The 2023-24 Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) kicks off Friday in Colorado with the KWM Gutterman World Singles and Doubles Championships. But before that happens, let’s review the 2022-23 LPRT season, which was one of the most remarkable women’s pro seasons ever.
Remarkably, Montserrat Mejia finished as the #1 LPRT player for the first time. She dethroned Paola Longoria, who had been the #1 player for 11 consecutive seasons. Mejia did so by winning 5 of the 10 events last season, while Longoria won 3 with Alexandra Herrera and Gabriela Martinez winning one each.
Four different winners on tour hadn’t happened since 2007-08, when Cheryl Gudinas, Rhonda Rajsich, Christie Huczek (née Van Hees) and Longoria won. Moreover, four is the most winners there’s ever been in a women’s pro racquetball season.
Mejia and Longoria were in the most finals last season, six and four times, respectively. But the player with the third most finals was Brenda Laime, who was in three finals, more than either Herrera (two) or Martinez (one).
Yet if you count appearances in both the semi-finals and finals, Erika Manilla is 3rd (with 5), not Laime, Herrera or Martinez, and behind only Mejia (7) and Longoria (6).
Moreover, Maria Jose Vargas was in two finals and two semi-finals in the five events she played after returning to the tour following the birth of her 3rd child. She hasn’t won on tour since 2019, but almost did so in the last event of this past season.
All of this indicates how remarkable 2022-23 was, and we think 2023-24 could be even better. Longoria will want to regain the #1 ranking, and Mejia will want to show that winning that ranking was no fluke. Presumably, Vargas will play the whole season, so she’ll be a threat at every event, rather than just half of them.
Moreover, Herrera, Martinez, Laime and Manilla aren’t going away. Then there’s Angelica Barrios, Natalia Mendez, Jessica Parrilla and Carla Muñoz to contend with.
We never saw elite women’s racquetball in the 1980s and 1990s, but this could be the best it has ever been. The depth of the field is that great.
Thus, there is a lot to look forward to in the 2023-24 LPRT season, and we're excite to see how it’s all going to unfold.
You can watch the action live from Colorado via the LPRT YouTube channel. Play begins Thursday with the Round of 64 (one match) and Round of 32, and continues through to the final on Sunday at 11:15 AM. All times Mountain.
2022-23 LPRT Results Summary
Players who reached at least one quarterfinal
Montserrat Mejia - 5 wins, 1 final, 1 semi-final, 1 quarterfinal
Paola Longoria - 3 wins, 1 F, 2, SF, 2 QF, 2 Round of 16
Alexandra Herrera - 1 win, 1 F, 2 SF, 3 QF, 2 R16
Gabriela Martinez - 1 win, 5 R16
Brenda Laime - 3 F, 2 QF, 4 R16
Maria Jose Vargas - 2 F, 2 SF, 1 QF
Erika Manilla - 1 F, 4 SF, 2 QF, 3 R16
Angelica Barrios - 1 F, 3 SF, 1 QF, 3 R16
Jessica Parrilla - 2 SF, 3 QF, 5 R16
Natalia Mendez - 2 SF, 3 QF, 5 R16
Carla Muñoz - 1 SF, 5 QF, 4 R16
Samantha Salas - 1 SF, 4 QF, 3 R16
Kelani Lawrence - 5 QF, 4 R16
Valeria Centellas - 4 QF, 6 R16
Hollie Scott - 2 QF, 5 R16
Sheryl Lotts - 1 QF, 4 R16
Nancy Enriquez - 1 QF, 2 R16, 3 R32
2022-23 LPRT Final Rankings
Singles
1) Montserrat Mejia
2) Paola Longoria
3) Alexandra Herrera
4) Erika Manilla
5) Brenda Laime
6) Angelica Barrios
7) Maria Jose Vargas
8) Jessica Parrilla
9) Carla Muñoz
10) Natalia Mendez
11) Samantha Salas
12) Gabriela Martinez
13) Valeria Centellas
14) Kelani Lawrence
15) Cristina Amaya
16) Hollie Scott
17) Maria Paz Riquelme
18) Sheryl Lotts
19) Maria Renee Rodriguez
20) Nancy Enriquez
Doubles
1) Paola Longoria
2) Samantha Salas
3) Alexandra Herrera
4) Natalia Mendez
5) Montserrat Mejia
6) Erika Manilla
7) Valeria Centellas
8) Kelani Lawrence
9) Jessica Parrilla
10) Brenda Laime
11) Maria Renee Rodriguez
12) Carla Muñoz
13) Hollie Scott
14) Gabriela Martinez
15) Angelica Barrios
16) Maria Jose Vargas
17) Cristina Amaya
18) Maria Paz Riquelme
19) Rhonda Rajsich
20) Nancy Enriquez
Follow the bouncing ball….
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