St. Louis, MO, WPH Press, 4/19/26
The USHA and the Missouri State Handball Association were excited to host the 2026 National Master Four-Wall Singles and Missouri State Singles at the United States National Handball Center.
Many of the game’s best 35+ players in the world traveled to the United States National Handball Center to vie for national championships, in addition to several of the game’s top pros competing at the handball-only mecca.
Men’s Open Singles
Sam Esser entered the 2026 MO State Singles as the defending champion and top seed. Esser defeated future star Jack Wu in the quarterfinals and bounced back from a lopsided second-game loss to 40+ national singles champion Dave Munson to advance to the final in the upper bracket.
R48 #4 Ray Ure was seeking redemption at the United States National Handball Center, having held match point in the finals of the 2026 St. Louis Race 4 Eight in January before coming up short. Ure overcame hometown favorite and United States National Handball Center Captain Jeff Streibig in two close games in the bottom bracket semifinal to meet Esser in the final. “Jeff is playing good ball,” Esser would later say. “He gave Ray a nice match in the semis.”
Esser defeated Ure in their last encounter at the 2025 Handballesta but Ure would not be denied on Esser’s new home court, taking control of the match from the outset to win his first title on the United States National Handball Center’s three-glass court.
“The final went really well,” Ure would tell the WPH. “Tried to keep my head in the match, stay within myself, and just play my game. Credit to Sam, he really brought it, but I was able to execute when it mattered and come out on top in two. Felt good out there for real.”
“It was a good ole fashion beat down,” exclaimed Esser. “Ray played great, no answer for him.”
Quarterfinals
Esser def Wu 21-5, 21-16
Munson def Colyer 21-12, 21-13
Streibig def D. Schmitt 21-7, 21-16
Ure def Bacon 21-5, 21-7
Semifinals
Esser def D. Munson 21-2, 8-21, 11-9
Ure def Streibig 21-19, 21-16
Final: Ure def Esser 21-12, 21-7
Watch the final on Amy Ure’s YouTube channel HERE
Trophy picture courtesy of Sam Esser
Women’s Open Singles
WR48 #5 Suz Entzeroth cruised to the MO State Women’s title, winning all three of her round robin matches without dropping a game. Entzeroth will be seeking her third WR48 semifinal of the season in two weeks at the 2026 Aces WR48 Player’s Championship.
Final: Entzeroth def Rumping 21-16, 21-3
Trophy picture courtesy of Sam Esser
2026 National Master Four-Wall Singles National Champions
35+: Jeff Streibig
40+: Dave Munson
45+: Kevin Pettus
50+: Alex Garcia
55+: George Repine
60+: William Goldstein
65+: Mike Flannery
70+: Phil Kirk
75+: Eugene Dalessio
80+: Bob Bardwell
85+: Kari Lady
Thank you to the USHA and MHA for the sensational hospitality and a great event.
Follow all of the brackets from the 2026 USHA Master Singles and Missouri State Singles HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer