Thank you for reaching out. Your contact form has been successfully submitted. We'll be in touch soon!

USABA Names Men’s and Women’s Rosters for 2026 IBSA Goalball World Championships in Hangzhou, China

Graphic with red background that says USA Goalball Men’s and Women’s Roster Announcement for World Championships in white with images of USA Goalball athletes throwing and blocking the ball

Team USA Athletes to Represent the United States June 6-16, 2026 on Sport’s Global Stage

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) today announced the men’s and women’s rosters that will represent Team USA at the 2026 IBSA Goalball World Championships, taking place June 6-16, 2026, at the China Goalball Training Centre in Hangzhou, China.

Hosted by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) and the National Paralympic Committee of China, the World Championships bring together the top national teams from across the globe for one of the sport’s most prestigious competitions. The event also serves as a key milestone on the road to the LA28 Paralympic Games.

The combined U.S. rosters bring deep international experience to Hangzhou, anchored by a women’s squad that includes six-time Paralympians Asya Miller and Lisa Czechowski, longtime teammates whose careers together include Paralympic gold in Beijing (2008), silver in Athens (2004) and Tokyo (2020), and bronze in Rio (2016) alongside Paralympians Amanda Dennis, Eliana Mason, and Mindy Cook. Up-and-comer Hailey Andress is the sixth woman on the roster. 

“I could not be more proud of the athletes representing Team USA in Hangzhou. This roster blends an incredible depth of Paralympic experience with players stepping up to seize their moment on the international stage. The World Championships are our opportunity to test ourselves against the top competitors in our sport. Our focus is on trusting the processes we have built, showing up for each other, and giving everything we have on the court while we take another step on the road to LA28.”

— Nicole Kirk, Head Coach, U.S. Women’s National Goalball Team

The men’s side is led by captains Calahan Young, who also captained the 2024 Paris Paralympic team, and three-time Paralympian and Rio 2016 silver medalist Matt Simpson. They are joined by fellow Paralympians Christian King, Zion Walker, and Zach Buhler. Josh Wellborn rounds out the 6-man roster.

“This is a group that has earned every place on this roster. We have veterans who know what it takes to compete on the world stage and emerging players who are pushing the standard every day in training. Our focus in Hangzhou is on honing our skills against the best in the world and growing through this tournament as we build toward LA28.”

— Michael Dennis, Head Coach, U.S. Men’s National Goalball Team

 

U.S. Women’s National Goalball Team Roster

Hailey Andress (Newport News, Va.)

Asya Miller, PLY (Portland, Ore.) | 5-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)

Eliana Mason, PLY (Beaverton, Ore.) | 2-time Paralympic medalist (silver, bronze)

Lisa Czechowski, PLY ( Fort Wayne, Ind.) | 5-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)

Amanda Dennis, PLY (Peachtree City, Ga.) | 2-time Paralympic medalist (silver, bronze); 2014 World Champion

Mindy Cook, PLY (Columbus, Ohio) | Tokyo 2020 silver medalist

 

Staff

Head Coach: Nicole Kirk

Assistant Coach: John Potts

Athletic Trainer: Shelley Jakiel

 

U.S. Men’s National Goalball Team Roster

Josh Wellborn (Birmingham, Ala.)

Matt Simpson, PLY (Smyrna, Ga.) |Rio 2016 silver medalist

Christian King, PLY (Virginia Beach, Va.)

Zion Walker, PLY (Winchester, Va.) 

Zach Buhler, PLY  (Huntington, Ind.)  

Calahan Young, PLY  (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 

 

Staff

Head Coach: Michael Dennis

Assistant Coach: Morgan Blatnik

Athletic Trainer: Jeff Archuleta

 

About the 2026 IBSA Goalball World Championships

The IBSA Goalball World Championships is the premier international competition for goalball, a Paralympic team sport designed for athletes who are blind or visually impaired. The 2026 edition marks the first time the event will be hosted in China, with competition held at the China Goalball Training Centre in Hangzhou from June 6–16, 2026. Top men’s and women’s national teams from around the world will compete for the world title and key qualification points on the road to the LA28 Paralympic Games.

About the United States Association of Blind Athletes

Founded in 1976, the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is a community-based sports organization that enhances the lives of blind and visually impaired Americans through sports and physical activity. As the national governing body for goalball in the United States and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, USABA empowers athletes of all ages and ability levels to participate, compete, and excel in sport. To learn more, visit usaba.org.

### 

For interview requests, photos, or additional information, please contact USABA media relations at marketing@usaba.org


<