Lake Forest College Handball Players Advance to Finals at National Championships

Foresters secure spots in three finals at the 2026 USHA National Collegiate Handball Tournament in Springfield, Missouri.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Lake Forest College handball team demonstrated strong performances at the 2026 U.S. Handball Association National Collegiate Championship Tournament, with players advancing to the finals in three different divisions as of Saturday's semifinal matches. Senior Audrey Peters secured a spot in the Women's Open 9-16 bracket final, while the school's doubles teams also advanced to championship matches in both the women's and men's divisions.

Why it matters

The success of the Lake Forest College handball team at the national championships highlights the growing popularity of the sport at the collegiate level. Handball offers students an accessible and versatile athletic opportunity, with low equipment costs and the ability to play individually or in teams. The USHA's efforts to partner with organizations like the USGAA are also helping to introduce handball to new audiences and inspire greater participation.

The details

In the Women's Open 9-16 bracket, senior Audrey Peters overcame a first-game loss to win 21-14, 21-10, and 11-6, securing a spot in the final. On the men's side, freshman Jonah Davis was edged out 21-7, 9-21, 11-7 in the Men's B1 semifinals, while sophomore Ayush Sharma fell 14-21, 21-17, 11-4 in C3. In doubles play, Peters and junior Emma Kinane were defeated 15-9, 11-15, 11-10 in the Women's Open Division, but senior Arielle Augustyn and sophomore Satoe Tohi secured a victory in the A bracket, winning 10-15, 15-11, 11-4. Sophomore Luca Zenati-Parsons and junior Jake Emold lost their A semifinal match 15-12, 15-5, while freshmen Davis and Ben Koch advanced to the B final with a 9-15, 15-9, 11-1 triumph.

  • Audrey Peters' final match is scheduled for Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
  • The women's and men's doubles finals are scheduled for Sunday at 11:00 a.m.

The players

Audrey Peters

A senior at Lake Forest College who secured a spot in the Women's Open 9-16 bracket final.

Jonah Davis

A freshman at Lake Forest College who was edged out in the Men's B1 semifinals.

Ayush Sharma

A sophomore at Lake Forest College who fell in the C3 division.

Emma Kinane

A junior at Lake Forest College who competed in the women's doubles division with Audrey Peters.

Arielle Augustyn

A senior at Lake Forest College who, along with sophomore Satoe Tohi, secured a victory in the women's doubles A bracket.

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What’s next

Both of Lake Forest's doubles teams will compete for divisional titles on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m.

The takeaway

Handball's appeal as a relatively low-cost, versatile sport is driving increased participation at the collegiate level, as evidenced by the strong performance of the Lake Forest College team at the national championships.