Shane Vanderson
Encyclopedia
Shane Vanderson is a professional racquetball player (born May 26, 1981). Vanderson was the International Racquetball Tour's (IRT's) #5 player at the end of three seasons: 2006-07, 2007-08, 2009-10. Vanderson has been in the top 10 every season since he began playing the IRT full time in the 2003-04 season. A native of Ohio, Vanderson is known for having one of the best backhands in racquetball.
, defeating Cliff Swain
in the Round of 16 and Chris Crowther
in the quarter finals before losing to Derek Robinson in four games. He finished ranked 10th at the end of that season, and has been in the top 10 ever since.
The next season, 2004-05, Vanderson made two finals. In February 2005, he was in the San Diego Open final, losing to Swain in four games, and then in April 2005 Vanderson made the Red Swain Memorial final in Boston, where he lost to Jack Huczek
in four games.
Vanderson has made it to the semi-finals 15 times since then, including three consecutive US Open semi-finals in 2006, 2007 and 2008, but not to another final.
in Men's Doubles with Mike Dennison in 2004, when they defeated Javier Moreno and Polo Gutierrez of Mexico in the final in Anyang, South Korea.
Vanderson was a silver medalist in singles at the 2006 World Championships
in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, losing to fellow American Jack Huczek
in the final.
Vanderson and Dennison both played singles and doubles at the 2004 Pan American Championships. Vanderson was a bronze medalist in singles and silver medalist in doubles.
Vanderson also played singles for USA in the 2005 Pan Am Championships.
Most recently, Vanderson was a double medalist at the 2011 Pan Am Games. He was a bronze medalist with Chris Crowther
in men's doubles, and silver medalist in the team competition.
While attending Baldwin Wallace College, Vanderson was the USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Singles Champion in 2001, and Doubles Champion in 2002 and 2003 with Andy Hawthorne.
Also, Vanderson was World Junior Champion in Boys U18 in 2000, as well as being US Junior Champion in Boys U18 Doubles in 2000 with Stephen Lewis, and World Junior Champion in U18 Doubles with Lewis in 1999.
Professional Career
Vanderson began playing the IRT full time in 2003-04. That year he made it to the semi-finals of the US OpenUS Open Racquetball Championships
The US Open racquetball championship is widely acknowledged as the premier professional racquetball event. It is a Grand Slam event with men and women competing from the International Racquetball Tour and Women's Professional Racquetball Organization, respectively. It also includes divisions for...
, defeating Cliff Swain
Cliff Swain
Cliff Swain is the player with the most tournament wins in professional racquetball history. He began playing the pro tour - International Racquetball Tour - in the 1980s and continued doing so into the 2000s. Known for his great drive serve and on court intensity, the left-handed Swain was a...
in the Round of 16 and Chris Crowther
Chris Crowther
Chris Crowther is a professional racquetball player . Crowther was the #5 player on the at the end of the 2010-11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the IRT's top 10 players...
in the quarter finals before losing to Derek Robinson in four games. He finished ranked 10th at the end of that season, and has been in the top 10 ever since.
The next season, 2004-05, Vanderson made two finals. In February 2005, he was in the San Diego Open final, losing to Swain in four games, and then in April 2005 Vanderson made the Red Swain Memorial final in Boston, where he lost to Jack Huczek
Jack Huczek
Jack Huczek is an American professional racquetball player. Huczek was the #1 men's professional player at the end of the 2006-2007 International Racquetball Tour season, and was #3 at the end of the 2008-09 season. Retired from Professional Racquetball on May 24, 2011...
in four games.
Vanderson has made it to the semi-finals 15 times since then, including three consecutive US Open semi-finals in 2006, 2007 and 2008, but not to another final.
International & Domestic Career
Vanderson has been on Team USA five times, highlighted by winning the World ChampionshipRacquetball World Championships
The World Racquetball Championships, organized by the International Racquetball Federation , were first held in 1981. The second World Championships were in 1984, and have been held every two years since.The World Championships have two parts...
in Men's Doubles with Mike Dennison in 2004, when they defeated Javier Moreno and Polo Gutierrez of Mexico in the final in Anyang, South Korea.
Vanderson was a silver medalist in singles at the 2006 World Championships
2006 Racquetball World Championships
The 13th Racquetball World Championships were held in Santo Domingo from August 3 to 13, with 22 men's national teams and 18 women's national teams in the national teams competition; and several players in the Singles and Doubles competition.-Men's team competition:-Men's final standings:-Women's...
in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, losing to fellow American Jack Huczek
Jack Huczek
Jack Huczek is an American professional racquetball player. Huczek was the #1 men's professional player at the end of the 2006-2007 International Racquetball Tour season, and was #3 at the end of the 2008-09 season. Retired from Professional Racquetball on May 24, 2011...
in the final.
Vanderson and Dennison both played singles and doubles at the 2004 Pan American Championships. Vanderson was a bronze medalist in singles and silver medalist in doubles.
Vanderson also played singles for USA in the 2005 Pan Am Championships.
Most recently, Vanderson was a double medalist at the 2011 Pan Am Games. He was a bronze medalist with Chris Crowther
Chris Crowther
Chris Crowther is a professional racquetball player . Crowther was the #5 player on the at the end of the 2010-11 season, which was a career high and the sixth season he'd finished in the IRT's top 10 players...
in men's doubles, and silver medalist in the team competition.
While attending Baldwin Wallace College, Vanderson was the USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Singles Champion in 2001, and Doubles Champion in 2002 and 2003 with Andy Hawthorne.
Also, Vanderson was World Junior Champion in Boys U18 in 2000, as well as being US Junior Champion in Boys U18 Doubles in 2000 with Stephen Lewis, and World Junior Champion in U18 Doubles with Lewis in 1999.