Day 4
Springfield, MO, WPH Press, 5/25/25
The United States Handball Association is proud to present the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships at the Dr. Thomas H. Burnett Handball Courts on the campus of Missouri State University on Memorial Day Weekend. Players from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Ireland traveled to Springfield for the USHA’s crown jewel event.
Men’s Open Singles Finals
Martin Mulkerrins met Ray Ure in the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championship, with Mulkerrins appearing in his seventh final in eight years and seeking his second singles title and Ure appearing in his first final after winning the USHA Collegiate Nationals earlier this year.
Mulkerrins has dominated Ure in their two meetings this season on the Race 4 Eight, both in Race finals at the 2024 Race 4 Eight Portland Classic and 2025 Race 4 Eight Hall of Fame. Mulkerrins continued his mastery over Ure in the first game of the final, mixing up his serves and shot selection to stand one game from his second national title.
Mulkerrins built a 4-0 lead to start the second when Ure caught fire, scoring seven consecutive points. Mulkerrins cooled off Ure with a slow two-wall serve, working his way into rallies and eliminating Ure’s lead. “Martin was trying to slow the game down and I was just trying to play my game,” Ure would later say.
Mulkerrins would eventually lead 18-12 and would uncharacteristically start showing emotion on the precipice of his second title. Mulkerrins also knew that no lead was safe against Ure. “It felt like Ray could always reel off some crack serves, there are not many in recent times who won the collegiate nationals and made two pro stop finals at 23.” Mulkerrins would close out Ure and clap his hands together three times, showing how much the championship meant to him.
“I know it’s hard to put the words in, it means everything,” an emotional Mulkerrins told USHA sideline reporter Jennifer Burnett. “I only won the one in 2023 and it’s tough to put so much into it after being in six of the last seven finals. In some ways it was a lot of pressure the last year. It’s harder when you get to the number one ranking. The Race 4 Eight season fueled me (and the loss to Luis in the Player’s Championship). I knew I was there or there abouts. I played in eight Race 4 Eight events and made the finals of all of them. Paul winning last week and Luis being the number one seed took a lot of pressure of me.
I want to thank Eilish and my family and my brother for making this all possible. I got in that zone for all four rounds this week and got over the line.
(On being a handball coach) We’ve grown up in and around teachers, so when you are introducing the game, you have to break things down into the simplest form. My dad is still on me about bending the knee.
My first collegiate final I won was on this court in 2012. Many thanks to everyone in Springfield for a great event. We all have to make sure the game is here for another 74 years. Thanks to Ray for a great match.”
“It was the best I’ve ever played against Martin so I was happy about that,” Ure would tell Burnett. “It was a few mistakes and a few great shots by him and that was the difference. Next year will be even more focus on handball since my collegiate running career is over. (To develop his game) Lots and lots of repetition to get each hand to hit a certain shot. Do not be afraid to go in and practice on your own. Use losses as motivation.”
Final: M. Mulkerrins def Ure 21-10, 21-13
Round of 16
Lucho def Brule 21-8, 21-12
Brady def Job 21-9, 21-1
Mulkerrins def T. Schmitt 21-6, 21-5
Ure def D. Mulkerrins 21-5, 21-7
Lenning def Colyer 21-14, 21-7
Walsh def Langmack 21-10, 21-5
Canales def Bike 21-3, 21-11
Esser def Burgos 21-18, 9-21, 11-4
Round of 8
Lucho def Esser 21-7, 21-8
Canales def Brady 21-8, 17-21, 11-4
Mulkerrins def Walsh 21-11, 21-10
Ure def Lenning 21-18, 7-21, 11-1
Semifinals
Ure def Lucho 18-21, 21-16, 11-5
Mulkerrins def Canales 21-13, 21-6
Final: M. Mulkerrins def Ure 21-10, 21-13
Women’s Open Singles
Mikaila Esser and Aoife Holden were both seeking their first Four Wall USHA national titles in the final. Esser and Holden had developed an exciting rivalry on the Women’s Race 4 Eight this season, and Sunday’s final would be this season’s culmination for the two ladies who both finished inside the WR48 Fab 4 this season.
Playing on the court in which she learned the game nearly a decade ago, Esser was comfortable using the left side glass and back wall glass to her advantage, peppering serves and overhand drives into the back left corner. Holden countered with her patented left-hand kills into the left corner.
Esser kept Holden on her back foot throughout the match, hitting drive after drive and pushing Holden into the deep court, then capitalizing on front court opportunities after driving Holden back. Holden was never out of either game, but was unable to close the scoreboard gap.
Esser closed out the match with a perfect lob into the back left corner, hugging her husband and coach after clinching her first Four Wall national singles title.
“It all started here, this is where I picked up handball,” stated an emotional Esser in her post-match interview with USHA sideline reporter Jennifer Burnett. “It’s really an honor to be able to do this and get my first four wall open singles title right here. You have some tough losses and great wins that pull you back in and I’ve had that this season. I wanted this pretty bad and to do this for Tommy Burnett. Aoife and I play a lot, we watch each other a ton, and we know what we are going to do. I knew it would be a battle. She is tough. She was mixing up her serves and I knew this would be a tough one. I had to battle it out. I had to focus on getting my shots. Sam told me to take a breath and get your feet back and step into your shots. Both of us (Sam and I) cheer each other on and push each other and talking about what we are doing to get better. He is always coaching me and telling me what to work on. Before the game started, I looked back on the poster with Watson and Burnett that Sam and I made on it and I told myself I am doing it for you.”
Quarterfinals
Esser bye
Holden def Bell 21-2, 21-7
Entzeroth def Munson 21-18, 21-8
Schmitt def Rumping 21-15, 21-6
Semifinals
Esser def Schmitt 21-7, 21-6
Holden def Entzeroth 21-12, 21-12
Final: Esser def Holden 21-14, 21-15
Watch the matches on the USHA YouTube channel HERE
Follow all of the brackets from the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
Day 3: Semifinals
Springfield, MO, WPH Press, 5/24/25
The United States Handball Association is proud to present the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships at the Dr. Thomas H. Burnett Handball Courts on the campus of Missouri State University on Memorial Day Weekend. Players from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Ireland traveled to Springfield for the USHA’s crown jewel event.
Men’s Open Singles
Semifinals
Top-seeded Lucho Cordova faced fourth-seeded Ray Ure in the upper bracket semifinals in a continuation of what has become the most exciting rivalry in handball. Ure defeated Lucho in two games to make his first Race final at the 2024 Race 4 Eight Portland Classic, but Lucho rallied late in tiebreakers to win their last two encounters at the 2025 Red and 2025 LAAC.
Lucho and Ray played an intense first game, with Lucho catching a hot streak late in the razor-close game to take a one-game lead.
Lucho led 9-5 in the second and appeared to be on the verge of a two-game sweep, but Ure quickly changed the tone of the match. Driving Lucho into the side walls to retrieve lasers down the walls and setting up rallies with his great serve, Ure firmly took control of the game, leading 18-12. Lucho applied pressure, but could not close the deficit to more than four, as Ure forced a third.
Knowing Lucho was 10-0 in tiebreakers on the Race season, Ure stepped on the gas from the outset and never allowed Lucho to make one of his famous and dramatic tiebreaker escapes. Ure led 10-5, giving himself enough of a buffer to close out Lucho on his third match point and earn his first trip to the national final.
Interview courtesy of WPH correspondent Jab Bike:
Martin Mulkerrins quickly cooled off Leo Canales after Canales’s career highlight the day before, clinically building an 11-3 first game lead with precision offense and defense. Canales would play even throughout the rest of the first game, but the deficit was too great, as Mulkerrins took a one-game advantage.
Mulkerrins was in full flight in game two, keeping Canales off-balance and out of rhythm in a systematic shellacking to meet Ure in the final.
Final: M. Mulkerrins vs. Ure (Sunday, Noon CST)
Round of 16
Lucho def Brule 21-8, 21-12
Brady def Job 21-9, 21-1
Mulkerrins def T. Schmitt 21-6, 21-5
Ure def D. Mulkerrins 21-5, 21-7
Lenning def Colyer 21-14, 21-7
Walsh def Langmack 21-10, 21-5
Canales def Bike 21-3, 21-11
Esser def Burgos 21-18, 9-21, 11-4
Round of 8
Lucho def Esser 21-7, 21-8
Canales def Brady 21-8, 17-21, 11-4
Mulkerrins def Walsh 21-11, 21-10
Ure def Lenning 21-18, 7-21, 11-1
Semifinals
Ure def Lucho 18-21, 21-16, 11-5
Mulkerrins def Canales 21-13, 21-6
Final: M. Mulkerrins vs. Ure (Sunday, Noon CST)
Women’s Pro Singles
Current USHA Three Wall National champion and current WR48 #4 Mikaila Esser headlined the Women’s Pro Singles at the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships. Joining Esser in the field were Ireland’s WR48 #3 Aoife Holden, former WR48 finalist Suz Entzeroth, and hall of famer Jennifer Schmitt.
Top-seeded Mikaila Esser unceremoniously dropped 2025 USHA Hall of Fame inductee Jenny Schmitt in two games in the upper bracket semifinal, while Ireland’s surging Aoife Holden defeated St. Louis’s come-backing Suz Entzeroth in two games in the bottom bracket semifinals to meet Esser in Sunday’s final.
Final: Esser vs. Holden (Sunday, 11 am CST)
Quarterfinals
Esser bye
Holden def Bell 21-2, 21-7
Entzeroth def Munson 21-18, 21-8
Schmitt def Rumping 21-15, 21-6
Semifinals
Esser def Schmitt 21-7, 21-6
Holden def Entzeroth 21-12, 21-12
Final: Esser vs. Holden (Sunday, 11 am CST)
Watch the matches on the USHA YouTube channel HERE
Follow all of the brackets from the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
74th USHA National Four Wall Championships
Day 2
Springfield, MO, WPH Press, 5/23/25
The United States Handball Association is proud to present the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships at the Dr. Thomas H. Burnett Handball Courts on the campus of Missouri State University on Memorial Day Weekend. Players from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Ireland traveled to Springfield for the USHA’s crown jewel event.
Men’s Open Singles Quarterfinals (Friday)
Top-seeded Lucho Cordova cruised into the semifinals, sweeping Race 4 Eight rival Sam Esser in two games.
Seeking his record-breaking twelfth national title, second-seeded Paul Brady quickly fell behind seventh-seeded Leo Canales 16-1 in the first. Canales closed out the first game and took a 17-15 lead in the second, using his unmatched fist return of serve to the ceiling and aggressive front-court play to stand four points from the upset. Brady capitalized on Canales’s nerves late in the second to force a tiebreaker, standing on even ground for the first time in the match.
With Canales serving at 5-4 in the tiebreaker, Brady failed to execute two setup opportunities, as Canales scrambled and dove to keep the rally alive, ultimately winning it with a Brady error. Canales dominated the remainder of the tiebreaker from there, scoring his career-defining victory.
Third-seeded Martin Mulkerrins was virtually flawless against GAA #1 David Walsh, playing nearly perfect defense and decimating nearly every back wall setup throughout the two-game sweep, including a number of sizzling, deep-court back wall left-handed rollers.
Fourth-seeded Ray Ure and fifth-seeded Sean Lenning split the first two games, with Lenning seemingly taking control of the match with a decisive second-game win. Ure quickly set the tone in the third, increasing the velocity on all of his shots and never allowing Lenning into the game to defeat Lenning in a tiebreaker for the second time in two months.
Round of 16
Lucho def Brule 21-8, 21-12
Brady def Job 21-9, 21-1
Mulkerrins def T. Schmitt 21-6, 21-5
Ure def D. Mulkerrins 21-5, 21-7
Lenning def Colyer 21-14, 21-7
Walsh def Langmack 21-10, 21-5
Canales def Bike 21-3, 21-11
Esser def Burgos 21-18, 9-21, 11-4
Round of 8
Lucho def Esser 21-7, 21-8
Canales def Brady 21-8, 17-21, 11-4
Mulkerrins def Walsh 21-11, 21-10
Ure def Lenning 21-18, 7-21, 11-1
Semifinals (Saturday, all times CST)
Lucho vs. Ure (Noon)
Canales vs. M. Mulkerrins (1 pm)
Women’s Pro Singles
Current USHA Three Wall National champion and current WR48 #4 Mikaila Esser headlined the Women’s Pro Singles at the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships. Joining Esser in the field were Ireland’s WR48 #3 Aoife Holden, former WR48 finalist Suz Entzeroth, and hall of famer Jennifer Schmitt.
Round of 8
Esser bye
Holden def Bell 21-2, 21-7
Entzeroth def Munson 21-18, 21-8
Schmitt def Rumping 21-15, 21-6
Semifinals (Saturday, all times CST)
Esser vs. Schmitt (10 am)
Holden vs. Entzeroth (11 am)
Watch the matches on the USHA YouTube channel HERE
Follow all of the brackets from the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer
Day 1
Springfield, MO, WPH Press, 5/22/25
The United States Handball Association is proud to present the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships at the Dr. Thomas H. Burnett Handball Courts on the campus of Missouri State University on Memorial Day Weekend. Players from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Ireland traveled to Springfield for the USHA’s crown jewel event.
Men’s Open Singles
11-time Men’s USHA Four Wall singles champion Paul Brady was aiming for his record-breaking twelfth Four Wall singles national title. With a win in Springfield, Brady would surpass the once unthinkable mark set by Naty Alvarado, Sr.
Brady entered the 2025 USHA National Four Wall Championships having won the 4-Wall World Championships in November of 2024 and the All Ireland 4-Wall Championship in mid-May. To surpass “El Gato,” Brady would have to overcome R48 #1 and current Race 4 Eight Player’s Cup Champion Lucho Cordova, 14-time Race 4 Eight champion Martin Mulkerrins, R48 #3 Leo Canales, 2025 GAA #1 David Walsh, and Race 4 Eight top eleven pros Sam Esser, Ivan Burgos, Sean Lenning, and Jab Bike.
Round of 16
Lucho def Brule 21-8, 21-12
Brady def Job 21-9, 21-1
Mulkerrins def T. Schmitt 21-6, 21-5
Ure def D. Mulkerrins 21-5, 21-7
Lenning def Colyer 21-14, 21-7
Walsh def Langmack 21-10, 21-5
Canales def Bike 21-3, 21-11
Esser def Burgos 21-18, 9-21, 11-4
Round of 8 (Friday, all times CST)
Lucho vs. Esser (Noon)
Brady vs. Canales (3 pm)
Mulkerrins vs. Walsh (2 pm)
Ure vs. Lenning (1 pm)
Watch the USHA filmed/recorded matches on the USHA YouTube channel HERE
Follow all of the brackets from the 74th USHA National Four Wall Championships HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer