Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 11/4/26
The eleventh annual Tucson Memorial marked the 106th event in the history of the Race 4 Eight tour, with the tour spanning 18 states and two countries in the Race 4 Eight’s first fifteen seasons. The 2026 Tucson Memorial featured the top R48 Men’s pros, Women Race 4 Eight, and Senior Race 4 Eight (40+) pros vying for one of the sport’s most prestigious prizes.
The Tucson Memorial was created in 2015 to honor handball friends and family who were sadly lost, a tradition that has evoked wonderful memories of handball players and fans who spent their lifetimes playing and supporting in the sport.
R48 #2 Ray Ure aimed to defend his R48 Memorial title in his second start of the season (Ure won September’s R48 Red HERE), just weeks after completing the Chicago marathon in 2:30:45 (HERE). While Ure has won his last two Race 4 Eight starts (May’s Aces Player’s Championship and September’s R48 Red), the marathoner is still chasing R48 #1 Martin Mulkerrins in the Race 4 Eight rankings. Mulkerrins won his eighteenth Race event and second of the season at October’s R48 Portland Classic (HERE).
Mulkerrins and Ure will face each member of the Elite 8 in their quest for the 2026 Memorial title, in addition to a pack of challengers aiming for Elite 8 spots.
2026 R48 Memorial Round of 16
Martin Mulkerrins was ruthless against Bryan Trejo in his opening match of the event, needing just 21 minutes to dispatch the pride of Mankato.
Defending champion Ray Ure faced Midwest rival Sam Esser in the round of 16, having lost to Esser just over a year ago in Kansas City. Esser showed glimpses of his former Elite 8 form, taking the second game against Ure before succumbing to Ure’s relentless pressure in the tiebreaker.
Mark Doyle cruised past 2026 R48 Denver tournament director and Race pro John Chapman in two games, while Lucho Cordova rallied from a one-game deficit against Shorty Ruiz and Ruiz’s glass-banging army to defeat Ruiz in a tiebreaker for the second time in as many matches on the TRC show court.
Leo Canales survived a 12-14 deficit in the first game against the National Handball Center’s captain Jeff Streibig, diving and scrambling to force overtime and eventually a game one comeback win and dominating game two against the Missouri Hall of Fame wrestler.
Sean Lenning and Max Langmack combined for the tallest match in Race 4 Eight history, with the 6”2 Lenning ousting the 6”9 Langmack in two games.
Coleman McGrath continued to announce himself as the future of the tour, dominating the second and third games against R48 #7 Ivan Burgos to advance to his second Race quarterfinal of the season (Montana).
Dylan Hernandez earned his most satisfying win of his Race career against R48 #8 Danos Cordova, scoring the final eight points of the first game to erase a 7-11 deficit and scoring the final five points of the tiebreaker.
Round of 16:
Mulkerrins def Trejo 15-1, 15-4
Ure def Esser 15-6, 9-15, 15-2
Doyle def Chapman 15-3, 15-8
Lucho def Ruiz 12-15, 15-5, 15-3
Canales def Streibig 16-14, 15-6
Lenning def Langmack 15-8, 15-12
McGrath def Burgos 5-15, 15-3, 15-7
Hernandez def Danos 15-11, 7-15, 15-10
Round of 8 (Saturday, all times MST on ESPN+)
Mulkerrins vs. Hernandez (10 am)
Lucho vs. Canales (10:45 am)
Ure vs. McGrath (11:30 am)
Doyle vs. Lenning (12:30 pm)
2026 WR48 Memorial
WR48 #1 Niamh Heffernan aimed to defend her WR48 Memorial title, while extending her WR48 winning streak to six events. Heffernan faced a strong field that includes former WR48 #1 Mikaila Esser, former WR48 champions Danielle Daskalakis and Ciana Ni Churraoin, and WR48 newcomers Mollie Dagg and Leah Minogue.
Heffernan sent two-time 2026 WR48 Pre Qualifier champion Leah Minogue a welcome to the tour message with a two-game thrashing, while WR48 #2 Aoife Holden was steady against former WR48 #1 Mikaila Esser.
Ciana Ni Churraoin returned to the WR48 with a vengeance, playing flawlessly against Danielle Daskalakis to advance to Saturday’s semifinal.
Mollie Dagg continued her climb towards the top of the WR48, scoring a two-game sweep against local favorite and tournament director Ashley Ruiz.
Round of 8
Heffernan def Minogue 15-2, 15-2
Holden def Esser 15-5, 15-10
Ni Churraoin def Daskalakis 15-3, 15-5
Dagg def Ruiz 15-4, 15-0
Semifinals (Saturday, all times MST on ESPN)
Heffernan vs. Dagg (1:30 pm)
Holden vs. Ni Churraoin (2:30 pm)
2026 SR48 Memorial
SR48 #1 Sean Lenning was seeking his first SR48 Memorial title against a strong field that included Jeff Streibig and Boxer Rosales.
The top four seeds cruised in Friday night’s SR48 quarterfinals, setting up an exciting SR48 semifinal Saturday.
Round of 8
Lenning def Ortega 15-5, 15-5
Streibig def Duenas 15-6, 15-0
Mcnabney def Canales 15-11, 15-7
Rosales def Roldan 15-3, 15-5
Semifinals (Saturday, all times MST on ESPN)
Lenning vs. Mcnabney (2:30 pm)
Rosales vs. Streibig (1:30 pm)
Watch Saturday’s matches on the ESPN App
Follow the draws and results from the 2026 Race 4 Eight Tucson Memorial HERE
2026 Race 4 Eight Tucson Memorial
- Date: November 6-8, 2026
- Site: Tucson Racquet Club, 4001 N. Country Club Dr., Tucson, AZ 85716
- Tournament director: WPH
- Tournament sponsor: JR WPH
- Pro Events: R48 Men’s pro singles, WR48 singles, SR48 singles
- List of R48 Tucson R48 Men’s pro champions: Moreno (2011), Lenning (2012, 2015, 2018), Brady (2014), Mulkerrins (2019, 2024), Carroll (2017, 2021), L. Cordova (2022), D. Cordova (2023), Ure (2025)
- List of Tucson WR48 pro champions: McMahon (2017), Casey (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023), Ni Churraoin (2024), Heffernan (2025)
- List of SR48 Tucson Men’s pro champions: Chavez (2014), Fink (2018), Fink (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- Defending Tucson Memorial R48 champion: Ray Ure (2025)
- Defending Tucson Memorial WR48 champion: Niamh Heffernan(2025)
- Defending Tucson Memorial SR48 champion: David Fink (2025)
- Number of ranked R48 pros entered: 18
- Number of ranked WR48 pros entered: 7
- Number of ranked SR48 pros entered: 5
- Current or former R48 #1’s entered: 2 (Lucho, Lenning, Mulkerrins)
- Current or former WR48 #1’s entered: 2 (Heffernan, Esser)
- Current or former SR48 #1’s entered: 1 (Lenning)
Important Links
2026 Tucson Memorial Press Release HERE
Follow the draws and results from the 2026 Race 4 Eight Tucson Memorial HERE
Current Race 4 Eight rankings HERE
Race 4 Eight Fun Facts HERE
Race 4 Eight History of Champions and Finalists HERE
Race 4 Eight Pro Player Bios HERE
WPH Destination Series Tucson HERE
Handball Terminology + Instruction and R48 Rules HERE
WPH Coaching Center Instructional Videos HERE
Support the sport and become a WPH Patreon HERE
2026/27 Race 4 Eight Schedule and Entries HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
Saturday: Live on ESPN+
The broadcast moves to ESPN+ on Saturday, November 7, beginning at 10:00 a.m. MST.
Saturday’s schedule features four Men’s Pro Quarterfinals, Women’s Pro or Senior 40+ semifinal action and both Men’s Pro Semifinals. A Memorial Presentation with Scott Cleveland and Kara Mack is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., immediately before the second Men’s Pro Semifinal at 4:35 p.m.
Saturday, November 7 | ESPN+
- 10:00 a.m. – Men’s Pro Quarterfinal – Martin Mulkerrins (IRE) vs Dylan Hernandez (CA)
- 10:45 a.m. – Men’s Pro Quarterfinal – Leo Canales (TX/MEX) vs Lucho Cordova (MEX/TX)
- 11:30 a.m. – Men’s Pro Quarterfinal – Ray Ure (IL) vs McGrath (CA)
- 12:30 p.m. – Men’s Pro Quarterfinal – Mark Doyle (IRE) vs Sean Lenning (WA)
- 1:30 p.m. – Women’s Pro Semifinal – Niamh Heffernan (IRE) vs Mollie Dagg (IRE)
- 2:30 p.m. – Women’s Pro Semifinal – Ciana Ni Churraoin (IRE) vs Aoife Holden (IRE)
- 3:30 p.m. – Men’s Pro Semifinal – TBD
- 4:30 p.m. – Memorial Presentation with Scott Cleveland and Kara Mack
- 4:35 p.m. – Men’s Pro Semifinal – TBD
WATCH SUNDAY:
Watch Championship Sunday live on ESPN+