Wesleyan Squash Teams Shooting for High Rankings in 2011-2012

Coming off of a season in which the Wesleyan men’s squash team finished 14-12 and finished 20th in the national rankings, the young and talented squad has high hopes for the 2011-2012 campaign. Six of Wesleyan’s seven returning starters are just sophomores who proved themselves last season as freshmen. Because of their impressive talent, the team attained a preseason ranking of 19th, seven spots higher than last year.

Sophomore John Steele was the outstanding performer in 2010-2011, going 19-6 out of the #1 position and earned first-team all-NESCAC recognition. Sophomore Zander Nassikas earned 17 victories and will play in one of the top positions as will sophomores Jeff Berman and Alex Nunez, who totaled 15 and 16 wins respectively.
“I believe they have the talent and potential to crack the top 16 nationally,” Head Coach Shona Kerr said of her men’s squad. Injury seems to be a little bit of a concern at this point and we have a number of young, inexperienced college players - these will be our challenges in achieving our goals.”

The Wesleyan women’s squash team resembles their male counterparts in a number of ways. The women’s team had the same record in 2010-2011(14-12) and has the same preseason ranking of 19th. Both teams rely on youth, with the Cardinals welcoming eight new freshmen. And the women’s team has the same high hopes going into the new year, setting its sights on a top-16 finish in 2011-2012.

Sophomore Mary Foster leads the team in the top spot after going 12-13 there a year ago and obtaining second-team all-NESCAC honors. Kerr says of Foster that “she is extremely balanced as an individual” and that “her squash IQ is high and she understands the game.” Other players expected to stand out are sophomore Diana Edwards, who had a 15-11 posting in the #2 slot, and junior Tanesha Jackson, who fashioned a 15-9 mark while playing at #4.

The Wesleyan squash teams got their 2011-2012 seasons started in Boston over the weekend of November 19-20 at the Boston Round Robin. The men’s team faced off against Bates, Northeastern, Connecticut College and MIT, putting together a 2-2 start during the event. The Cardinals won one match and lost one against Conn. College and Northeastern by 5-4 margins. The team was unable to play a couple of regulars due to injury. Wesleyan defeated MIT with ease 8-1 but lost to Bates, ranked #16 in the preseason, by the same score. Freshman Blair Corbin, playing #7, was the lone winner versus Bates. The women’s squad also played Bates, Northeastern and Conn. College, as well as Bowdoin and Wellesley. The Cardinals took down Northeastern, Conn. College and Wellesley in 9-0 sweeps but fell to Bates and Bowdoin, both ranked in the preseason top-20, by scores of 7-2 and 5-4. Foster and Craig ended the weekend with team-best 4-1 records.

“I was very pleased with the way both teams conducted themselves over what was most definitely a testing weekend,” Kerr said. “We were presented with many adverse situations that I know the teams will learn from and I am grateful to the experience for this.”

The Wesleyan Round Robin will take place in Middletown from Friday-Sunday. The event features a number of visiting teams, including Colby, Tufts, Brown, John Hopkins, Colgate, Fordham, Hobart and William Smith College and Smith.

Coming off of a season in which the Wesleyan men’s squash team finished 14-12 and finished 20^th in the national rankings, the young and talented squad has high hopes for the 2011-2012 campaign. Six of Wesleyan’s seven returning starters are just sophomores who proved themselves last season as freshmen. Because of their impressive talent, the team attained a preseason ranking of 19^th, seven spots higher than last year.

Sophomore John Steele was the outstanding performer in 2010-2011, going 19-6 out of the #1 position and earned first-team all-NESCAC recognition. Sophomore Zander Nassikas earned 17 victories and will play in one of the top positions as will sophomores Jeff Berman and Alex Nunez, who totaled 15 and 16 wins respectively.
“I believe they have the talent and potential to crack the top 16 nationally,” Head Coach Shona Kerr said of her men’s squad. Injury seems to be a little bit of a concern at this point and we have a number of young, inexperienced college players - these will be our challenges in achieving our goals.”

The Wesleyan women’s squash team resembles their male counterparts in a number of ways. The women’s team had the same record in 2010-2011(14-12) and has the same preseason ranking of 19^th. Both teams rely on youth, with the Cardinals welcoming eight new freshmen. And the women’s team has the same high hopes going into the new year, setting its sights on a top-16 finish in 2011-2012.

Sophomore Mary Foster leads the team in the top spot after going 12-13 there a year ago and obtaining second-team all-NESCAC honors. Kerr says of Foster that “she is extremely balanced as an individual” and that “her squash IQ is high and she understands the game.” Other players expected to stand out are sophomore Diana Edwards, who had a 15-11 posting in the #2 slot, and junior Tanesha Jackson, who fashioned a 15-9 mark while playing at #4.

The Wesleyan squash teams got their 2011-2012 seasons started in Boston over the weekend of November 19-20 at the Boston Round Robin. The men’s team faced off against Bates, Northeastern, Connecticut College and MIT, putting together a 2-2 start during the event. The Cardinals won one match and lost one against Conn. College and Northeastern by 5-4 margins. The team was unable to play a couple of regulars due to injury. Wesleyan defeated MIT with ease 8-1 but lost to Bates, ranked #16 in the preseason, by the same score. Freshman Blair Corbin, playing #7, was the lone winner versus Bates. The women’s squad also played Bates, Northeastern and Conn. College, as well as Bowdoin and Wellesley. The Cardinals took down Northeastern, Conn. College and Wellesley in 9-0 sweeps but fell to Bates and Bowdoin, both ranked in the preseason top-20, by scores of 7-2 and 5-4. Foster and Craig ended the weekend with team-best 4-1 records.

“I was very pleased with the way both teams conducted themselves over what was most definitely a testing weekend,” Kerr said. “We were presented with many adverse situations that I know the teams will learn from and I am grateful to the experience for this.”

The Wesleyan Round Robin will take place in Middletown from Friday-Sunday. The event features a number of visiting teams, including Colby, Tufts, Brown, John Hopkins, Colgate, Fordham, Hobart and William Smith College and Smith.