Michelle Gould (racquetball)

Michelle Gould

Personal information
Birth name	Michelle Gilman
Nationality	American
Born	December 22, 1970 Ontario, Oregon
Residence	Boise, Idaho
Sport
Sport	Racquetball
Turned pro	1989
Retired	1999
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	No. 1 (1990-91, 1992-93 to 1997-98)
Medal record Women's Racquetball Representing  United States World Championships 1992 Montreal Singles 1994 San Luis Potosi Singles 1996 Phoenix Singles Pan Am Championships 1988 Santa Cruz Singles 1990 Jacksonville Singles 1991 Santiago Singles 1994 Buenos Aries Doubles 1996 Cali Doubles 1998 Winnipeg Singles Pan American Games 1995 Argentina Singles World Games 1993 Den Haag Singles

Michelle Gould (née Gilman), born December 22, 1970, is a retired American racquetball player. She was the dominant player in the 1990s, finishing as the #1 player on the women's pro tour seven of those 10 seasons. Gould was once called "the best, man or woman, to ever play" racquetball.^[1] She had a strong drive serve. Injuries led to her retirement in 1999.

Professional career

Gould first appeared in the women's pro tour season ending top 10 at #2 in 1989-90, and then finished #1 in seven of the next eight seasons. After her final season at #1, Gould disappeared from the top 10.

Gould's professional career was highlighted by winning the first two US Open Racquetball Championships in 1996 and 1997.^[2] During one stretch of her pro career (Oct 1995-May 1997), Gould won 18 consecutive tournaments in a row, and 30 of 33.^[3]

International career

Gould won her first International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championship in 1992 by defeating Canadian Heather Stupp in the final, which avenged a loss to Stupp two years earlier. She then won the next two World Championships in 1994 and 1996, respectively defeating Robin Levine (USA) and Cheryl Gudinas (USA) in the finals.^[4]

She won the Pan American Championships (formerly the Tournament of the Americas) six times: four times in singles in 1988, 1990, 1991, and 1998^[5] and twice in doubles in 1994 with Robin Levine and 1996 with Cheryl Gudinas.^[6]

Gould also won gold medals at the 1993 World Games and the 1995 Pan American Games.

USA championships

Gould's 8 US Nationals Championships in singles is tied for most won by a woman with Cheryl Gudinas^[7] Gould won those 8 titles in a 9 year span from 1989 to 1997 interrupted only by Robin Levine's victory in 1994.

Gould also won 6 US National Doubles titles. The first was with Cindy Doyle in 1989. Then she won two with Jackie Paraiso in 1990 and 1991. Laura Fenton was Gould's partner for the 1993 title, and Cheryl Gudinas won the 1995 and 1996 championships with Gould.^[8]

Personal

Born Michelle Gilman, she married Rod Gould in 1992. Gould grew up in Ontario, Oregon, and she first took racquetball lessons in Boise, Idaho, where she later lived with her husband.^[9]

References

1. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1008237/1/index.htm
2. http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/USOpenChampions.aspx
3. http://www.lindamojer.com/04web_bkup/racqmag/1998/9803/983gould.htm Racquetball Magazine, 1998, Vol. 9, #3
4. http://www.internationalracquetball.com/worlds/03worlds.htm
5. http://www.racquetball.ca/en/magazine/volume_01/issue_06/page3.html
6. http://www.internationalracquetball.com/parc/02trnams.htm
7. http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/SinglesChampions.aspx
8. http://usaracquetball.com/RecordBooks/DoublesChampions.aspx
9. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1008237/1/index.htm