| Jacqueline "Jackie" Paraiso | |
|---|---|
 Jackie in 2009 |
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| Born | Jacqueline Paraiso September 14, 1966 Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional Racquetball Player |
| Children | Danielle Paraiso (b.1994) |
| Awards | Racquetball Hall of Fame Inductee |
Jackie (Jacqueline) Paraiso (born September 14, 1966) is an American racquetball player. Currently World Champion in doubles with Aimee Ruiz, Paraiso was the #1 player on the women's pro racquetball tour at the end of the 1991-92, 1998-99, and 1999-2000 seasons.
Paraiso has been married twice, so has also played as Jackie Paraiso Gibson, or Jackie Gibson, as well as Jackie Rice.
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Professional career
Paraiso finished in the top 10 at season's end on the women's pro tour 16 times between 1986-87 and 2003-04, including her three #1 finishes. Paraiso's best pro season was '98-'99,[1] when she was in the finals of all seven events, winning six of them, including the 1998 US Open Racquetball Championships beating Christie Van Hees in three straight games, to finish at #1. That success carried over to the 1999-2000 season, when Paraiso won four of the five tournaments and a second US Open and again was #1 at season's end. Jackie was inducted into the Racquetball Hall of Fame in 2009.
International career
Paraiso has made more appearances on Team USA than any other racquetball player - man or woman - with 23 appearances over 19 years.[2] The first was at the 1990 World Championships playing doubles with Malia Bailey, and most recently at the 2009 Pan American Championships again in doubles (with Aimee Ruiz).
Perhaps the highlights of Paraiso's international career are the gold medals she won playing doubles with her sister Joy MacKenzie at the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina, and the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. Paraiso and MacKenzie played together for Team USA seven times, and won gold each time.
In fact, Paraiso has won gold in 22 of her 23 Team USA appearances. The only blemish came at the 2003 Pan American Games, when she and Kim Russell lost 11-9 in the tie-breaker of the finals to the Mexican team of Susana Acosta and Rosy Torres.[3]
US championships
Paraiso has won 12 U.S. doubles women's titles.[4] Three of those titles were with sister MacKenzie (in 1994, 1997 & 1998), three with Aimee Ruiz (2007-09), three with Kim Russell (2002-2004), two with Michelle Gould (née Gilman) (1990 & 1991), and one with Laura Fenton (2000).
Paraiso's also won four mixed doubles titles with Jimmy Lowe (in 1997), Rocky Carson (1998) and twice with Joe Paraiso, in 1996 and 1999.
References
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20030607144001/ladiesproracquetball.com/events/WIRT_results.htm LPRA website archive
- ^ http://www.usaracquetball.com/Programs/NationalTeam/PastTeams.aspx USA Racquetball Past Teams Website Page
- ^ http://www.internationalracquetball.com/parc/00panams.htm
- ^ http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/DoublesChampions.aspx
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michelle Gilman Michelle Gould |
#1 Women's Pro Racquetball Player 1991-92 1998-99 to 1999-2000 |
Succeeded by Michelle Gould Cheryl Gudinas |
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