Rocky Carson

Rocky Carson (born May 21, 1979) is an American professional racquetball player. Carson has won a record 5 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in Men's Singles, and 2 Pan American Games gold medals in singles. He was the #1 player on the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) in 2007-08 & 2017–18. Carson has also played outdoor racquetball, and in 2008, he became the first man to win Men's Singles at the World Outdoor Championship, as well as the indoor IRF World Championship, and US Open. Carson has won 27 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) titles and has been ranked in the top 10 for a record 23 seasons.

Junior years Carson played multiple sports as a boy, and was good at several: baseball, basketball and tennis. But he had a passion for racquetball. That passion led to Carson playing a lot of racquetball as a junior, and doing so successfully. He won Boys' Singles in several age categories at the USA Racquetball Junior Olympics. Carson's first title was in U10 in 1990. In 1992, he began a streak of five consecutive titles with a win in U12, followed by two U14 wins in 1993 and 1994, and two wins in U16 in 1995 and 1996. Carson's final US junior title was a win in U18 in 1998.

Carson won two US junior doubles titles in U18. He and Tyler Siggins won in 1997, and he won with Josh Tucker in 1998.

Carson also successfully competed several times at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships. He won Boy's U16 Singles and Doubles (with Ryan Staten) in 1995. Then Carson won Boy's U18 Singles three consecutive years: 1996–1998, becoming the second boy to do so after Sudsy Monchik.

Carson attended Saddleback College, and he competed for that school at the 1998 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Championships, winning the Men's #1 title.

1998 to 2006 – Career begins Carson played on Team USA for the first time at the 1998 Racquetball World Championships (Worlds) in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where he finished with a bronze medal in Men's Singles, and gold in the Men's Team event.

Carson was a quarterfinalist at the USAR 1998 National Doubles Championships in October 1998 in Baltimore. He and James Mulcock lost to Doug Ganim and Dan Obremski – a two time World Championship team, 15–7, 5–15, 11–7. Ganim was complementary to Carson saying "We pretty much kept it away from Rocky, but when he got his racquet on it, he put it away about every time."

Carson began to play the International Racquetball Tour tournaments in the 1998–99 season.

The following season, 1999–2000, Carson made the quarterfinals at the US Open for the first time, losing to Cliff Swain, 11–3, 11–8, 11–9. To reach the final, Carson beat Brian Fredenberg in the quarterfinals, 15–7, 15–13, and Jack Huczek in the semi-finals, 15–11, 15–6.

He also played in Worlds for the 2nd time in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and came home with two silver medals. He finished 2nd in Men's Singles, as he lost the final to Mexican Álvaro Beltrán, 15–10, 12–15, 11–6, and the USA men were 2nd in the Men's Team event.

Carson and James Mulcock finished in the quarterfinals at the 2000 USAR National Doubles Championships in Baltimore, where they lost to Todd O'Neill and Derek Robinson, 15–11, 15–13.

In 2000–2001, Carson reached two IRT finals. First in February 2001 at the Michael Lanning Pro-Am in Minneapolis, he beat Jack Huczek in the quarterfinals, John Ellis in the semi-finals, before losing to Monchik in the final, 12–10, 11–7, 11–5.

Carson was the defending champion at the 2001 USAR National Singles Championships, and had a chance to defend the title, but lost to Jack Huczek, 15–11, 15–6, in the final. Carson beat Dan Fowler in the semi-finals, 15–8, 15–10, to reach the final.

Carson took a step back in 2001–2002, as he didn't reach an IRT final, and was only in one semi-final, which led to a season ending ranking of 7th. The win qualified Carson as part of Team USA for the 2003 Pan American Games.

Carson competed in Men's Singles at the 2003 Pan Am Games, and finished with a bronze medal. He lost to team-mate Huczek in the semi-finals, 11–15, 15–12, 11–6. The two Americans were on the same side of the draw, as Carson lost one of his preliminary round matches to Canadian Mike Green, 15–14, 10–15, 11–9.

Carson's second IRT win happened about a year after his first, as he won the Kentucky Pro-Am in Louisville in March 2004. Carson defeated Swain in the quarters, Monchik in the semis, and once again beat Mannino in the final, 11–9, 13–15, 11–5, 8–11, 11–7. In the team event, the USA beat Mexico in the semi-finals and then Canada in the final.

In 2004, Carson won the USAR National Doubles Championships for the first time, when he partnered with Jack Huczek in October in Tempe, Arizona. They won the title by defeating Jason Thoerner and Mitch Williams, 15–9, 15–14, in the final. They reached the final by beating Chris Crowther and Josh Tucker in the semis, 15–3, 15–11.

However, on the IRT, Carson again took a step back, as he only made one final over the next two seasons: 2004–05 and 2005–06, finishing those seasons ranked 5th and 6th, respectively.

2006 to 2017 – Career prime The prime of Carson's career began in 2006, when Carson won US National Singles for the 3rd time, and again it was Jack Huczek that he met in the final. As in 2003, Carson needed a tie-breaker to defeat his long time rival, 15–10, 13–15, 11–3. Carson reached the final by defeating Jason Thoerner in the semi-finals, 15–4, 15–5.

For the first time in his career, Carson played doubles at an international event, as he partnered with Huczek for Men's Doubles at the 2006 World Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There they lost to Mexico's Álvaro Beltrán and Javier Moreno in the final, 15–8, 15–14, but the USA did win the Men's Team event, and Carson contributed as he and Huczek beat Canada's Mike Green and Brian Istace, 15–2, 15–4, in the Team final.

He and Huczek also played together in the 2006 USAR National Doubles Championship in October, and they won the title by defeating Andy Hawthorne and Jeff Stark in the final. They got to the final with a win over Jeff Bell and Doug Ganim in the semi-finals.

In February 2007, Carson won his 3rd IRT event, as he beat Huczek in the final of the Seattle Open, 11–3, 11–6, 4–11, 12–14, 11–3.

Nonetheless, Carson went on to have his best IRT season in 2007–08, when he won seven tournaments, was runner up in four others and finished the season ranked #1.

Building on his IRT success, Carson defeated Huczek again in the final of the 2008 USAR National Singles Championships, winning the event for a fourth time. That win put Carson on Team USA for the 2008 World Championships in Kingscourt, Ireland, where Carson won Men's Singles for the first time. Once again, it was Huczek who he faced in the final, and again they went to a tie-breaker. Carson won it after facing match points in both the second game and the breaker, 12–15, 15–14, 11–10.

Carson won two events during the 2008–09 IRT season, and the decrease was primarily due to Kane Waselenchuk's return to the tour after two years away due to suspension. They met in the first final of season: the 2008 Motorola IRT World Championships in Denver, and Waselenchuk won in a tie-breaker, 11–6, 11–6, 8–11, 8–11, 11–1. but he lost to the singles final to Huczek, 7–15, 15–9, 11–10. Carson got to the final with a win over Chris Crowther in the semi-finals, 15–7, 15–10.

Carson's Men's Singles World Championship in 2008 qualified him for the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, Republic of China, where he captured the silver medal in Men's Singles. Carson beat Canadian Mike Green, 15–9, 15–9, in the quarterfinals, and Mexican Álvaro Beltrán in the semi-finals, 9–15, 15–7, 11–8, to set up another showdown with countryman Jack Huczek. As usual, the two Americans went to a tie-breaker with Huczek coming out on top, 2–15, 15–12, 11–8.

In 2009–2010, Carson didn't win an IRT event for the first time in three seasons. He was in two finals, losing both to Waselenchuk. Still, Carson was able to finish ranked 3rd that season. But Carson did win the 2010 US National Singles Championship. He played Jack Huczek in the final, but this time didn't need a tie-breaker to defeat his rival, winning 15–11, 15–5.

The US Singles Championship title qualified Carson for the US Team for the 2010 World Championships in Seoul, South Korea, where he was the defending champion in Men's Singles. Carson successfully defended his title by defeating Huczek in the final, 15–13, 15–14, to win his 2nd World Championship. He beat Bolivian Ricardo Monroy in the semi-finals, 15–13, 15–12.

Carson was back in the IRT winner's circle in the 2010–2011 season, as he defeated Álvaro Beltrán, 11–2, 11–6, 11–8, in the Chihuahua, Mexico to win the Corona Open. The 2011 USAR National Singles Championships had an IRT division, which Carson competed in rather than the US Team Qualifying Division. In the IRT division, Carson lost in the final to Waselenchuk.

Carson was on Team USA for the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he won gold in Men's singles. Carson beat Mexican Gilberto Mejia, 15–1, 15–13, in the final, and Mexican Álvaro Beltrán in the semi-finals, 15–12, 15–12. In the Men's Team event, the USA finished 2nd to Mexico. In the final, Carson again defeated Mejia, but Beltran defeated Chris Crowther, and in doubles Beltran and Javier Moreno defeated Crowther and Shane Vanderson, so Mexico won gold by 2 matches to 1.

Carson won one IRT event in the 2011–2012 season. His win was over Kane Waselenchuk in the 2012 New York City Pro-Am, as Waselenchuk was injured during the final. In the IRT division of USAR National Singles Championships, Carson lost in the semi-finals to Álvaro Beltrán, 3–11, 12–10, 11–13, 11–8, 11–5.

Carson went to the 2012 World Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as the 2 time defending Men's Singles champion. He won the title for the 3rd time by defeating Mexican Polo Gutierrez, 15–6, 15–11, in the final, which was the first time Carson didn't face Jack Huczek in the final, as Huczek retired in 2011.

He was a multiple winner on the IRT in the 2012–13 season, when Carson won three times. The 2013 USAR National Singles Championships had an IRT division, which Carson competed in rather than the US Team Qualifying Division. In the IRT division, Carson lost in the final to Waselenchuk, 11–1, 11–2, 11–3. He got to the final by defeating Croft in the semis, 11–7, 11–5, 12–10, and Daniel De La Rosa in the quarters, 11–4, 11–1, 11–7.

The 2012 World Championship Men's Singles title qualified Carson for the 2013 World Games in Cali, Colombia. However, in Cali, Carson lost to Mexican Gilberto Mejia, 15–10, 9–15, 11–9, in the semi-finals, which was a measure of revenge for Mejia, who Carson beat in the semi-finals at Worlds in 2012. Carson did win the bronze medal match against fellow American Jose Rojas, 15–12, 9–15, 11–5.

Carson won one tournament during the 2013–14 IRT season, which was the 23rd Annual Turkey Shoot in Garden City, Kanas, where he defeated Álvaro Beltrán in the final, 11–7, 10–12, 11–4, 1–11, 11–6. Carson didn't play singles in the 2014 USAR National Singles Championships.

Carson's IRT ranking put him on Team USA for the 2014 World Championships in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He came in as the 3 time World Champion in Men's Singles, and captured the title for a 4th time by defeating Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso, 15–3, 15–8, in the Men's Singles final. Four wins set a record, as Carson moved ahead of Jack Huczek, who won 3 Men's Singles titles. In the semi-finals, Carson beat team-mate Jose Rojas, 15–8, 15–12.

In the 2014–15 IRT season, Carson was in 11 finals – tied for second best in his career – and won three times, leading to a #2 ranking. He won the 2016 USAR National Singles Championships in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where Carson defeated Chris Crowther in the semi-finals, 13–15, 15–12, 11–7, and then beat Diaz in the final, 15–10, 15–2.

Those results put Carson on Team USA for the 2016 Racquetball World Championships in Cali, Colombia, where he was the 4-time defending champion in Men's Singles. Once again Carson successfully defended his title, winning Men's Singles for a record extending 5th time. In the semi-finals, Carson faced Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, who he had beaten in the final two years before in two straight games. This time he needed a tie-breaker to get past the Bolivian, 15–12, 12–15, 11–4. In the final, Carson also needed three games to defeat Mexican Daniel De La Rosa, 15–11, 5–15, 11–5, and win his 5th title.

Carson finished as the #2 player on the IRT for a 7th season in 2016–17.

At the 2017 USAR National Singles Championships, Carson won the US Team Qualifying division by defeating Horn in the final, 15–8, 15–7. In the semi-finals, he faced doubles partner Diaz, and needed three games to win, 15–7, 11–15, 11–1.

2018–present – Surprises The 2017–18 IRT season was a strange one for Carson. In the first part of the season, Carson was runner up to Kane Waselenchuk in the first four events of the season, including the 2017 US Open. But Carson wasn't in another final until the last event of the season in Sarasota, Florida, where he also lost to Waselenchuk, 15–5, 15–4.

For the 5th time in as many events, Carson had a new doubles partner for the 2018 USAR National Doubles Championships, when he partnered with Sudsy Monchik. They won the championship by defeating Adam Manilla and Nicholas Riffel in the semi-finals, 8–15, 15–13, 11–8, and David Horn and Mauro Rojas in the final, 15–14, 15–8. The win secured a spot on Team USA at the 2018 World Championships for Carson and Monchik, so Carson didn't play in the 2018 USAR National Singles Championships.

Thus, surprisingly rather than trying to win a 6th World Championship in Men's Singles, Carson played Men's Doubles with Monchik at the 2018 World Championships in San José, Costa Rica. They were runners up in Men's Doubles, losing to Mexicans Álvaro Beltrán and Daniel De La Rosa in the final, 10–15, 15–9, 11–2. Carson and Monchik got to the final by defeating Colombians Sebastian Franco and Mario Mercado in the quarterfinals, 15–11, 15–13, and Canadians Tim Landeryou and Samuel Murray, 15–12, 15–2, in the semi-finals.

Carson got a good start to the 2018–19 IRT season, as he won the opening event in Laurel, Maryland, where he defeated Samuel Murray in the final, 15–7, 15–12. Carson beat Sebastian Franco in the semi-finals, 15–8, 15–12.

For the third year running, Carson won the USAR National Doubles Championship, and did so with a third different partner and sixth different partner over six events. In 2019, he teamed up with Charlie Pratt to win the title. They won the final in three games over Jake Bredenbeck and Jose Diaz, 15–8, 5–15, 11–7. Winning doubles qualified Carson for Team USA for the 2019 Pan American Games, so Carson didn't compete at the 2019 USA Racquetball National Singles Championships.

Carson's USA Doubles streak stopped in 2020, when he and Pratt played at the 2020 USAR Doubles Championship in Tempe, Arizona, where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual champions Alejandro Landa and Sudsy Monchik, 8–15, 15–9, 11–9. However, they were able to regain the title in 2021, when they defeated brothers Jake Bredenbeck and Sam Bredenbeck, 12–15, 15–4, 11–8. In 2021, Carson also won USA Racquetball's Men's Singles Championship, defeating Landa in the final, 15–12, 15–13.

In 2022, USA Racquetball had their singles and doubles championships together. In singles, Carson won the title by defeating Adam Manilla in the semi-finals, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10, and Alejandro Landa in the final, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7. In doubles, he and Charlie Pratt won the title by defeating Manilla and David Horn, 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, in the semi-finals, and Jake Bredenbeck and Sam Bredenbeck, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 13-11, in the final.

Carson played at the 2022 World Championships in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where he reached the Men's Singles final by defeating Bolivian Carlos Keller, 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-4, in the quarterfinals, Costa Rican Andrés Acuña, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4, in the semi-finals, but lost to Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8. It was Carson's sixth Men's Singles final at Worlds (a record), and his first loss. In the Men's Team event, the USA lost to Mexico in the semi-finals with Carson losing the deciding singles match to Daniel De La Rosa, 3-0.

For the fifth year running, Carson and Pratt played doubles at the USA Racquetball Doubles Championships, and in 2023 they lost in the semi-finals to Wayne Antone and Adam Manilla, 13-11, 6-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8.

Career summary Carson has been in 105 IRT finals, winning 27 times over 274 tournaments (as of February 1, 2024). His wins include the 2007 US Open Championship. Twice Carson has been the #1 IRT player at season's end, only five other players have been #1 multiple times: Kane Waselenchuk (13), Cliff Swain (6), Sudsy Monchik (5), Mike Yellen (5) and Daniel De La Rosa.

He has won 9 USA Racquetball National Singles titles, and 12 USA Racquetball National Doubles titles, winning with Jack Huczek (5 wins), Charlie Pratt (3), Ben Croft, Jose Diaz, Sudsy Monchik, and Jose Rojas.

Playing for Team USA, Carson has won gold five times in Men's Singles at the World Championships, which is a record, and twice in Men's Singles at the Pan American Games, which is also a record, and once in Men's Singles at the Pan American Championships. He's played Men's Doubles on Team USA three times: twice at the World Championships (with Jack Huczek in 2006, and with Sudsy Monchik, 2018), which resulted in silver medals, and once with Charles Pratt at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, where they earned bronze medals.

Career record This table lists Carson's results across annual events.

Note: W = winner, F = finalist, SF = semi-finalist, QF = quarterfinalist, 16 = Round of 16. Also, the USA Racquetball National Singles Championships had an IRT division from 2012 to 2014, so Carson competed in that rather than the top USAR division. P = Pandemic.