The Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA.
History
Women's professional racquetball has existed since the 1970s but the women's pro tour began in 1980, when the Women's Professional Racquetball Association (WPRA) was created.[ 1] The tour was run by International Management Group , and did well in the early 1980s in part due to the great rivalry between Lynn Adams and Heather McKay . The WPRA lasted until 1994, when the Women's International Racquetball Tour (WIRT) was created.
In 2000, the United States Racquetball Association (USRA) took over administration of the WIRT, and renamed it the Ladies Professional Racquetball Association (LPRA). This led to significant growth under the supervision of the USRA, which had a three year plan for the LPRA.[ 2]
In 2005, the players took over control and ownership of the tour, and again it was reorganized and rebranded as the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization.[ 3] Shannon Feaster, a former player and marketing executive, served as the WPRO Commissioner from February 2006 to May 2011, when she stepped down to focus on her family. Gigi Rock was then hired as the new commissioner in July 2011.[ 4]
In 2012, the players decided to reorganize and created the LPRT with T. J. Baumbaugh as President and Andy Kulback Deputy Commissioner. Kulback resigned in October 2016.
Current season
2023-2024 (Tier 1 and Grand Slam Events)
Event
Champion
Runner Up
Semi Finalists
Quarterfinalists
Doubles Champions
Finalists
KWM Gutterman World Singles and Doubles Open Racquetball Championships
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
August 10–13, 2023
Paola Longoria 13-15, 15-3, 11-5[ 5]
Montserrat Mejía
Alexandra Herrera Brenda Laime
Samantha Salas Natalia Mendez Gabriela Martinez Erika Manilla
2023 LPRT Turkey Shoot
Lombard, Illinois November 16–19, 2023
Maria Jose Vargas 15-9, 15-5[ 6]
Erika Manilla
Montserrat Mejía Paola Longoria
Alexandra Herrera Brenda Laime Natalia Mendez Kelani Lawrence
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía 12-15, 15-5, 11-9[ 7]
Paola Longoria Samantha Salas
31st Annual LPRT Christmas Classic
Millersville, Maryland
December 9–11, 2022
Maria Jose Vargas 15-8, 15-7[ 8]
Montserrat Mejía
Paola Longoria Cristina Amaya
Alexandra Herrera Samantha Salas Kelani Lawrence Gabriela Martinez
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía 15-10, 15-8[ 9]
Paola Longoria Samantha Salas
Arizona Open
Tempe, Arizona
January 12–14, 2024
Maria Jose Vargas 15-5, 15-12[ 10]
Alexandra Herrera
Paola Longoria Erika Manilla
Angélica Barrios Montserrat Mejía Gabriela Martinez Brenda Laime
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía 15-9, 15-4[ 11]
Paola Longoria Samantha Salas
Boston Open
Marlborough, Massachusetts
March 1–3, 2024
Paola Longoria 8-15, 15-11, 11-8[ 12]
Montserrat Mejía
Maria Jose Vargas Alexandra Herrera
Cristina Amaya Kelani Lawrence Angélica Barrios Brenda Laime
Natalia Mendez Maria Jose Vargas 8-15, 15-10, 11-4[ 13]
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía
Battle at the Alamo
San Antonio, Texas
April 25–28, 2024
Maria Jose Vargas 15-12, 8-15, 11-7[ 14]
Montserrat Mejía
Alexandra Herrera Paola Longoria
Kelani Lawrence Gabriela Martinez Jessica Parrilla Samantha Salas
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía 15-7, 15-10[ 15]
Michelle Key Carla Muñoz
Sweet Caroline Open LPRT Open
Greenville, South Carolina
May 17–19, 2024
Maria Jose Vargas 15-12, 7-15, 11-10[ 16]
Paola Longoria
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejia
Carla Muñoz Natalia Mendez Gabriela Martinez Kelani Lawrence
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía 15-10, 15-4[ 17]
Natalia Mendez Maria Jose Vargas
LPRT Battle at the Beach - Season Finale
Chesapeake, Virginia
June 6–9, 2024
Paola Longoria 15-5, 15-10[ 18]
Alexandra Herrera
Montserrat Mejía Maria Jose Vargas
Brenda Laime Kelani Lawrence Natalia Mendez Carla Muñoz
Alexandra Herrera Montserrat Mejía 15-5, 15-9[ 19]
Paola Longoria Samantha Salas
Season Summaries (Tier I and Grand Slam Events)
Season
Wins
US Open winner
2023-24
Maria Jose Vargas (5), Paola Longoria (3)
-
2022-23
Montserrat Mejía (5), Paola Longoria (3), Alexandra Herrera , Gabriela Martinez
Paola Longoria
2021-22
Paola Longoria (6), Alexandra Herrera (2), Gabriela Martinez
Paola Longoria
2020-21
Paola Longoria (2), Montserrat Mejía
No event due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019-20
Paola Longoria (7), Maria Jose Vargas
Paola Longoria
2018-19
Paola Longoria (9), Maria Jose Vargas
Paola Longoria
2017-18
Paola Longoria (7), Samantha Salas , Maria Jose Vargas
Paola Longoria
2016-17
Paola Longoria (10), Frédérique Lambert , Samantha Salas
Paola Longoria
2015-16
Paola Longoria (11)
Paola Longoria
2014-15
Paola Longoria (10), Maria Jose Vargas (2), Rhonda Rajsich
Paola Longoria
2013-14
Paola Longoria (12)
Paola Longoria
2012-13
Paola Longoria (11)
Paola Longoria
2011-12
Paola Longoria (7), Rhonda Rajsich
Paola Longoria
2010-11
Paola Longoria (5), Rhonda Rajsich (4), Samantha Salas (1)
Rhonda Rajsich
2009-10
Paola Longoria (5), Rhonda Rajsich (2), Cheryl Gudinas (1)
Rhonda Rajsich
2008-09
Paola Longoria (4), Rhonda Rajsich (4), Kristen Walsh Bellows (1)
Paola Longoria
2007-08
Rhonda Rajsich (5), Cheryl Gudinas (3), Paola Longoria , Christie Van Hees
Rhonda Rajsich
2006-07
Rhonda Rajsich (5), Christie Van Hees (3), Kerri Wachtel , Angela Grisar
Christie Van Hees
2005-06
Christie Van Hees (3), Rhonda Rajsich (2), Cheryl Gudinas (2)
Christie Van Hees
2004-05
Christie Van Hees (4), Cheryl Gudinas (2), Rhonda Rajsich
Cheryl Gudinas
2003-04
Cheryl Gudinas (6), Christie Van Hees (2), Rhonda Rajsich
Rhonda Rajsich
2002-03
Cheryl Gudinas (9), Jackie Paraiso (2), Kerri Wachtel
Cheryl Gudinas
2001-02
Cheryl Gudinas (5), Jackie Paraiso (2), Rhonda Rajsich
Kerri Wachtel
2000-01
Cheryl Gudinas (9), Jackie Paraiso (2), Christie Van Hees (2), Rhonda Rajsich
Christie Van Hees
1999-2000
Jackie Paraiso (4), Cheryl Gudinas
Jackie Paraiso
1998-99
Jackie Paraiso (7), Christie Van Hees
Jackie Paraiso
1997-98
Michelle Gould (4), Marci Drexler
Michelle Gould
1996-97
Michelle Gould (10), Jackie Paraiso , Cheryl Gudinas
Michelle Gould
1995-96
Michelle Gould (9)
-
1994-95
Michelle Gould (3), Marci Drexler
-
1993-94
Michelle Gould (6), Marci Drexler
-
1992-93
Michelle Gould (4), Marci Drexler
-
1991-92
Michelle Gould (2), Jackie Paraiso (2), Malia Bailey (2), Toni Bevelock
-
1990-91
Michelle Gould (5), Lynn Adams (2)
-
1989-90
-
-
1988-89
Caryn McKinney (4), Lynn Adams (2)
-
1987-88
Lynn Adams (4), Caryn McKinney, Marci Drexler
-
1986-87
Lynn Adams (6), Caryn McKinney (2), Marci Drexler (2)
-
1985-86
Lynn Adams (7)
-
1984-85
Lynn Adams (8), Vicki Panzeri
-
1983-84
Heather McKay (7), Lynn Adams (5)
-
1982-83
Lynn Adams (6), Heather McKay (3), Shannon Wright
-
1981-82
Lynn Adams (6), Heather McKay (4)
-
1980-81
Heather McKay (3), Shannon Wright (2), Lynn Adams
-
Note: The US Open began in 1996.
Rankings
Season ending top 10 rankings
Note - Christie Van Hees announced she was retiring at the end of the 2000-01 season, and was omitted from the season ending rankings despite winning two tournaments that season and being in the finals of two others. She certainly would have been in the top 10 that season.[ 29]
Note - Marcy Lynch and Anita Maldonado tied for 4th in 1995-96.
Note - Toni Bevelock and Molly O'Brien tied for 7th in 1992-93.
Rank
1985-96[ 31]
1986-87[ 31]
1987-88[ 31]
1988-89[ 31]
1989-90[ 31]
1
Lynn Adams
Lynn Adams
Lynn Adams
Caryn McKinney
Lynn Adams
2
Caryn McKinney
Caryn McKinney
Caryn McKinney
Lynn Adams
Michelle Gilman
3
Marci Drexler
Marci Drexler
Kaye Kuhfeld
Toni Bevelock
Caryn McKinney
4
Vicki Panzeri
Molly O'Brien
Marci Drexler
Marci Drexler
Toni Bevelock
5
Terri Gilreath*
Vicki Panzeri
Molly O'Brien
Kaye Kuhfeld
Kaye Kuhfeld
6
Bonnie Stoll*
Kaye Kuhfeld
Jackie Paraiso
Molly O'Brien
Malia Bailey
7
Molly O'Brien*
Terri Gilreath
Vicki Panzeri
Dottie Fishl
Molly O'Brien
8
Sandy Robson*
Marcy Lynch
Liz Alvarado
Jackie Paraiso
Jackie Paraiso
9
Fran Davis
Chris Evon
Toni Bevelock
Cindy Doyle
Dottie Fishl
10
Trina Rasmussen
Jackie Paraiso
Cindy Doyle
Marcy Lynch
Chris Evon
Note: In the 1986-85 season, Terri Gilreath and Bonnie Stoll tied for 5th and Molly O'Brien and Sandy Robson tied for 7th.
Rank
1980-81[ 31]
1981-82[ 31]
1982-83[ 31]
1983-84[ 31]
1984-85[ 31]
1
Heather McKay
Lynn Adams
Heather McKay
Heather McKay
Lynn Adams
2
Lynn Adams
Heather McKay
Lynn Adams
Lynn Adams
Vicki Panzeri
3
Shannon Wright
Shannon Wright
Shannon Wright
Shannon Wright-Hamilton
Terri Gilreath
4
Marci Greer
Marci Greer
Laura Martino
Janell Marriott
Caryn McKinney
5
Karin Walton-Trent
Peggy Gardner
Vicki Panzeri
Vicki Panzeri
Marci Drexler
6
Peggy Gardner
Laura Martino
Janell Marriott
Terri Gilreath
Janell Marriott
7
Laura Martino
Terri Gilreath
Marci Greer
Laura Martino
Heather McKay
8
Linda Prefontaine
Rita Hoff
Terri Gilreath
Caryn McKinney
Liz Alvarado
9
Francine Davis
Jennifer Harding
Peggy Gardner
Marci Greer
Diane Bullard
10
Janell Marriott
Vicki Panzeri
Heather Stupp
Brenda Barrett
Cindy Baxter
Most seasons in top 10
Players ranked #1 at season's end
Seasons ended No. 1
1.
Paola Longoria
13
2.
Michelle Gould
7
3.
Lynn Adams
6
4.
Cheryl Gudinas
4
4.
Rhonda Rajsich
4
6.
Heather McKay
3
6.
Jackie Paraiso
3
8.
Montserrat Mejía
1
8.
Maria Jose Vargas
1
8.
Caryn McKinney
1
8.
Christie Van Hees
1
References
External links
International sports world tours and series
Ball sports Summer sports Winter sports Racing sports