HEAD Penn Athletes Earn U.S. National Team Spots

Two of the latest signees to the HEAD Penn National Playing Staff earned appointments to the USA Racquetball National Adult Team with their title runs at the 2016 National Doubles Championships held on the campus of Arizona State University.

Aimee Ruiz (Whitehouse Station, NJ) joined Team HEAD Penn last year as one of the most decorated female doubles players in the sport’s history. With her win over the weekend, Aimee has now won eight U.S. National Doubles Championships and earned a spot on the U.S. National Team for the 10th time. Ruiz won gold medals in women’s doubles at the 2006 Pan Am Championships and the 2006 & 2008 World Championships.

Jose Diaz (Stockton, CA) first touched a racquet when he was six years old and hasn’t loosened his grip since. Jose won the 2011 USA Racquetball High School National Championship in boy’s singles and in that same year finished runner up at the National Adult Singles Championships.

On the International Racquetball Tour (IRT – Men’s Professional Tour), Diaz is currently ranked No. 16 in the World. His win in Tempe is his first USA Racquetball Adult National Doubles Championship. With their appointments to Team U.S.A., Aimee and Jose will have the opportunity to represent their country at the International Racquetball Federation’s (IRF) World Championships in July in Cali, Colombia.

Also in Tempe, the second leg of the qualification path to represent the United States in singles play in Colombia took place. Team HEAD Penn’s Rocky Carson (Ladera Ranch, CA) won the men’s singles qualification division, solidifying his place at the top of the current qualification list. Sharon Jackson (Atlanta, GA) finished second in the women’s singles draw to earn valuable points for her quest to make the U.S. National Team. Both Carson and Jackson will attempt to qualify for the U.S. National Team at the U.S. National Singles Championships to be played in May in Denver, Colorado.

Team HEAD Penn’s Marco Rojas (Stockton, CA) finished fourth in the Men’s Doubles competition while Carson was on the runner-up team. On the women’s side, Sheryl Lotts (Bedford, OH) was a runner-up and Jacqueline Paraiso (San Diego, CA) finished third.

To follow the entire team of HEAD Penn professional players, visit: www.facebook.com/headpennracquetball