the championship.
Tournament director Jared Vale with champion Tyree Bastidas (right) and Tywan Cook (left).
Bastidas advanced to the finals by defeating Giovanni Vasquez in straight sets in the semifinal match, while Cook secured his place in the finals with an impressive victory over last year’s runner-up, Jurell Bastidas, also in two games.
Tyree has incredible power, but also the ability to place the ball with deep drives on the court, moving his opponent’s side to side. He also possesses an incredible power serve that earns him several aces. He continues to rack up the titles and is one of the all-time greats in one-wall handball.
Tyree later slammed with his brother Jurell Bastidas in a thrilling final against Carlin Rosa and Nazir Marston. After splitting the first two games, the Bastidas brothers dominated the tiebreaker, winning it 11-3.
On the Women’s Pro side, Danielle Daskalaks continued to showcase her dominance, claiming her fourth national title in one-wall pro singles. Daskalakis’s remarkable performance throughout the weekend allowed her to concede only 7 points across her three matches. Myohwa Hwee secured the second-place position, with her only defeat coming from Daskalakis in the round-robin format.
Daskalakis dazzles spectators with her shot making ability, and her opponents have no answer for her on the one-wall court. She has a tremendous left hand, where she can generate great power on the ball, while also possessing the ability to hop the ball both ways. When Daskalakis sets up for a shot, there is a good chance it is rolling out. That was especially true over the weekend.
Champion Daskalakis (right) and runner-up Hwee (left) pose with newly inducted Hall of Fame players Dori Ten (mid-right) and Barbara Canton-Jackson (mid-left) after their match.
Daskalakis further solidified her prowess by triumphing in the pro doubles division alongside her partner Tania Juarez. However, their victory was hard-fought, as Melissa Sky and Biridiana Garcia served for match point in the second game. A side out game Daskalakis and Juarez the window they needed, pushing the title deciding match to a tiebreaker. In the third frame, Daskalakis and Juarez held all the momentum to emerge victorious, 16-21, 21-20, 11-3.
For a complete overview of the tournament results, visit the R2Sports link HERE
Special appreciation goes to Jared Vale, the One-Wall Committee, and our awesome team of volunteers for running an exceptional event.
Congratulations to all of our National champions: Men’s Pro: Tyree Bastidas Women’s Pro: Danielle Daskalakis Men’s Pro Doubles: Tyree Bastidas/Jurell Bastidas Women’s Pro Doubles: Danielle Daskalakis/Tania Juarez Men’s A: Daniel Grant Men’s A Doubles: Jeanpierre Garcia/Nicholas Cruz Men’s 40: Joseph Kaplan Men’s 40 Doubles: Tony Roberts/George Figueroa Men’s 50: Timothy Moeller Men’s 50 Doubles: Eddie Perez/Robert Sostre
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The 62nd USHA One-Wall Nationals are here! We are thrilled to welcome some of the best one-wall players in the country to Asser Levy Seaside Courts. With the One-Wall Juniors Championships also taking place, this promises to be an exciting and inspiring event.
The Juniors Championships may have been postponed, but they are here and ready to shine alongside the Pros. Check out the draws and start times to ensure you catch all the action HERE.
Keep in mind that times and draws may change leading up to the day of the event, so double-check your schedule before making your way to the courts.
Don’t let rain dampen your spirits – we have an indoor facility available in case of inclement weather. Stay tuned for updates and daily match reports, and let’s make this a truly unforgettable tournament
VENICE BEACH, Calif. – New National Champions were crowned on Saturday and Sunday at the Venice Beach Handball Courts.
Saturday brought big ball action, and several of California’s finest up and coming big ball players were on site to compete for a national title. Santa Ana Handball Club Coach Gilbert Granado coordinated for many of his junior players to compete, and they had a successful day, winning multiple national titles.
Many California Big Ball Juniors had a successful weekend.
One of the most exciting matches of the day came in the big ball 17 and under final, where Patrick Leyva outlasted Freddy Reyes Jr. in a thrilling final, where Leyva pulled away late in both games to claim the title.
Reyes Jr. got his revenge in the 17 and under doubles, when he teamed with Jose Arellano to defeat Leyva and his partner Kevin Batiz in what was the last match of the day. Reyes Jr. and Arellano withstood a huge comeback from Leyva and Batiz to close out the match in front of a packed crowd.
Small ball finals were played Sunday morning, and the crowd was treated to several exciting finishes.
The first final of the day was the 13 and under, and pitted California’s Kevin Batiz against New Mexico’s Isaac Holguin. After dropping game one, Batiz fought back to claim game two and three to win the final. Batiz completed the singles slam in the 13’s as he won both the small ball and big ball division.
The 15 and under saw Tucson’s Tonalli Perales-Valencia take out Colorado’s Diego Rodriguez. Perales-Valencia and Rodriguez had some impressive long rallies but Perales-Valencia was able to close out his opponent to win 21-13, 21-14.
The 17 and under went to Colorado’s up and coming star Eliseo Gutierrez. Gutierrez overcame a slow start to defeat Jose Arellano in two straight games in the final.
The most anticipated final of the day was the 19 and under final between Tucson’s Ayden Brule and Santa Barbara’s Bryan Trejo. Each player has been a star at Venice Beach, racking up multiple national titles. The final did not disappoint, and showcased the highest level of handball from the tournament. Brule played his best match of the weekend, and fought through many momentum swings to win both games, and the title. Brule is just 16 years old and is becoming one of the most decorated juniors of all time.
Brule and Gutierrez played up together to win the 19 and under doubles final over Arellano and Trejo to close out the day with their second title each.
Gutierrez (swinging) and Brule (left) each added two national titles over the weekend, including winning the 19 and under doubles together.
A big thank you to the Southern California Handball Association for their amazing hospitality and giving the kids such a great tournament experience. Thank you to the all of the volunteers who helped the tournament run smoothly. Lastly, thank you to the coaches who brought their kids to the tournament, it will give them life-long memories.
VENICE BEACH, Calif. – After a four-year absence, the National Three-Wall Junior Championships returned to Venice Beach Rec Center which is just off the world famous boardwalk and Muscle Beach. Small ball competition began on Friday, as most seeds advanced in the singles and doubles divisions. Big ball divisions begin Saturday morning and will be continued throughout the day.
On Thursday, before matches started, juniors were given a tour of Las Angeles Fire Department Station 69. The LAFD has a deep history linked to handball, many of the stations have handball courts on site.
Players were treated to a station tour by former National Champion Tati Silverya with Sal Castillon, and at the end were also gifted LAFD shirts.
See the updated results and progress of matches HERE.
————————————————————————————————– Times and draws are now available.Please know that these are subject to change and players and coaches should continue to check them up until the day of the event.Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to their match start time and be readier for earlier start times in the later rounds, especially on Saturday.
The 2023 USHA Junior Three-Wall Nationals return to the Venice Beach Handball Courts this year July 14-16!
The Los Angeles Fire Department will be giving a tour of Fire Station 69 Thursday, at 2:30PM. All players are welcome. Address: 15045 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Players and spectators will be just steps away from the beach and next to the famous Venice Beach Boardwalk and Muscle Beach. The Southern California Handball Association has tremendous hospitality planned for the kids. Come join us for a great weekend of handball and fun!
How to sign up: Contact the USHA at 520-795-0434 or enter HERE, or Enter through the Southern California Handball Association by contacting your local SCHA representative.
Address of the courts: Venice Beach Recreation Center- 1800 Ocean Front Walk Venice, CA 90291.
When will divisions play?
Small ball divisions are expected to begin Friday and continue through the weekend.
Big Ball divisions will begin on Saturday and are expected to conclude on Sunday morning. Big Ball matches will be one 21-point game until the finals.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Gustavo “Tavo” Ruiz became the new Men’s Pro Singles Wallball ball champion on Sunday with a dominant performance in the final, defeating Nazir “Naz” Marston, 25-11.
Both players were making their first appearance in a Men’s Singles National final. Ruiz’s years of experience proved to be the difference, as he calmly raced out to a 20-1 lead against the 21-year-old Marston. Despite the deficit, Marston didn’t get upset or argue calls. A timeout helped him regroup and he scored his first points since the early moments of the final. While supporters, hoping for a miracle, cheered Marston on, Ruiz calmly maintained his play to win his first National title.
The Women’s Pro Singles final, featuring a matchup between Jenny Qu and Melanie Garate was dedicated In Memory to Dr. Raquel Sophia Murphy Barnes. USHA Vice President Jared Vale made the announcement and cited her dedication to growing the sport on a national and international level. Once play began, defending champion Qu held off Gerate, 25-11.
In the Women’s Pro Doubles final, sisters Melanie and Jessenia Garate upended defending champions Jenny Qu and Danielle Daskalakis, 25-17.
A completely new lineup of teams competed in the Men’s Pro Doubles final. Cory Vadala and Mikey Mendoza concluded their tremendous weekend run, defeating Chris Miranda and David Velez, 25-7. Vadala and Mendoza started and finished strong, while Velez and Miranda struggled to generate offense. Miranda, nursing a nagging arm injury, was visibly hindered. Yet even a healthy opponent would have had trouble challenging the team Vadala/Mendez onslaught.
In the Men’s B Singles, Manuel Caraballo was the class of the draw, first earning the top seed, then backing it up with excellent play through four rounds. Caraballo held off Maspeth’s Juan Carlos in a tightly contested final, 25-20.
Nicholas Pappas and Mohamad Mansi were held to single digits in last year’s B Doubles final. This year, the team from Flushing earned the top seed and defeated the Bronx team of Jahsheed Petersen and Joey Gonzalez, 25-20. The entire match was contentious and close with some playful banter between rallies–the difference being Pappas and Mansi executing the shots needed to get to match point.
In the Women’s B Singles, Michelle Clara defeated Shantel Mena, 25-22 in one of the day’s most entertaining finals. Mena looked smooth against all challengers, and pushed Clara to the limit; however, playing in her second consecutive B final, Clara was not to be denied the championship.
The day earlier, in the Women’s B Doubles, Clara and partner Vanessa Louie couldn’t break through against Kayla Paredes and Myohwa Hwee. Playing at the indoor Zerega location, Hwee and Paredes won the title 21-17.
In the Men’s 40-plus final, Alex Rivera held 23-17 edge against Yuber “Pee Wee” Castro, but the two-time Small Ball Men’s Singles Champion gained a side out and began a serving clinic. Rivera could only watch as Castro’s overhand power serve quickly tightened to match to a 23-23 tie. Instead of folding under pressure, Rivera regained the serve and scored the final two points for the championship.
In the Men’s 40-plus Doubles, Robert “Iceman” Sostre returned to Nationals competition and teamed with William Polanco to defeat George Figueroa and Ray Lopez, 25-16.
Figueroa and Lopez paired to win the 50-plus Doubles over Phil Amato and Darwin Lee, 25-16.
On late afternoon Saturday, Jose Olivencia avenged last year’s final loss and defeated the defending 50-plus singles champion Ronald Beard, 21-18.
In the Men’s 60-plus final, Richard Mascia stopped Abe Mantell, 21-5.
In the first-ever Women’s Seniors (35-plus) Doubles division, Erica Mendez and Karen McConney defeated Elaine Gillard and Shena Brown, 21-12 for the championship.
With the USHA Summer Board Meeting being held prior to the tournament, many of the board members stayed and watched the action. USHA President Denis Hogan was on hand for the entire tournament, taking in the Wallball Nationals for the first time, while chatting it up with players and supporters throughout the weekend.
For the first two days, rain dampened the streets and courts of New York, but not the spirit of the players! A huge “thank you” goes to Mel Sky and Isaias Rivera of the Bronx’s Zerega Indoor Courts. Matches hummed along on the facility’s five regulation one-wall courts.
Always ready with a plan, USHA Vice President Jared Vale moved all Masters division matches to an outdoor (but dry) location at Francis Lewis Park under the Whitestone Bridge. The move was crucial to get matches done at a reasonable time with the option to play outdoors at Coney Island on the final day.
Thank you to Jared, Castle Hill’s Richie Vera, China Pizarro for amazing court management, Joanne Ly for outstanding help at Whitestone and beyond, all the referees, plus One-Wall Committee members, Alethia Mendez, William Polanco, and Anthony Jones. Special thank you to Albert Apuzzi and photographer Jose Davila. Finally, a big shout out to all the players who cooperated and made sure to hustle to each venue as we adjusted on the fly.
Players resiliently changed their routes to Coney Island and made it to the new site to compete for a chance to play in Championship Sunday’s finals. Matches were played to 21-point games (usually a wallball match is played to one 25-point game) to accommodate the smaller court capacity and disrupted schedule. Masters divisions moved to a nearby location at Francis Lewis Park, playing on the dry courts underneath the Whitestone Bridge.
A new Men’s Wallball Champion will be crowned this year when Gustavo Ruiz faces Nazir Marston in Sunday’s final. Through each round, both players increased their intensity and delivered amazing shots and unmatched athleticism that brought loud cheers to the Zerega facility.
“Tavo” Ruiz’s first hurdle was to get through David Velez in the quarterfinals. Each player was locked in, but Velez was flying all over the court making amazing returns that frustrated Tavo. Building a 19-10 lead, Ruiz was poised to advanced to the semifinals, but a focused Tavo started chipping away at his opponent’s lead. The Zerega crowd grew louder with each Tavo point as the pair reached a 20-20 tie. Knowing the next shot could send one player packing and one to the semifinals, the intensity for each ensuing rally grew. After an exchange of side outs, Tavo delivered a winning shot to the left that a diving Velez nearly reached. A gracious Velez applauded his opponent before they share a post-match handshake.
Tavo, clearly motivated by his near defeat in the quarters, wasn’t fazed in facing defending champion Tywan Cook in the semifinals. Cook did all he could to muster points, but Tavo rolled, 21-9, to punch his ticket to the National final.
On the other side of the draw, through three rounds, nobody could touch “Naz” Marston. His toughest test was facing 2022 finalist Josh Garcia, and he delivered a 21-15 win. In the semifinal, Marston found himself in a battle against Hector “Pito” Velez. With the day’s humidity increasing, players went through soaked shirts and gloves, while referee Larry DuBois watched for slides and wet spots on the floor. Pito thrived in the conditions, racing to a 19-12 lead, making the match’s remaining points a mere formality for the inevitable. Naz wasn’t ready to concede and found a new gear as a raucous crowd cheered his renewed efforts. Naz went on a 8-0 run to reach match point before Pito would score another point to reach a 20-20 deadlock. Serving for the match, Pito delivered an out serve that stunned the crowd. On the ensuing Naz serve, Pito returned the ball wide.
The Men’s final is scheduled for 12:30 EDT at Coney Island on Sunday.
TUCSON — The anticipation for the finals on Sunday morning was high at the Tucson Racquet Club, and players and fans came in bunches to tune in to the Women’s Classic final, Men’s Pro final, and the age division Master Singles finals.
Ashley Ruiz and Mikaila Esser squarred off in the Women’s Classic final. Each player resides in Tucson and are great friends, who know the other’s game well.
Ruiz blitzed Esser to begin the match, jumping out to a 13-0 lead before Esser could get on the board. Esser played even after that, but Ruiz’s lead was insurmountable. Not much changed game two, as Ruiz continued her dominant form and and controlled the match from beginning to end, clinching the title for third consecutive time, 21-11, 21-8.
Danielle Daskalakis beat Clodagh Munroe for third place while Kristen Hughes defeated Taylor Bell for fifth place in the Women’s Classic division. Nichole Alberg won the drop down division.
Ruiz sets up for a shot against Esser in the finals
The Men’s Pro final followed with Luis Cordova Jr. taking on Sean Lenning, a rematch of the last WPH LTE stop in Juarez that went to Cordova. Lenning came out strong and built a 14-8 game one lead. He then missed a kill shot by just inches that would have won him the first game. Instead, it was a sideout and Cordova rallied all the way back to win the game. He continued that strong play in game two, and won the match 16-14, 15-1.
Cordova attempts to track down a Lenning pass shot in the finals
The Master Singles brackets were very strong this year and all the winners and finalists should be proud of their performance. The finals on Sunday had some very exciting matches.
In the 35 plus division, Abraham Montijo overcame a one game defecit to defeat Braulio “Shorty” Ruiz in a tiebreaker to earn his second national title of the year.
Chris Tico played 10 years down in the 40 plus division and still came out on top. He defeated Jorge Lopez in the finals and played exceptionally.
Leo Canales Sr. defeated John Henning in the 55 plus singles final. It was a rematch of last year’s final that also went to Canales in a very close match.
Joe Tierney entered the 60 singles division for the first time and immediately came away with a title, outlasting Tom McGrath in two games.
Gary Scogin continued his dominance in the 65 plus singles division, taking down Michael Linnik for another national title.
Scott Spann won a loaded the 70 plus singles division that was full of strong players and former national champions. Spann outlasted Gary Eisenbooth in the finals.
Grey Raya added another national title by claiming the 75 singles division over Art Brooks.
Lastly, Jerry Zimmerman defeated Jim Ward in the 80 singles divsion in a thrilling tiebreaker match. It is hard to believe the level of play these guys can still perform at in the 80 plus division.
The Master Singles champions:
35+: Abraham Montijo 40+: Chris Tico 55+: Leo Canales Sr. 60+: Joe Tierney 65+: Gary Scogin 70+: Scott Spann 75+: Greg Raya 80+: Jerry Zimmerman
Thank you to all the supporters, volunteers and players who competed in the tournament. Thank you to the WPH for running the pro event alongside the Women’s Classic and Master Singles. It made for a great mega-event!
Watch a replay of the finals on our Youtube channel HERE
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TUCSON — As match play continued through Saturday, the excitement around the Tucson Racquet Club reached a fever-pitch level with the table being set for Sunday’s finals.
In Women’s Classic action, top-seeded Ashley Ruiz cruised in her semifinal contest, defeating Collegiate All-American Clodagh Munroe of Minnesota State Mankato, 21-6, 21-1. Ruiz was dialed in to reach a second consecutive Women’s Classic final with well-placed passes and impressive power.
On the other side of the draw, Mikaila Esser faced an uphill battle against Danielle Daskalakis after dropping the first game. She regrouped to take the second and rode the home crowd momentum to win the tiebreaker, punching her ticket to the final with scores of 13-21, 21-14, 11-9. The two Tucsonans will meet again in Sunday’s final.
The gallery stayed packed for the WPH R48Pro LTE quarters and semifinals. Sean Lenning pulled off a quarterfinal upset, stopping Martin Mulkerrins, 15-8, 14-16, 15-8 in the quarterfinals. Lenning advanced to the final after David Fink had to withdraw due to injury.
In the opposite semifinal, the “Flying Cordova Bros.” kept the crowd pounding on the glass with an array of dazzling handball. Top-seeded Lucho Cordova was able to best his brother Danos to earn his spot in the final, 16-14, 8-15, 15-2.
Players, families and handball fans enjoyed a special Saturday Night Reception at the Handball Hall of Fame. USHA Executive Director Matt Krueger thanked those in attendance for supporting the tournament and presented the 2023 Marty Decatur Sportsmanship Award to El Paso’s Manny Talamantes.
Talamantes was grateful for the gesture and naturally deflected any praise telling the group, “Everyone deserves this. Handball players are great people and easy to be around.”
Sunday’s finals begin at 9 a.m. Pacific, with the Women’s Classic at 10 a.m., followed by the WPH R48Pro LTE final at 11:15 a.m.
With 126 participants, the courts will be buzzing from Friday through Sunday. Reserve seating for the exhibition court is still available, but seats are selling fast! Tickets can be purchased by calling 520-795-0434, or see the tournament desk outside the Tucson Racquet Club’s Handball Lobby.
Draws will be posted, April 13 at 10 a.m. Pacific. (Please note: draws and times are tentative and may change up until the first match played. Please double-check your times up until the day of).
We’re happy to bring players great hospitality, including a 5 p.m. Saturday dinner at the Tucson Racquet Club followed by a reception at the Hall of Fame Museum. Follow this post for schedule updates and more information.
Can’t make it to Tucson? Show court matches will be streamed on the USHA YouTube Channel.
Dunne sets up on a shot at the 2023 USHA Collegiate Nationals[/caption]
TUCSON, Ariz. –The 2023 USHA Collegiate Nationals wrapped up Sunday morning with Minnesota State’s Shane Dunne and University of Limerick’s Niamh Heffernan claiming the open titles. Each player played phenomenal all weekend, especially in their final matches.
Dunne matched up with Diarmuid Mulkerrins who was in the final for the third year in a row. Dunne and Mulkerrins played even in the beginning of game one, but Dunne was able to pull away late to win 21-13. The second game Dunne raced out to a 15-0 lead over Mulkerrins, and despite a late push, Dunne maintained his lead and won 21-3, 21-10.
Dunne fought through a brutal draw to win his title. Before defeating the number one seeded Mulkerrins in the final, he defeated three seed Conor Walsh in the quarterfinals, and two seed Ray Ure in the semifinals. Dunne is in tremendous shape, and has great hands. His consistency and his commitment to playing percentage handball made the difference for him this week.
You can watch a replay of the men’s final on our YouTube Channel HERE.
Dunne teamed with teammate Mark Doyle to win the men’s open doubles division.
Heffernan sets up on a shot at the 2023 USHA Collegiate Nationals
Niamh Heffernan was very strong in her run through the women’s open division. She didn’t lose a single game along the way, and saved her best match for last in her final against Minnesota State’s Clodagh Munroe. The highly anticipated finals match was dominated by Heffernan from the beginning. Heffernan is a steady player who rarely makes a mistake. She generates tremendous power on the ball that bothered her opponents all weekend. Munroe is a special player herself, but she didn’t have the answer for Heffernan’s game today.
Heffernan teamed with Limerick teammate Sinead Meagher to win the Women’s Open doubles division.
For the second year in a row, the Minnesota State Mavericks won the open team title. Their men’s team took first place while their women’s team took second.
The Missouri State Bears finished second in the team title race. Their men took third place while their women took first place.
The 2023 National Collegiate Team Champions: Minnesota State University
Final Standings (points scored) Combined Open Division Team Champions: 1. Minnesota State University, Mankato (4,485) 2. Missouri State University (4,332) 3. University of Texas-Austin (4,192) 4. Lake Forest College (3,216)
Men’s Open Division Team Champions: 1. Minnesota State University, Mankato (2,305) 2. Lake Forest College (2,144) 3. Missouri State University (2,128) 4. University of Texas-Austin (2,076) 5. Pima Community College (1,064)
Women’s Open Division Team Champions: 1. Missouri State University (2,204) 2. Minnesota State University, Mankato (2,180) 3. University of Texas-Austin (2,116) 4. University of Arizona (1,132) 5. Lake Forest College (1,072)
Combined A Division Team Champions: 1. Utah State University (2,532) 2. Pacific University (2,320) 3. Texas A&M University (2,096) 4. Stony Brook University (1,900) 5. Angelo State University (1,864)
Men’s A Division Team Champions: 1. University of Milwaukee (1,620) 2. Stony Brook University (1,244) 3. Texas A&M University (1,024)
Women’s A Division Team Champions: 1. Texas A&M University (1,072) 2. Pacific University (1,060) 3. Angelo State University (1,004) 4. Utah State University (720) 5. Stony Brook University (660)
Men’s B Division Team Champions: 1. Utah State University (1,812) 2. Pacific University (1,264) 3. Colorado School of Mines (912) 4. Angelo State University (860)
Thanks to all the coaches, players, and volunteers who made this tournament a great success. We look forward to the 2024 USHA National Collegiate Championships at the University of Minnesota.
You can view all the brackets and preliminary rounds on Bracket Ace HERE
TUCSON, Ariz. –Preliminary match play continued on Thursday with many of the competitors playing into their final divisions for team scoring purposes.
If you’re unfamiliar with the USHA National Collegiate format, each participant plays two preliminary “seeding” matches to best match their skill set with other players. With their initial ranking and these two matches, they are placed in a final single elimination round of 16 division. The further they advance in that division, the more points they score for their team.
Final divisions are set and begin Friday morning, and that usually brings a full day of competitive handball and exciting close finishes. Follow along at BracketAce.com HERE.
The Tucson Racquet Club, University of Arizona Handball Club, and the USHA welcomes collegiate handball athletes from around the country and from overseas for the 70th USHA National Collegiate Championships.
The tournament officially kicked off Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m. (Mountain) at the Tucson Racquet Club.
See below to see the tentative start times for all singles players and doubles teams. Please note that these start times are tentative and may change up to Wednesday afternoon.
Brackets, times and recent results available on Bracket Ace HERE
Host Venue: Tucson Racquet Club – 4001 N Country Club Rd, Tucson, AZ 85716. There is plenty of parking at the club. When you walk in, you will continue to walk until you go outside and see the pool. The courts are in the building directly to the right of the pool when you walk out. The Tucson Racquet Club does not provide towels, and there are limited lockers available for a price, so please plan accordingly if you’d like to shower in their locker rooms. Coaches Meeting: The coaches meeting will be held on site at the Tucson Racquet Club at either the upstairs or downstairs restaurant. The first coaches meeting will take place Wednesday at 12:00pm and the second meeting will take place Saturday around 2:00 pm. Please do your best to be in attendance. If you are unable to make the meeting and are a head coach, please ask us about the coaching stipend. Tournament meals: Hospitality and Lunches will be served for players and coaches. We will have small items for breakfast in the morning. We are also providing $20 in vouchers for food. These may be used any time from Wednesday to Saturday in the upstairs restaurant. In addition to the voucher, the food schedule is the following:Wednesday: 5:00pmThursday & Friday: 1:00pmSaturday: 11:00amPlayers bags and equipment: We will have tents set up for players to leave their bags and equipment in at the Racquet Club. We do not want the bags laying in the lobby or hallway by the courts as there is not much room. Court availability before the tournament: The courts are reserved Tuesday night from 5:00pm to 7:00pm for the Tucson Handball league. If you are in early, you may go to the club and practice, but please stay off the courts during those times. Banquet: The banquet will be held at Bear Down Gym on the University of Arizona. A map is attached to this email and we will have printed copies at the tournament. The gym is about a 10-minute drive from the courts. The banquet will begin around 6:00 Saturday night. Bracket Ace- Remind your players to download Bracket Ace and Ace Referee before the tournament and make a Bracket Ace account. We will have QR codes that lead to the apps at the tournament if they need to download them and make an account there. Hope in Handball Youth Program- A reminder that a youth handball program in Pennsylvania is hoping to collect collegiate handball shirts from teams across the country. They will give the shirts to their youth players. If you or your players have any shirts you’re willing to donate, please bring them to the tournament and give them to Matt or I.
The main exhibition court matches will be featured and streamed on the USHA YouTube Channel.
Brackets and results will be posted here and will be updated every 2-3 hours, starting on Wednesday afternoon. Follow along on our website for daily updates.
Please have your players download the apps called Bracket Ace and Ace Referee. (QR codes are below that will take you straight to the app store to download.) We will also have QR codes at the tournament for players to use. See the message below with more information on the benefits of the apps.
The 70th USHA National Collegiate Championships will be using Bracket Ace tournament software to enhance this year’s tournament experience. Participants are strongly encouraged to download the Bracket Ace app along with its companion scoring app Ace Referee before the tournament begins. The Bracket Ace app allows for real-time bracket updates, following players (iOS® only) and links to video. The Ace Referee app lets you referee a match by scanning a QR code, and it shows live scores for all ongoing matches so you can see the score on every court no matter where you’re at!
Naty Alvarado Jr. is one of the best players to grace a handball court in the past thirty years. He was also one of the youngest players to capture a national Open doubles crown in 1992 at the age of 18 (winning with David Chapman, who was 16). He racked up more doubles titles and reached the number one ranking on the handball pro tour in 2001.
Alvarado is now looking to give back to the game. In January, he made the trip to Portland’s Lloyd Athletic Club where he held a junior clinic, spending extra time with brothers, Alexander and Xavier Duval from Vancouver, WA. Each owns a junior national title to their name, including Alexander’s recent win in the 13-Under division in Pleasanton, CA at the National Junior Four-Wall Championships.
Possessing one of the smoothest handball swings, Alvarado focused on improving the players’ swings, as well as passing along other tips for refining their handball strategies.
“I was happy to spend a lot of time with them on the court,” said Alvarado. The players were thrilled to get the one-on-one instruction.
“They were super stoked!” Kimberly Duval shared about her sons’ experience.
Thank you to Alvarado for taking the time to teach these kids, and we look forward to partnering with him, JR WPH, and more partners in the future to teach and develop our juniors.
PLEASANTON, Calif. — The tournament wrapped up Friday morning with finals taking place in doubles and big ball singles divisions. After the finals, players said there goodbyes to old and new friends they spent countless hours on the court with over the week.
A big thank you to the Northern California Handball Association for putting on a great tournament for the kids.
Thank you to all the kids who played this year and the parents/coaches who accompanied them. We had players represented from Ireland, Canada, Mexico, and of course the United States.
We look forward to another great tournament next year. Check out all of the results HERE.
(Nicole Eike with USHA’s Matt Krueger and flanked by her parents, Randall and Joheem after winning the Sportsmanship Award)
PLEASANTON, Calif. — The third day of action brought several finals in the small ball singles events.
The first title of the day belonged to Alex Duval who defeated Alex Neri to win the 13 and under small ball finals. Duval, who is only 12 years old, caps off an impressive year which also saw him win the 13 and under title at the four-wall nationals in June.
Ireland’s Anthony Clifford put everyone on notice with his impressive two game sweep over Eliseo Gutierrez in the 15-under final. Gutierrez looked overmatched as Clifford saved his best for the championship final after a week of nearly flawless handball.
The 17-under final was one of the most highly anticipated finals of the day with Ireland’s Rory Carthy taking on Mexico’s Andres Cordova. Carthy got off to a hot start in both games, and never took his foot off the gas. While Cordova has an impressive arsenal of shots, he couldn’t get into a rythm, dropping the final with the scores of 6 and 7.
The 19-under final featured Ireland’s Kyle Jordan and California’s Ryan Watkins. This match featured several incredible rallies, but Jordan was just too strong. Jordan has an incredible serve that would give any player in the world trouble. Between that and his ability to kill the ball, he overcame Watkins.
The girls 19-under final featured two of Ireland’s strongest up and coming players. Leah Minogue took Jodie Keeling. Minogue and Keeling were dead even most of the first game, but Minogue was able to hit some clutch shots and close it out. She used her momentum to easily take game two.
Keeling would earn her title in the girls 17 and under, where she took out Illinois Izzy Klicker in two dominant games.
The girls 15 and under was a battle between two more young Irish stars, with Carmel Kelleher taking on Katie Jordan. Kelleher came out fast and easily claimed game one. Despite a great effort from Jordan in game two, Kelleher held her off to win 21-5, 21-17.
The night concluded with a banquet that featured delicious barbeque from Frank’s Barbeque.
The annual Junior Nationals awards were presented to the following three deserving players:
The Tom Lynch Newcomer Award: Niko Vasquez The Kate Conlon/Kurt Johansson Most Improved Award: Alexander Duval The Vince Gabriele Jr. Sportsmanship Award: Nicole Eike (pictured above)
PLEASANTON, Calif. — Day two of the tournament had action in all divisions, including small ball, big ball, and doubles.
Our first champion was crowned when Albuquerque’s Adrian Valenzuela defeated El Paso’s Luis Cordova III to win the 11 and under small ball division.
The 19 and under small ball division saw Los Angeles’s Ryan Watkins advance to the final by defeating Mexico’s Luis Ogaz. Watkins will take on Ireland’s Kyle Jordan who has looked very strong to this point.
The 17 and under final will feature Mexico’s Andres Cordova and Ireland’s Rory Carthy. Each player has been dominant so far this week and it should be one of the most exciting finals of the tournament.
The 15 and under division will feature Colorado’s Eliseo Guttierez and Ireland’s Anthony Clifford. Guttierez took down another Irish player, Caleb Donnellan, in an impressive semifinal win.
Washington’s Alexander Duval and California’s Alex Neri will square off for the 13 and under final tomorrow morning. Neri survived a close tiebreaker to advance.
On the girls side, Ireland’s Leah Minogue advanced to the 19 and under final with ease. She will take on Jodie Keeling in the finals tomorrow, who won an 11-9 tiebreaker in her semifinal to advance.
Keeling will also be looking to win the girls 17 and under final when she finishes her round robin matches.
Ireland’s Carmel Kelleher and Katie Jordan will compete for the girls 15 and under final tomorrow in what is sure to be a great match.
Doubles and big ball semifinals will be held tomorrow. You can view all results to this point and follow along with the draw HERE
PLEASANTON, Calif. — Day one of the USHA National Junior 4-Wall Nationals kicked off Tuesday morning. With weather affecting travel all over the country, several players were delayed and had to have their match pushed back. Thanks to the hard work of the Northern California Handball Association, the day ran as smooth as it could, and play was caught up as much as possible.
Quarterfinals were played in all small ball divisions, and tomorrow will feature several exciting semifinal matches. The big ball divisions will also begin tomorrow along with some doubles divisions.
PLEASANTON, Calif. — The 66th USHA National Junior 4-Wall Championships are slated to kick off next Monday, Dec. 26 at The Bay Club Pleasanton. Nearly 70 players from around the country, Canada, Mexico and Ireland will descend on the club next week to compete in small ball and big ball events.
The USHA National Junior Championships offer players drop-down events, so players of similar skill land in a competitive bracket.
Draws and tentative start times are now available. Please note: times and draws may change up until the first match is played. See the draws and start times HERE.
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