Missouri State Handball Bears Claim National Runner-Up Honors at USHA Collegiate National Tournament
The Missouri State University Handball Bears returned home with hardware after a standout performance at the United States Handball Association (USHA) Collegiate National Tournament, held February 18–22 at the U.S. National Handball Center in partnership with the St. Louis Hinder Club in St. Louis, Missouri.
The tournament welcomed 30 universities from across the country, with competitors facing off across multiple divisions and skill levels. Missouri State sent 25 players to compete as the Handball Bears, accumulating points across individual brackets that contribute to overall combined team standings.
When the final scores were tallied, Missouri State University earned the Combined Team National Runner-Up title, the Women's Division National Runner-Up title, and a third-place finish in the Men's Division — a remarkable showing that underscores the program's depth and competitive excellence.
Head Coach Christian Madsen expressed pride in his team's accomplishment. "I am so proud of how our players competed and played at nationals," said Madsen. "They represented well and continued a tradition of excellence on the court and family atmosphere that has been the standard for decades in this program. We are excited about what they accomplished and about the future of our program with these student-athletes."
The Bears also drew praise from USHA representative Sam Esser, himself a Missouri State handball team alum. "Missouri State players showed a lot of grit and class this weekend," Esser said. "They were impressive and represented their university and program well."
The results reflect a program with deep roots in collegiate handball and a continued commitment to developing competitive student-athletes at the highest national level.
The program boasts an unmatched 41 national titles in three categories (18 women, 15 men, and 8 combined titles) and 69 All-Americans and was inducted in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and, the Women’s program again in 2021.
