Shane Vanderson

Shane Vanderson was 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.^[1] 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.

Professional career

Vanderson began playing the IRT full-time in 2003-04. That year he made it to the semi-finals of the US Open, defeating Cliff Swain in the Round of 16 and Chris Crowther in the quarter finals before losing to Derek Robinson in four games.^[1] 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.^[1]

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.^[1]

International & Domestic Career

Vanderson has been on Team USA five times, highlighted by winning the World Championship in Men's Doubles with Mike Dennison in 2004,^[2] 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^[3] 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, which were hosted in Caracas, Venezuela.

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,^[4] as well as being US Junior Champion in Boys U18 Doubles in 2000 with Stephen Lewis,^[5] and World Junior Champion in U18 Doubles with Lewis in 1999.^[4]

Personal

Vanderson graduated from Baldwin Wallace College in 2003 with a Degree in Business, and currently resides in Tampa, Florida. He has a Half Sister (Diane) and Half Brother (Ryan). However, on October 15, 2010, his half Brother Ryan was murdered at his home in Ft. Myers, FL.^[6]

See also

• List of racquetball players
• IRT Website

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.bossconsulting.com/irt/ IRT Historical Data Archive
2. ↑ http://www.internationalracquetball.com/racquetball/recordbook/irf-recordsbooks/match-results.aspx
3. ↑ http://www.r2sports.com/tourney/drawsOut/drawOut.asp?TID=1422&divID=0&combinedID=4732
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.internationalracquetball.com/racquetball/recordbook/irf-recordsbooks/irf-world-junior-champions-[est-1989].aspx
5. ↑ http://usaracquetball.com/AboutUSAR/RecordBooks/JuniorOlympicChampions.aspx
6. ↑ http://www.nbc-2.com/story/13363500/2010/10/21/arson-murder-suspect-arrested