Squash News

The Camel Men's Squash Team Pose With the Barnaby Trophy Presented to the Most Improved Team in all of College Squash

3/11: Grant Godfrey, Matt Parker, and Allison Read Represent Camel Squash on NESCAC All-Academic Team

NEW LONDON, Conn. --Ten Connecticut College student-athletes have been named to the Winter 2004 All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Academic Team.

This year’s honorees are: Steve Del Signore (indoor track), Andrew Dutton (swimming), Grant Godfrey (squash), Sarah Huntington (basketball), Kate Kovenock (swimming), Matt Parker (squash), Gabby Petrill (hockey), Elinor Pisano (indoor track), Allison Read (squash), and Nick Vealitzek (hockey),

Grant Godfrey

Steve Del Signore (Reading, MA) and Elinor Pisano (Chappaqua, NY) enjoyed excellent seasons as captains of the indoor track and field squad. Sophomore Andrew Dutton (Mystic, CT) set two school records at the NESCAC men’s swimming championship. Junior All-American Kate Kovenock (Orono, ME) earned Swimmer of the Meet Honors at the NESCAC Championship with her dominating performance at Wesleyan. Seniors Grant Godfrey (Warren, VT) and Matt Parker (E. Greenwich, RI) were key contributors on the Camel men’s squash team that advanced to the finals in the Conroy Division and earned most improved college squash team in the United States.

Sharp-shooting senior Sarah Huntington (Norwich, CT) served as co-captain of the Camel women’s basketball team that nearly doubled its win total from the previous season. Sophomore Gabby Petrill (Greensburg, PA) led the nation with 853 saves and earned her second straight appearance on the NESCAC All-Conference team. Junior Allison Read (Sandwich, NH) helped the Camel women earn two victories at Yale in the Howe Cup. Senior forward Nick Vealitzek (Minneapolis, MN) tallied 15 points and served as co-captain of the Camel hockey squad.

Each student-athlete honored is a starter or key reserve on an officially sponsored varsity sport and has a grade-point average of at least 3.35. To be honored, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing at his/her institution. Transfers must have completed one year of study at his/her institution. The teams consists of five men and five women from each school in the conference.

2/29: Camels Finish as Runners Up in Conroy Division
Connecticut College Awarded Most Improved Team in the U.S.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. --The Connecticut College men’s squash team enjoyed its finest weekends of competition at the Collegiate Squash Association Team Championship hosted by Yale University. The Camels advanced to the finals in the Conroy Division before falling to Tufts University 5-4 Sunday evening. Head coach Bill McNally and the Camels were honored as the most improved squash team in the United States by the squash coaches association.

Jordan Savage

The Camels topped Columbia University 8-1 Friday evening. Saturday, the Connecticut College edged St. Lawrence University 5-4 in a gritty duel between two closely contested clubs. Freshman Jordan Savage battled back from two games down to pull out his match.

Nick Young

Sophomore Nick Young clinched the victory for the Camels with a 9-7 victory in the fifth and deciding game. Sunday evening, the Camels battled Tufts in another close match before falling 5-4 in the Conroy Division Championship.

“We are absolutely thrilled with our performance and to receive this most improved team award,” said Coach McNally.

Pre-match Meeting with Coach

2/22: Camels Top Franklin and Marshall at Howe Cup-Finish #21 in the Nation

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The Connecticut College women’s squash team (6-16) won the Consolation of the Walker Cup Division of the Howe Cup, The Women’s Intercollegiate Team Championship. Defeated in the first round by the eventual winner of the Walker Cup Division, Middlebury, the Camels then went on to defeat Smith, whom they had lost to twice in regular season play, and Franklin and Marshall. In the process, the Camels women moved up to #21 from #25 in season ending rankings.

In the first round of play against F&M, senior Emily Stieff served notice with a quick 3 set win at #3, while sophomore Rachel Caplan sweated out a gritty five set victory at #9. Senior Emily Sedlis stunned F&M’s #2 with a five set victory, winning 9-7 in the 5th. Freshman Sage Shanley of Westerly notched a win at #4 and junior Allison Read clinched the match at #7.

“It was a great way for the seniors to end their collegiate careers and a just reward to the whole team for all the hard work,” said Coach Bill McNally.

2004 Connecticut College Women's Squash

2/21: Camel Women Top Smith at Howe Cup

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The Connecticut College women’s squash team (5-15) picked up a 5-4 victory over Smith College (8-13) Saturday at the Howe Cup hosted by Yale University. The Camels gained some redemption with the victory after falling to Smith in two previous meetings this season.

Senior tri-captain Emily Stieff posted a win at the #3 slot. Sophomore Cynthia Whitman was victorious at #5. Senior tri-captain Caitlin Ruane and sophomore Rachel Caplan notched victories at #8 and #9 respectively.

Junior Allison Read was victorious at #7, winning the deciding match in a five setter.

2/17: Camel Women Head to Howe Cup

New London, Conn.--Saturday afternoon, the Camel men dropped a 6-3 match to Colby. Nick Young won a thrilling 10-9 final game in a 5 set victory for the Camels. Young is making a career out of 5 setters, having won 3 against Tufts, Wesleyan and now Colby. Despite the score, the Camels played tight with the 19th ranked White Mules furthering the Camel’s growing reputation as a scrappy, improving team.

Sunday, the men and women were warmly and graciously welcomed at Bates’ new squash facility. Unfortunately, both teams suffered defeats. The men were topped 8-1 and the women were defeated 9-0. Ted Shear, using a combination of long drives and accurate volleys was the lone victor for the Camels.

Camel sports information correspondent Allison Read reports that the Camel women are anticipating an exciting weekend of squash at the Howe Cup.

2/13: Camels Surprise #19 Wesleyan 5-4

New London, Conn.--The Connecticut College men's squash team surprised 19th ranked Wesleyan with a 5-4 victory. Jeff Carter, Grant Godfrey, Ned Minevitz, Nick Young and Ted Shear all posted victories. Nick Young’s came at the end of a marathon battle with a 9-7 fifth game. Freshman Dan Bloom also took his opponent to 5 but could not quite pull out the squeaker.

"It was a very hard fought match," said affable captain Grant Godfrey. "Wesleyan came into it undefeated by anyone outside of the top 20, so they were very confident, but we have been training hard as well and have had several very close matches against higher ranked teams even though we have had difficulty winning. When I walked on the court, we were already 3-1 down, but I knew that we have a solid team this year, and if our second players played like we know we can play, then we could pull the match out. We showed a lot of determination out there, and I would say that without a doubt, this has been the best win for the squash team in the four years I've been here."

Dave Renninger has his eye on the ball

2/9: Whitman, Ruane post Wins Against Wesleyan

Camel Men Drop 5-4 Squeaker to Tufts

New London, Conn.--The Connecticut College women’s squash dropped a pair of matches to Tufts and Wesleyan Saturday. The Tufts match, a 7-2 defeat, featured two 5 setter losses by Emily Stieff and Cynthia Whitman. In the Wesleyan match, a 5-4 loss, Whitman and and Caitlin Ruane scored five set victories.

The Camel men lost a squeaker to Tufts, 5-4. David Renninger, Ned Minevitz, Jordan Savage and Jeff Carter all posted victories. Dan Bloom, Nick Young and Ted Shear had 4 game losses for Connecticut College

2/6: Sedlis, Stieff and Whitman Win for Camels at Wellesley

Wellesley, Mass. --Wellesley College defeated he Camel women 6-3 Thursday evening. The Camels were benefitted by wins from senior captains Emily Sedlis and Emily Stieff along with sophomore standout Cynthia Whitman. The Camels will welcome the Jumbos of Tufts University in a rare home match Saturday at noon.

2/4: Camel Women Drop 6-3 Match to Wesleyan

Middletown, Conn. --Wesleyan University defeated the Connecticut College women's squash team 6-3 Tuesday night. Seniors Emily Sedlis and Emily Stieff along with sophomore Cynthia Whitman posted victories for the Camels. Freshmen Sage Shanley and Anna Bullard each played four game sets in competitive matches.

2/2: Weekend Roundup: Camel Men Blank Fordham-Women Top Haverford and Hamilton

NEW LONDON, Conn. --It was a solid weekend for the Camel squash program. The men shut out Fordham 9-0 Friday night to pick up their third victory. The woman split this weekend with wins over Hamilton and Haverford and loses to Smith and Mt. Holyoke. The closest match of the weekend was a 5-4 nail biter with Smith. Senior Emily Sedlis and freshman Rachel Caplan were each locked up in grueling five set matches. Emily Stieff, Lucy Arnold and Allison Read were all involved in four setters.

Sedlis’s match was physically intense and demanding with both players fighting for court position. Evenly matched, both players staked claim to the T with physical play, as each refused to yield at critical moments. It was a contest between two very determined competitors, bringing out the best in both and provided exciting viewing by the partisan crowd. Sedlis, displaying a stunning variety of aggressive attack shots, bested her opponent in the 3-2 struggle. Caplan’s match, less physical but no less intent was decided in the 5th game.

All players, including Anna Bullard, Sage Shanley, Cynthia Whitman and Caitlin Ruane posted victories this weekend. The team is in great physical condition and looking forward to a busy part of the schedule with matches this week against Wesleyan, Wellesley and Tufts.

1/26: Camel Men Split With MIT and California

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The Connecticut College Men’s Squash split a pair of matches this weekend. The Camels earned a 6-3 victory over UC Berkeley and lost by the same score to MIT. Dan Bloom, Ned Minevitz and Ted Shear notched victories in the 6-3 loss to MIT. Jordan Savage, Dan Bloom, Ned Minevitz, Nick Young, Dave Renninger and Ted Shear posted victories against UC Berkeley. The team resumes training and workouts in preparation for their home match against Fordham this Friday evening.

1/20: Squash Update-Camel Men Top Vassar-Women Go 2-2 on Weekend

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The Men’s Squash team recorded a solid 9– 0 win over Vassar. The team, strengthened by freshman transfer Ned Minevitz, dominated play and only gave up two games in the entire match. Brad Schwimmer, with dogged determination, overwhelmed his opponent to register his first collegiate win. The victory over number 26 Vassar will lift Connecticut College’s ranking.

The team lost a 3–6 heartbreaker to an improved Hamilton team ranked at 24. There was only one 3 setter, by Grant Godfrey, but 6 four setters and 2 marathon five setters by seniors Jeff Carter and Jake Ighile. Freshmen Jordan Savage and Dave Renninger won their matches while senior Jake Ighile prevailed in his grueling 5 setter. The match against Hamilton was quite close and reflected the intensity of the training and competitive play that is becoming the hallmark of this season’s team.

The stamina and condition of the team was tested in a match with the vastly improved GWU following the Hamilton clash. The loss of 2 – 7 was highlighted by a 5 game pitched battle between Camel freshman Dan Bloom and GWU’s Mike Greenwald that lasted almost an hour and a half and attracted a large boisterous partisan crowd.

Danny Bloom

Both players astounded the delighted crowd with their gritty play. The Camel partisans won the decibel contest, but Bloom was bested 9-7 in the fifth. All spectators agreed that it was an exemplary display of sportsmanship and determination. Nick Young and Ned Minevitz recorded the Connecticut College wins.

At Yale, Connecticut College surrendered a 9 – 0 loss to a strong, sharp shooting Stanford. After 3 hard matches on the road, the Camels were not playing up to par, but Stanford was the superior team. Immediately following Stanford, Connecticut College took on Yale B which turned out to be a walk over.

The team is looking forward to a short recovery and resuming training before taking on MIT and UC Berkeley next weekend.

The Women’s squash team went 2-2 this weekend with wins over Hamilton and Wellesley. A narrow 4 – 5 loss to Smith, including two 5 -4 game losses by Lucy Arnold and Rachel Caplan, demonstrated to cheering family, friends and alumni that the team has been training hard and is improving substantially.

The final match was an 8 -1 loss to a very solid Vassar. Individually, freshmen Anna Bullard, Sage Shanley, Lucy Arnold, Rachel Caplan, seniors Emily Sedlis, Emily Stieff, sophomore Cynthia Whitman, and junior Allison Read, all notched victories. The team is eagerly looking forward to the Mt Holyoke Invitational on January 31 with a chance to avenge their loss to Smith.

1/13: Dan Bloom Shows Promise in Camel Matches at Williams

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The men and women’s squash teams seasons are in full swing. The Camel men lost a pair of matches at Williams and the Camel women played some competitive matches as well. Freshman Dan Bloom picked up a victory against the Naval Academy and was impressive in the two matches. Freshman Ned Minevitz also turned in a solid performance. Sophomore Nick Young was another standout for the Camel men. Senior tri-captain Emily Stieff notched a victory at #3 against a tough Middlebury squad. Freshman Sage Shanley also excelled for the Camel women. The teams will try to break into the winning column at Vassar this weekend.

11/24: Camels Show Positive Signs in Opening Weekend Matches

NEW LONDON, Conn. --The men and women’s squash teams played Bowdoin and Tufts Saturday at Harvard. The Bowdoin teams, scoring decisive victories, were too much for the Camels. Tufts, although the victor, had a much more difficult time. The men lost 7-2 but fought 4 hard 5 setters by seniors Jeff Carter at #1, Grant Godfrey at #2, freshman Dan Bloom at #4 and sophomore Nick Young at #6. The women, losing 9-0 had a 5 setter by freshman Anna Bullard at the #1 position and 4 setters by senior Emily Sedlis at #2 and freshman Lucy Arnold at #6. Coach Bill McNally was very encouraged by the level of play and conditioning displayed by both teams this early in the season.

2/26: Strawbridge, Sedlis and Stieff Score the Trifecta at the Howe Cup-Phil Johnston Finishes the Season with 3-0 Weekend for Camel Men

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Connecticut College Women's Squash team completed its season at the Howe Cup hosted by Yale University from February 14-16. The Camels were defeated by Wesleyan 5-4, Hamilton 6-3, and dropped a tight 5-4 decision to Haverford. Senior Allie Strawbridge had a fine weekend for the Camels, finishing 3-0 in the #1 slot. Laura Betz finished 2-1 at number two. Emily Sedlis and Emily Stieff were a perfect 3-0 at number three and four for the Camels. The Camels finished the season with a final ranking of 24.

The Connecticut College Men's Squash team went 1-2 in its final weekend. The Camels dropped 5-4 decision to UC Berkeley and Haverford before picking up a 6-3 victory over Columbia. Phil Johnston was a perfect 3-0 on the weekend at number seven. Mike Hennon and Jake Ighile were 2-1 in the fourth and fifth positions. Jon Healy and Matt Parker finished 2-1 on the weekend in their respective positions of seven and eight.

2/10: Laura Betz, Emily Sedlis, and Emily Stieff win Matches in Defeat vs Tufts

NEW LONDON, CONN. -- The Connecticut College squash teams dropped their respective matches to Tufts this past weekend. The men were defeated 9-8 while the women dropped a 6-3 decision. Jeff Carter picked up a victory in the #3 slot for the men. Laura Betz, Emily Sedlis and Emily Stieff were victorious for the women. The men's squad is 2-11 and the women are 2-7.

1/29: Men's Squash Update: Camels Split Four Weekend Matches and Fall to Wesleyan Tuesday Evening, Moving to 2-7

NEW LONDON, CONN. -- The Connecticut College men's squash team went 2-2 this weekend, improving their season record to 2-6. The Camels defeated Fordham 9-0 at Fordham and topped an improved Northwestern 5-4 in tightly contested match that was decided in a tie-breaker by freshman Nick Young playing the number seven slot.

Sunday at Yale, the Camels dropped a close match to Stanford 6-3 that included five setters, two of which were decided by tie-breakers. The spent Camels were then blanked 9-0 by Rochester in a match that immediately followed the Stanford marathon.

"The team has worked very hard and everyone is playing very well," Coach Bill McNally stated. "We have had some outstanding performances and very exciting matches. Unfortunately, we have some injuries at key positions and it hurts the teams overall competitiveness."

Tuesday night, the Camels dropped a 9-0 decision to Wesleyan University, falling to 2-7 on the season. The Camels have four more matches to play and are aiming to improve their overall record.

"If we get everyone healthy, we can compete with anyone on our demanding schedule," said McNally.

12/12: Men's Squash Season Opens with Weekend Schedule of Four Matches in Three States

NEW LONDON, CONN. -- The Connecticut College men's squash team (0-4) dropped its first four matches this past weekend. The Camels dropped matches to St. Lawrence University and Wesleyan at the Wesleyan Invitational in Middletown, CT. The Camels fell to MIT Saturday afternoon in Cambridge, MA and followed that up with a 6-3 defeat at Haverford College in Haverford, PA Sunday afternoon. Grant Godfrey (Richmond Hill, GA) had a solid weekend, finishing 2-1 at the #4 position. Mike Hennon (Caracas, Venezuela) also notched two wins for the Camels.

12/12: Women's Squash Team Posts 8-1 Victory over Smith College, Opens Season 1-2

NEW LONDON, CONN. -- The Connecticut College women's squash team (1-2-) opened its season with an 8-1 victory over Smith College. The Camels dropped a pair of close matches to Mount Holyoke College and Haverford College. Laura Betz (Greenwich, CT) , Wendy Strait (Waddington, NY) and Emily Sedlis (Wyomissing, PA) all posted 3-0 records at second, third and fourth positions respectively. Allie Strawbridge (Gladwyne, PA) finished 2-1 for the Camels at the number one position. The Camels will resume action with a home match against Wesleyan January 30.