Rhonda Rajsich

Rhonda Rajsich (born October 7, 1978) is an American racquetball player. She is the reigning two time racquetball World Champion and has won four US Open championships - more than any other woman. Rajsich was the #1 player on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization rankings at the end of the 2010-11 season, regaining the #1 position she held for three consecutive seasons from 2005-06 to 2007-08 from Paola Longoria. Rajsich has a somewhat unorthodox game style using a variety of serves. She is also a very athletic player, often diving around the court to save the ball, and keep the rally going.

Professional career

Rajsich has been in the finals of the US Open a record eight times with a 4-4 win-loss record. She became the most decorated US Open Women's Champion in 2010 when she defeated Paola Longoria to win her fourth US Open title. That win was her second consecutive over Longoria. Rajsich also won in 2003, when she beat Christie Van Hees in the final and 2007, when she defeated Cheryl Gudinas Holmes in the final.^[1] She has been a top 4 player on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization tour since the 2000-01 season, achieving the season ending #1 ranking for four seasons (2006–2008 & 2010-11).

International career

Rajsich is the reigning two time World Champion, winning the title first at the 2008 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Kingscourt, Ireland and successfully defending it in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. In 2008, Rajsich defeated fellow American Cheryl Gudinas Holmes in the final.,^[2] and in 2010 she defeated Nancy Enriquez of Mexico in the final.

Rajsich won gold in both singles and doubles (with Janel Tisinger) at the 2007 Pan American Championships.^[3] She was the silver medalist in 2008.

Rhonda was also a silver medalist at the 2009 World Games, losing the final to Mexican Paola Longoria.

Rajsich won the silver medal at 2011 Pan American Games, losing the final match against Paola Longoria.

US championships

Rajsich has won three US National Championships in singles in 2004, 2006 and 2007.^[4]

Basketball career

Rajsich played college basketball first at Phoenix College in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference, where she was freshman of the year in 1997-98^[5], and was a first team Arizona Community College Athletic Conference all-conference player in both 1997-98 and 1998-99.^[6]

She then transferred to Stephen F. Austin University and played for the Ladyjacks in 1999-2000^[7] on a team that went 28-4 and won the Southland Conference Championship.

See also

• List of racquetball players

References

1. ^ http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/USOpenChampions.aspx
2. ^ http://www.internationalracquetball.com/worlds/03worlds.htm
3. ^ http://www.internationalracquetball.com/parc/02trnams.htm
4. ^ http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/SinglesChampions.aspx
5. ^ http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/athletics/ACCAC/basketw/1998/ac.html
6. ^ http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/athletics/ACCAC/basketw/1999/ac.html
7. ^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/sasu/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2010-11InformationGuide.pdf

External links

• Rhonda Rajsich web site
• WPRO page for Rhonda Rajsich