It’s a three-peat for Oregon State University!
Congratulations to Oregon State for capturing the Overall Team trophy at the 2010 USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships held April 7 – 10 in Springfield, Mo. The tournament, hosted by Missouri State University, featured 350 student-athletes representing 50 colleges and universities from across the country.
2010 marks the fourth time the Beavers have won the national Overall Team award, having previously received the honor in 2009, 2008 and 2006. OSU did not field a team in 2007.
OSU earned the top spot in the Women’s Team competition and finished second in Men’s. The Beavers also earned another impressive accomplishment: All 13 members of the OSU squad were named to the 2010 USAR All-American Collegiate Team, which demonstrates that their success during the tournament was truly a group effort.
The University of Oregon earned its best-ever finish during this year’s event, placing fifth in the Overall Team category, fifth in Men’s and sixth in Women’s. In 2009, the Ducks finished eighth overall.
Taylor Knoth, a freshman at Oregon, placed second in the Men’s #1 Singles championship, losing 15-9, 15-12 to Jose Rojas, a sophomore at Delta College (Calif.). Joey Lakowske, a fifth-year senior at Oregon State, earned third place in Men’s #1 Singles, beating Allan Crocket, a junior at University of Alabama, 21-10.
Ashley Willhite, a fifth-year senior at Oregon State, finished fourth in Women’s #1 Singles, losing 15-8, 15-0 to Sheryl Lotts, a sophomore at Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio).
Willhite and David Laforest, also a fifth-year senior, are members of all four of the Beavers’ championship teams.
The Beavers practice at Timberhill Athletic Club in Corvallis and are coached by Rob Durbin. During the awards ceremony on April 10, Durbin was presented with the 2010 USAR Collegiate Coach of the Year Award for his support of the OSU championship teams and dedication to collegiate racquetball.
The Ducks practice at Courtsports Athletic Club in Eugene.
Here’s a rundown of how students fared in their individual divisions:
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Oregon State University
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Finish
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Men’s #1 Singles: Joey Lakowske*
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Gold, 3rd Place
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Men’s #2 Singles: David Laforest*
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Men’s #3 Singles: Grant Stalley*
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Gold, 3rd Place
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Men’s #4 Singles: Michael Carrington*
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Gold, 4th Place
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Men’s #5 Singles: Dan Arnold*
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Blue, 1st Place
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Men’s #6 Singles: Dale Fonken*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Women’s #1 Singles: Ashley Willhite*
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Gold, 4th Place
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Women’s #2 Singles: Megan Mathes*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Women’s #3 Singles: Alyssa Asay*
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Gold, 1st Place
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Women’s #4 Singles: Teresa Wright*
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Gold, 1st Place
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Women’s #5 Singles: Chelsea Donnithorne*
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Gold, 4th Place
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Women’s #6 Singles: Stevanie Medearis*
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Gold, 1st Place
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Men’s #1 Doubles: Lakowske/Laforest
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Gold, 4th Place
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Men’s #2 Doubles: Stalley/Carrington
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Men’s #3 Doubles: Arnold/Fonken
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Gold, 4th Place
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Women’s #1 Doubles: Willhite/Mathes
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Women’s #2 Doubles: Assay/Wright
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Gold, 1st Place
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Women’s #3 Doubles: Donnithorne/Amber Shaw*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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University of Oregon
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Finish
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Men’s #1 Singles: Taylor Knoth*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Men’s #2 Singles: Elliott Saunders
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Blue, 2nd Place
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Men’s #3 Singles: Arash Afshar
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Men’s #4 Singles: Scott Rieders*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Men’s #5 Singles: Ryan Higgins*
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Gold, 4th Place
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Men’s #6 Singles: Justin Talarizadeh
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Red, 1st Place
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Women’s #1 Singles: Leah Redwine
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Women’s #2 Singles: Hailey Miller*
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Gold, 4th Place
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Women’s #3 Singles: Hannah Bloombaum*
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Gold, 3rd Place
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Women’s #4 Singles: Staci Wood*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Women’s #5 Singles: Danielle Nason
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Blue, 1st Place
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Women’s #6 Singles: Sydney Prescott*
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Gold, 2nd Place
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Men’s #1 Doubles: Knoth/Afshar
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Gold, Round of 16
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Men’s #2 Doubles: Saunders/Rieders
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Men’s #3 Doubles: Higgins/Talarizadeh
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Women’s #1 Doubles: Redwine/Miller
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Gold, Round of 32
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Women’s #2 Doubles: Bloombaum/Wood
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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Women’s #3 Doubles: Nason/Prescott
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Gold, Quarterfinalist
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* Member of the 2010 USAR All-American Collegiate Team
Two other Oregon residents competed in the tournament. Jeremy McGlothin, a freshman at Colorado State University - Pueblo, won Men’s #6 Singles and Men’s #3 Doubles. McGlothin was also named to the 2010 USAR All-American Collegiate Team. Kamran Masood, a senior at Arizona State University, made the Round of 16 in Men’s #1 Singles and was a semifinalist in Men’s #1 Consolation Doubles.
Click here to view complete tournament results, and click here for team results.
The 2011 USA Racquetball National Intercollegiate Championships will be held at Arizona State University in Tempe next April.