After last week’s IRT post, here’s the same for the LPRT. I’ll list the original text as I captured it in real-time, then in some cases add my 2 cents.
—
– 1/15/25: Former LPRT #1 Christie (Van Hees) Huczek has been elected to the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame. Its the first Ladies pro player elected since Gudinas was selected as part of the class of 2019, and she’s just the 9th ladies pro ever elected to the Hall.
Additional thoughts: She’s also just the second non-US player after Heather McKay to be elected to the USAR Hall of Fame, having grown up in Canada before moving to the US, where she’s lived for 20 years after marrying fellow racquetball Pro Jack Huczek. Her career is an interesting “what-if” case; she was ranked in the top 3 in 2000, then abruptly retired at the age of 24 (the tour decided to completely omit her from the year end rankings for reasons inexplicable). She came back two years later and finished #2 on tour in her first full season back. Then, after winning the year end title for the 2004-5 season, she won the first 3 events of the next season, then summarily stopped playing again (still finishing 3rd that season on the strength of those wins). She had eight top-10 seasons … but it feels like she left a ton on the table.
This is an ironic book-end to the year, since the final news item below is the announcement that we’ve also elected another LPRT legend to the Hall, namely Rhonda Rajsich.
– 1/19/25: Paola Longoria officially regains the #1 ranking spot on tour heading into the January Arizona Open. This sets up a dog-fight for the top spot for the rest of the season, as Longoria, Mejia, and Vargas trade blows all spring. Some thought Longoria may have been “done” after two seasons being supplanted at the top of the tour and taking some losses as her live and career shifted, but she has made it back to the top.
– 6/16/25: Thanks to the results at the Northern Virginia Invitational, Paola Longoria has an insurmountable lead in the 2024-25 tour race and has officially
secured her 14th Pro title. She returns to the summit of the sport after two years away.
– 8/14/25: At the 2025 World Games, while leading 9-7 in the 5th game over Longoria, Angelica Barrios badly injures her knee and has to retire. This
knocks Bolivia out of the Mixed competition as well, and Barrios reportedly needs surgery to repair the damage, which could cost her half a season or more.
Update as of this writing, Barrios has still not returned to action.
– 10/12/25 with a win over Longoria in the final of Golden State, Vargas takes back over #1 on tour. She’s won the last three events (also the first three events of the new season), and is now poised to dominate the LPRT for the time being.
Narrative: Vargas has opened the 2025-26 season with three wins and a final. Longoria is trying to keep pace (she was the losing finalist to all three of Vargas’ wins so far).
– 11/7/25: Former top 4 player Erika Manilla plays her first LPRT pro event since Dec 2024, and just her second pro event since her hip injury in Feb 2024, at her home-town event, where she’s also the tournament director. She wins her round of 32 but loses to the top seed.
Comments: It has taken Erika far, far longer to get back into playing shape than anyone thought. She finished the 2022-23 season ranked #4 and had a couple of finals under her belt, and she had a triple crown at the 2023 USAR Nationals, but now faces a huge up-hill battle to get back to the same lofty heights.
– 11/7/25: #2 Longoria is forced to miss the Denver Open due to her new legislative duties, which will severely hamper her chances of winning the year end title this season. There’s just too few events and Vargas is playing too well to miss out on any chances.
Commentary: For those who don’t know, Longoria was selected by her party to represent her district in the Mexican congress back in Sept 2024. We had not seen these duties interfere with her racquetball career, until now. I don’t believe this absence in and among itself will cost her the title, not with Vargas stepping her game up so much, but it can’t help.
– 11/19/25: LPRT loses access to its Facebook page for unknown reasons, likely inadvertent music copyright issues on a video of a match being played
at a club with ambient music playing. This is a huge dagger for the social media pursuits of the organization, and now a decade of videos and content is gone.
This is a shame really. No two ways about it. Facebook isn’t exactly the easiest tech support organization to deal with either.
– 12/7/25: Some player participation observations at the halfway point of the season: long-time top 10 player Kelani Lawrence has quietly skipped the entire first half of the 2025-26 LPRT season, possibly indicating the decision to step away from active touring (I asked her directly and didn’t get a response). Furthermore, after 3 full seasons away, Rhonda Rajsich is back and intends to play nearly a full slate of events this season. Other former regulars now absent for more than half a season: Angela Barrios (bad injury), Hollie Scott, and Michelle Key.
Thoughts: we’ve suddenly seen a slew of USA players … mostly dropping off the tour. Manilla just getting back, Key hasn’t played since September, same with reigning US National champ Ros (who, to be fair, may be prioritizing school right now), and Hollie seems to be as done with rball as her beau DLR. This has dampened the draw sizes for LPRT events this year unfortunately.
– 12/9/25: Squash and Racquetball legend Heather McKay to be officially inducted into the PSA Squash Hall of Fame in March 2026 in Brisbane.
Thoughts: for anyone who thinks that Kane or Paola were “dominant” in their careers, just check out this link to McKay’s squash career. She went 18 years without losing professionally, and she once won the British Open final with a triple donut (9-0, 9-0, 9-0).
– 12/31/25: 4-time LPRT champion and 20-year legend Rhonda Rajsich is elected to the USA Racquetball hall of Fame. Rajsich’s exploits on the pro game,
in the Amateur game, and in the Outdoor game uniquely qualifier her for the hall across the entire landscape of the sport.
Rajsich became eligible coincidentally after a 3-year pause of playing pro events, which made her seem “retired” as far as Hall of Fame eligibility is concerned. She continues to mount a comeback and intends to play a full slate of pro events this season.
—————–
I may have missed some notable events for the Ladies; feel free to remind me in the comments.