Roberts wins twice at 2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships

Annie Roberts of the University of Pacific was a double winner at the 2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships at the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club in Tuscon, Arizona, as she won both Women’s #1 Singles and Women’s #1 Doubles with Alondra Canchola. In the singles final, Roberts defeated Shane Diaz from Northeast Lakeview College in Texas, 15-6, 15-4, and in the doubles final, Roberts and Canchola beat Abby Lachance and Kate Zawalski of the University of Missouri, 15-2, 15-2.

Roberts only gave up more than 6 points in only one of her matches. That was during the semi-finals of doubles, when she and Canchola defeated Faith Malek and Julia Stein of Baldwin Wallace in two close games, 15-11, 15-14. Curiously, Roberts, a right handed player, played the right side with Canchola, who’s also a right handed player. Usually, the stronger player plays the left side, but not in this case, even though Roberts won the Women’s #1 division and Canchola was 3rd in the Women’s #2 division.

On the Men’s side, Arial Tito from Colorado State, Pueblo, had a chance to do what Roberts did, as he defeated Ben Baron of Northern Arizona University, 15-9, 15-3, in the Men’s #1 Singles final, but in the Men’s #1 Doubles final, Tito and Samuel Lazcano Ramirez lost to Baron and Arthur Schmeiser in a breaker, 6-15, 15-5, 11-3.

Team Standings

Players compete in teams at Intercollegiates: Women’s, Men’s and Overall. Teams are a maximum of six men and six women with players competing in divisions ranked 1 through 6, and three doubles divisions: 1 to 3. A team accumulates points across the divisions based on their players' results.

The Women’s Team standings were 1) University of Missouri, 2) University of the Pacific and 3) Brigham Young University. The Men’s Team standings were 1) University of Missouri, 2) Brigham Young University, and 3) Northern Arizona University. Thus, it’s not surprising that the Overall Team winner was the University of Missouri with Brigham Young University in second, and Oregon State University was 3rd.

Coaching award

Finally, Jim Hiser was named the National Intercollegiate Coach of the Year. Hiser has coached the Colorado State, Pueblo team for 34 years, and is retiring after this season.

If you missed any of the intercollegiate action, check out the USA Racquetball Facebook page, where they streamed some of the matches.

2022 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships
Tuscon, Arizona - March 23-26, 2022
(with seedings)

Women's Singles - Final

1) Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 2) Shane Diaz (Northeast Lakeview College), 15-4, 15-6

Women's Singles - 3rd Place

3) Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace) d. 4) Kate Zawalski (Missouri), 15-1, 15-0

Women's Singles - Semi-finals

1) Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 4) Kate Zawalski (Missouri), 15-0, 15-5
2) Shane Diaz (Northeast Lakeview College) d. 3) Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace), 12-15, 15-2, 11-5

Women's Doubles - Final

2) Alondra Canchola & Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 1) Abby Lachance & Kate Zawalski (Missouri), 15-2, 15-2

Women's Doubles - 3rd Place

3) Faith Malek & Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace) d. 5) Autumn Lewis & Katt Macgregor (Oregon State), 15-9, 12-15, 11-0

Women's Doubles - Semi-finals

1) Abby Lachance & Kate Zawalski (Missouri) d. 5) Autumn Lewis & Katt Macgregor (Oregon State), 15-5, 15-10
2) Alondra Canchola & Annie Roberts (Pacific) d. 3) Faith Malek & Julia Stein (Baldwin Wallace), 15-11, 15-14

Men's Singles - Final

5) Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 2) Ben Baron (Northern Arizona), 15-9, 15-3

Men's Singles - 3rd Place

3) Jeremy Dixon (Adler) d. 5) John Dowell (Missouri), 8-15, 15-13, 11-1

Men's Singles - Semi-finals

5) Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 3) Jeremy Dixon (Adler), 15-13, 15-12
2) Ben Baron (Northern Arizona) d. 5) John Dowell (Missouri), 15-13, 10-15, 11-6

Men's Doubles - Final

4) Ben Baron & Arthur Schmeiser (Northern Arizona) d. 2) Samuel Lazcano Ramirez & Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo), 6-15, 15-5, 11-3

Men's Doubles - 3rd Place

1) Cody Boucher & Nathan Buring (Oregon State) d. 6) John Dowell & James Storgion (Missouri), 15-12, 11-15, 11-6

Men's Doubles - Semi-finals

4) Ben Baron & Arthur Schmeiser (Northern Arizona) d. 1) Cody Boucher & Nathan Buring (Oregon State), 15-10, 9-15, 11-5
2) Samuel Lazcano Ramirez & Arial Tito (Colorado State, Pueblo) d. 6) John Dowell & James Storgion (Missouri), 15-8, 15-8

Team Standings - Women’s Team

1) University of Missouri
2) University of the Pacific
3) Brigham Young University

Team Standings - Men’s Team

1) University of Missouri
2) Brigham Young University
3) Northern Arizona University

Team Standings - Overall Team

1) University of Missouri
2) Brigham Young University
3) Oregon State University

Follow the bouncing ball....