Clinton, NY — Two years ago, Hamilton had one of the best seasons in the program’s history, finishing with 14 wins and a national ranking of 15th. The Continentals didn’t quite match the success of 2007-2008 last season, with a 12-10 record and a 16th-place finish in the National Team Championships. But with an experienced squad and some solid additions to the starting line-up, Hamilton is ready to build on the successes of the past two seasons.
The team returns its top six players from last season, including senior captains Kelly Whipple and Kristen Rubin, who earned 2008-2009 first and second-team All-NESCAC honors, respectively. Sophomore Alyssa Bawden will also be back in the line-up; she played at #3 before she was injured last January. Nina Platt, a senior who played #9 in the past, has returned from study abroad.
Bawden and Platt aren’t the only experienced players who will be joining the Continentals. Claire Corroon of Westminster and Amanda Thorman of Greenwich Academy are expected to play in the upper-middle of the ladder. Suffield Academy’s Alexis Lee will be one of the players who should help fill the spots at the bottom of the starting line-up left by ’08 grads Madeleine Sullivan, Ashley Pardoe, and Bailey Harris.
Competition in the Kurtz Cup should be tight this season, and Hamilton wants to be a contender in the B division. But the Continentals are also committed to ethical play, and they have set goals for character as well as performance. “Watch out for the enthusiasm of this team,” warns head coach Jamie King. “Usually a dance party breaks out during the warmup and then the energy is transferred to the on court matches.”
2008-2009 Season Recap
SEASON RECORD: 12-10
FINAL RANKING: 16th
NATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: 16th; 8th in Kurtz Cup (B Division)
2009-2010 Season Preview
Returning Players from Team Championships: Kelly Whipple ’10 (1; All-NESCAC); Kristen Rubin ’10 (2; 2nd -Team All-NESCAC); Leila Clifford-Ong ’11 (3); Danielle Forsyth ’11 (4); Courtney Kollmer ’10 (5); Anne Edelstein ’11 (6); Jane Hannon ’11 (8)
Graduating Players from Team Championships: Madeleine Sullivan (7); Ashley Pardoe (9); Bailey Harris (10)
Additions for the 2009-2010 Roster:
- Expected to play in the top 3: Alyssa Bawden ’12 (returning from injury; played #3 before she was injured)
- Expected to play in the middle of the starting line-up: Claire Corroon ’13 (Westminster); Amanda Thorman ’13 (Greenwich Academy)
- Expected to play in the bottom of the starting line-up: Nina Platt ’10 (returning from study abroad; played #9 previously); Alexis Lee ’13 (Suffield)
Captains: Kelly Whipple and Kristen Rubin
Team Goals: To contend for the Kurtz Cup by improving individual skills and supporting the performance of the entire team; to contend for the Chaffee Award by playing within the spirit of the game, respecting opponents, and exhibiting exemplary character on and off the court regardless of performance outcomes or opponents’ actions; in general to grow and improve as a team and have fun
Key Matches: Mount Holyoke, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Bates, Amherst, and George Washington
To read other team previews, please visit the 2009 – 2010 College Squash Preview Page.
