Top Players Never to have won Year end Championship

Because of the individual dominance of individual players for years at a time, many spectacular players never finished a season #1. This is an elite list of players who routinely finished just below the legends of racquetball in the rankings but never broke through and won a season ending #1 title.

20's
  • Conrrado Moscoso: sat at #1 for most of 2023
  • Andree Parrilla: Top Mexican junior made his bones on the WRT, then came to IRT full time in 2018 and has been in the top 4 ever since.
  • Rodrigo Montoya: after years of potential, finally broke into top 4 in 2023 and seems set to stay there for a while.
  • Alejandro Landa: after barely playing the tour for a decade, rocketed to the #2 ranking by the 2019-2020 season. He ascends to #1 on tour for a spell of 2020 and 2021, but cannot hold onto the top spot, losing the 2021 title to DLR.
  • Jake Bredenbeck: after several years hovering around the #10 range, Jake drastically improved his performance and rocketed up to #2 in teh world, getting his first career win.
    10's
  • Ben Croft: stepped up his game from his first few years on tour to rocket to #3 in 2010-11 (along with achieving a #1 tournament seed at one point during the 2010-11 season). Shoulder injury ended his career prematurely; now only plays pro doubles with partner Kane Waselenchuk. Now serves as Business manager of Racquetball Warehouse (www.racquetballwarehouse.com)
  • Jose Rojas: Solid touring pro who finished in the top 10 his first season touring regularly, then was ranked no worse than #5 for most of the 2010 decade. Retired ahead of the 2017-18 season to focus full time on his job as a Manager with Larue Communications.
    00's
  • Alvaro Beltran: More than 15 years ranked in the top 10, continues to maintain his top 4 ranking well into his 30s and after having recovered from a knee injury in 2009-10 season. Several career tourney wins and more than three dozen finals reached.
    90's
  • Andy Roberts: Eight straight years in the top-3 without winning a title. Briefly held #1 ranking at various points in career.
  • Tim Doyle: Two #2, two #3 finishes
  • John Ellis: 4 straight years finishing #3 behind Cliff and Sudsy, a decade in the top 10.
    Honorable Mentions: Mike Guidry, Tim Sweeney
    80's
  • Bret Harnett: Seven straight years in the top 8, including three straight years at #2. Arguably should have had at least two titles in late 80s.
  • Jerry Hilecher: Four straight years in the top 4 in the early 80s, active on tour dating to 75.
    Honorable Mentions: Ed Andrews, Egan Inoue, Gregg Peck, Dan Obremski, Jack Newman,
    70's
  • Steve Serot: Many wins, many finals in first few years of pro tour; probably would have been the first #1 overall player had there been such a designation in 74. Retired at 25.
  • Steve Strandemo: Several wins in mid 70s, National runnerup in 75.
  • Dr. Bud Muehleisen: A pioneer of Racquetball before the "pro" tour really began.
    Honorable Mentions: Steve Keeley, Rich Wagner, Charlie Garfinkle, Craig McCoy, Schultz and Schmidtke, Craig Finger, Lindsay Myers.