California Eagles Secures Berth to 2024 IHF Men's Club World Championship, Wins NACHC Qualifier

The California Eagles prevailed over New York City THC at the 2024 North American and Carribbean Senior Club Championship, securing a 24:21 victory in the Gold Medal Match.

The tournament, held on the campus of the New Jersey Institute of Technology from July 10th to July 13th, saw three US-based clubs and one club from Mexico fight for the lone slot from the region for the 2024 IHF Men's Club World Championship.

"This was a very competitive final game against a talented New York City team. At the end, our defense made the difference and our wings converted some difficult shots at critical moments in the game," said California Eagles' Head Coach Danilo Rojevic.

California Eagles' only loss came in the Preliminary Round, against a Los Angeles THC side, showcasing the level of competition at the tournament.

"Heading into the tournament, we knew about our team quality and depth, but we had to prove it on the court. Our loss against LATHC was a wake-up call and we reflected on our performance," Rojevic added.

Felix Kerst, who supplied an eleven-goal performance in the win over the hosts - New York City - in the Final, was the top scorer for the champions with 20, although Rasmus Bachmann of Los Angeles led the tournament with 31 goals.

The Eagles, who are the reigning USA Team Handball Open National Champions, now look ahead to the World Championship, which will be staged from September 30th to October 9th in Cairo, Egypt. They become the third US-based team to compete at the global event - previously known as the IHF Men's Super Globe - with New York City competing in 2019, and San Francisco CalHeat representing in 2021 and 2023.