PORTLAND, Ore. — Students, coaches, and local handball spectators packed the crowds Sunday morning to watch the finals of the 2025 Collegiate Nationals. 

The day began with the Men’s Open final. After losing three consecutive years in the semifinals, Ray Ure broke through this year in the and defeated his fellow Minnesota State Mankato teammate John Bike in two games. Ure took game one convincingly, but fell behind early in game two 14-10. Determined to win, Ure went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-10 lead and seemed to be on his way to clinching the title. 

Bike had a run left in him though, and scored four quick points to take an 18-17 lead. A missed paddle kill attempt from Bike put Ure back in the box where he tied the match at 18. The duo traded sideouts and when Ure got his second chance in the service box he closed it out with a couple of pass shots and an unreturned serve to win the match 21-11, 21-18. It was a great way for Ure to end his collegiate career. 

Clodagh Munroe was looking to defend her title in the Women’s Open against Cuileann Bourke, who was coming off two impressive wins over the second and third seeded players in the Women’s Open division. 

Munroe, while winning all her matches in two games to this point, had still not been playing her best handball. She must have been saving her best for the finals because she put together her best performance of the tournament. 

Munroe pushed Bourke all around the court. The precision on her shots were near perfect throughout the match. She jumped out to a 7-0 lead in game one and never looked back, holding Bourke to just three points. 

Game two wasn’t much closer. Although Bourke earned a few more points Munroe was too strong and pulled away near the end to defeat her opponent 21-9. Munroe slapped her hands together and took a moment to walk around the court after earning her second consecutive title. She will go for the three-peat next year. 

In the Men’s Open Doubles, Ivan Burgos and Jorge Pimentel defeated Ray Ure and Luis Mendez in a tiebreaker match. Burgos and Pimentel were all over the court and made it difficult on Ure and Mendez to end rallies. 

On the Women’s side, Munroe completed the open slam by pairing with Freshman teammate Hannah Grace to defeat the Irish duo of Cuileann Bourke and Noelle Dowling.

You can check out the winners from all the divisions on Bracket Ace HERE. 

On the team scoring side of the tournament, Minnesota State Mankato continued their dominance over the rest of the field, winning the Open Team division title in the Men’s, Women’s and Combined. Missouri State just edged out Angelo State to take second place in the Combined title. You can view all of the team scores HERE and see the top two in each division below. Six players from each gender can count towards a teams score. 

Combined Open Champion: Minnesota State Mankato

Combined Open runner-up: Missouri State University

Men’s Open Champion: Minnesota State Mankato

Men’s Open runner-up: Texas A&M

Women’s Open Champion: Minnesota State Mankato

Women’s Open runner-up: Lake Forest College

Combined A Champion: Texas A&M University

Combined A runner-up: Pacific University

Men’s A Champion: Stony Brook College

Men’s A runner-up: Pacific University

Women’s A Champion: Pacific University

Women’s A runner-up: Texas A&M University

All of these teams were recognized at the banquet Saturday night along with players who were given awards and scholarships. Over $30,000 was awarded in scholarships to our handball student athletes this year. 

Also at the Banquet, Martin Mulkerrins was recognized with our 2024 Coach of the Year Award. Mulkerrins took six players to his first collegiate nationals in Tucson in 2023 and now has grown the program at Texas A&M to one of the largest in the country, bringing 25+ players to the nationals.

The banquet closed with USHA Executive Director Matt Krueger asking the seniors to stand up. They received a big cheer from the crowd and were encouraged to keep playing handball, as it is a lifelong game. 

Thank you to the Multnomah Athletic Club for hosting us at their world class athletic club. The students were amazed by the facility. 

A special thanks to Ben Van Arsdale and Jeff Wall for volunteering their time to make this tournament successful on Bracket Ace. Bracket Ace allows players to referee on their phone, see live scores of each court in the building, and so much more. Schedule your next tournament on Bracket Ace. 

Another thanks to Ben and Jeff and the other volunteers who helped make the tournament run smoothly. 

Lastly thank you to the coaches for bringing their players and inspiring the future generations of handballers. This tournament is unlike any other in the world. The team spirit is unbelievable. If you haven’t been able to check out the collegiate nationals before, make your plans to visit next year when Missouri State University hosts the tournament between February 18-22. 

____________________________________________________________________

PORTLAND, Ore. — After 3 consecutive 13 hour days of handball at the Multnomah Athletic Club, we made it to Saturday morning where semifinals started to commence. Players who have made it this far have played at least four strenuous matches, but with teammates and coaches behind them cheering them on, they showed an excellent display of handball. 

The first semifinal of the day was between Minnesota State Mankato teammates John Bike and Bryan Trejo. Trejo has been the talk of the tournament so far after pulling off multiple upsets. Yesterday he took down number one seed and top seven ranked pro Ivan Burgos. 

Bike though came out strong and won game one by blasting shots with his powerful left hand that Trejo could not keep pace with in game one. Trejo wouldn’t go down easy though and jumped out to a lead in game two. It looked like it could go either way when it was tied at 17-17, but Bike closed the game out with some perfect pass shots that Trejo could not receive. 

Next up was the highly anticipated match between Ray Ure and Kyle Jordan. Jordan is the current Irish Collegiate Champion, and has some of the best hands in the sport. Ure has been a rising star in the sport for years, and has announced himself on the WPH Pro Tour. 

Jordan was no match for Ure, who hit laser serves down the left and right side that were untouched by his opponent. Neither game ever felt close as Ure cruised to a victory and clinched his spot in his first collegiate final. 

Bike and Ure will be the first Americans to face off in the finals since 2018, and it will be the first collegiate title for one of them. 

On the Women’s side, defending champion Clodagh Munroe and Leah Minogue played the first semifinal in the open. Munroe took control of the first game and never ceded her lead. Game two was closer and Minogue held a 15-13 lead. Munroe found her groove there, and went on a run to take a 20-15 lead. Minogue scored one more point, but then Munroe finished her off with a kill in the left corner to win. 

The next semifinal was between last year’s runner-up Amy Brennan and Cuileann Bourke, who both reside in Ireland. Bourke won the first game 21-19, relying on a great three-wall serve that put Brennan in the back left corner. Second game Bourke continued to play strong and defeated Brennan 21-13 after executing many paddle kills. 

Munroe and Brennan will be a great match tomorrow in the finals. 

Minnesota State Mankato has a nice lead in the Open division team title, and looks like they will continue their winning streak. Check out all the team scores on the Bracket Ace scoring page HERE. Check out all the brackets HERE.

______________________________________________________________________

Collegiate Handball Nationals Kick Off in Portland with Intensity and Camaraderie

PORTLAND, Ore. — The energy was electric Wednesday as the 72nd Collegiate National Handball Championships got underway at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Nearly 30 schools from across the U.S., Ireland, and Canada sent their best to battle for national titles, with singles and doubles matches filling the courts.

For many players, the tournament is more than just a competition—it’s a chance to test themselves against the best, reconnect with old friends, and immerse themselves in the tight-knit handball community.

“This is my last year, so I’m really excited to be able to cheer on my team for my last time and to show the skills that I have developed over the last six years I’ve been playing handball,” said Sam Wilson, a fifth year Missouri State senior. “I think the Multnomah Athletic Club is awesome, the way the courts play and the way they’re laid out, it’s definitely a great place for the Collegiates.”

Among the larger teams, Texas A&M sent a squad of 24 players, eager to make their mark in both singles and doubles. Other perennial powerhouses, including Lake Forest College, Missouri State, Minnesota State, Mankato, and the University of Limerick, were well represented, with top-seeded players already showcasing their skills in the opening rounds.

The format guarantees every player at least three singles matches, with early seeding rounds leading into a high-stakes single-elimination bracket. This ensures plenty of action for newcomers and veterans alike.

Beyond the matches, the tournament is a celebration of Handball. Players swapped stories between games, scouted future opponents, and soaked in the atmosphere of one of handball’s most prestigious events. A banquet is scheduled for Saturday night, giving players, coaches, and alumni a chance to come together off the court.

“It’s competitive, for sure,” said Texas A&M coach Martin Mulkerrins, a former Men’s Collegiate Open Singles champion. “But at the end of the day, we’re all just excited to be here and to keep growing the sport.”

With several days of competition ahead, the stage is set for intense matchups, dramatic upsets, and unforgettable moments. As the first day wrapped up, the anticipation only grew for what’s to come in Portland’s Multnomah Athletic Club.

See the latest results on the tournament’s BracketAce website HERE (matches and scores are updated in real time).  

Live streaming matches on the main show court begin on Friday. Follow the action HERE.

———————————————–
Minnesota State will look to defend their team title but they’ll have to do it without their top men’s player and last year’s champion Mark Doyle, who is out with an arm injury. Their top women and defending champion Clodagh Munroe is back though and looking to bring home her second collegiate title. 

Many collegiate players will be experiencing the Collegiate Nationals for the first time, which is a tournament unlike any other and showcases what our game is all about. 

Stay tuned for updates from the tournament.