New York Athletic Club Men in Overtime Thriller, Chicago Inter Women Dominate to Each Claim First US Open Titles in a Decade at Record-Setting Open Championships

The 2026 USA Team Handball Open Championships delivered a weekend of excitement and renewed legacy, as two of the sport’s most historically successful clubs reclaimed national titles amid the largest women’s division in tournament history and the backdrop of the biggest handball event ever staged by the United States' handball federation.

On the men’s side, the weekend culminated in an instant classic, as New York Athletic Club (NYAC) defeated New York City Team Handball Club (NYC), 36–34 in overtime, in a rematch of the 2025 Men’s Elite Final won convincingly by NYC.

The championship matchup represented both continuity and change. Despite featuring the same finalists as one year ago, the two clubs arrived with dramatically refreshed rosters, with 22 players in the final not present on either team’s roster in the 2025 championship match — a reflection of the increasingly competitive and evolving landscape of club handball in the United States.

The match itself delivered every bit of drama expected of a rivalry now defining the modern era of American club handball.

With 52 seconds remaining, NYC standout goalkeeper Justin Justimiano produced a pivotal 7-meter save, helping set up what appeared to be the decisive moment. After ceding a 6-goal lead it held deep into the second half, NYC again seized the lead with just 12 seconds left in regulation.

But NYAC found one final answer in a 5-on-4 situation out of its last timeout.

With just four seconds remaining, Ethan Pickett found the equalizer to force overtime and keep NYAC alive.

The first five-minute overtime period concluded with the teams still deadlocked.

Ultimately, it was tournament standout Sigurt Leth Klinge who proved decisive. The NYAC backcourt star buried two late jump shots in the closing minutes of overtime, creating the final separation between the longtime rivals and delivering NYAC its long-awaited return to the top of the Open Championships.

Klinge capped a remarkable tournament by claiming both Men’s Elite MVP and Top Scorer honors, following up identical accolades earned during the inaugural USA Team Handball National Cup season. He finished with 51 goals in five matches, narrowly edging NYC’s Yauhnei Halubnichy, who scored 46 goals.

NYC’s Justimiano earned Most Valuable Goalkeeper (MVG) honors after an exceptional tournament performance highlighted by his dramatic late save in the championship match.

For NYAC, the championship represented both a return to prominence and another chapter in the club’s unparalleled historical résumé.

The title marked the club’s 14th medal in its last 14 appearances at the highest level of the Open Championships, its record 21st gold medal at the highest level of U.S. Open Championship competition, and its 31st all-time medal at the top division, dating back to the Club's first appearance as Garden City Handball Club more than 40 years ago.

Yet despite that unmatched history, the victory carried added significance: it was NYAC’s first Men’s Open Championship gold medal in over a decade.

For NYC, the silver medal continued one of the most consistent stretches at the top of American handball, marking the club’s 19th all-time medal and ninth consecutive podium finish.

Longstanding club DC Diplomats defeated SF CalHeat in the Bronze Medal match, earning DC its highest-ever finish at the Championships.

The broader championship narrative also carried a sense of historical reprisal.

Even amid rapid growth and fresh faces throughout the American handball landscape, the sport’s most decorated programs once again found their way to the summit.

That trend was perhaps most evident in the women’s division, which featured 14 teams — the largest Women’s Open Championship field in tournament history.

There, Chicago Inter reclaimed the national title for the first time since 2016, capturing the club’s seventh Women’s Open Championship, extending its position as the all-time leader in women’s national championship gold medals.

Chicago’s path to the title was nothing short of dominant.

The eventual champions finished a perfect 4–0, posting a staggering +74 goal differential. Their narrowest margin of victory came in the semifinal, where they defeated San Diego by six goals, before emphatically closing the weekend with a 34–18 victory over Rogue in the championship match.

Leonida Gichevska earned Women’s MVP honors for Chicago Inter, while teammate Sophia Broadhead claimed MVG honors.

Defeating NYC's Women's side in the Bronze Medal Match, San Diego was buoyed by the production of Beyza Turkoglu Sengul, who finished as the women’s Top Scorer, netting 54 goals — 22 more than second-place finisher Maggie Crimmins, who had earned top scorer honors at last month’s College National Championships with Army West Point Black.

In the Men’s Open Division, Los Angeles Team Handball Club, whose Men's first team capture the National Championship in March at the final weekend of the USATH National Cup, saw a mixed Los Angeles II roster capture the championship, followed by NYAC Red in second and Boston Team Handball Club in third over Minnesota.

Tim Bottinga of Los Angeles II earned MVP honors, while Vito Horvat of NYAC Red was named MVG. Khalil Zbiss of Motor City finished as the division’s Top Scorer with 51 goals, outpacing Dallas’ Roberto Novoa by six.

Beyond the championship results, the 2026 Open Championships weekend reflected the growing breadth and ambition of the American handball ecosystem.

The event served simultaneously as a championship tournament, national team platform, technical education opportunity, and athlete development festival.

Ahead of the tournament, the U.S. Women’s National Team conducted an identification camp Wednesday through Thursday morning, bringing together more than 40 participants as part of the continued expansion of the senior athlete pipeline toward future international competition.

The weekend also featured significant growth in officiating and technical development.

Twelve National Technical Officials (NTOs) participated under the leadership of LA28 Handball Sport Manager Martin Bilello; the event serving as part of USA Team Handball and LA28’s collaborative technical pathway, receiving hands-on tournament experience in competition operations and match administration.

USA Team Handball also expressed gratitude to the International Handball Federation (IHF) for supporting technical development efforts with the observing presence of IHF Council Member and PRC Chair Per Morten Sødal, as well as their support of Romano Borac of Tomasoft, whose presence as a delegate helped facilitate the training of multiple developing delegates during the concurrent North American & Caribbean Championships. Therewith, the Men's National Team event became the first NACHC event to implement the official IHF Live scorekeeping and scoreboard presentation system, aligning tournament presentation with international competition standards.

Meanwhile, Handball Futures conducted athlete skills development camps on both Thursday and Saturday, engaging more than 50 athletes as part of the organization’s growing women's talent development pathway.

The momentum of the weekend culminated Saturday evening as the U.S. Men’s National Team captured gold in front of a sold-out crowd, defeating Greenland in commanding fashion.

Taken together, the week represented something larger than a championship tournament alone: a snapshot of an American handball community simultaneously honoring its history, investing in its future, and setting a stage for growth toward a scale not previously seen in the sport domestically.

Final Results

Men’s Elite Final Standings

Awards
MVP: Sigurt Leth Klinge (New York Athletic Club)
MVG: Justin Justimiano (New York City)
Top Scorer: Sigurt Leth Klinge (51) – New York Athletic Club

Men’s Open Division Final Standings

Awards
MVP: Tim Bottinga (Los Angeles II)
MVG: Vito Horvat (NYAC Red)
Top Scorer: Khalil Zbiss (51) – Motor City

Women’s Final Standings

Awards
MVP: Leonida Gichevska (Chicago Inter)
MVG: Sophia Broadhead (Chicago Inter)
Top Scorer: Beyza Turkoglu Sengul (54) – San Diego