Northampton, MA — The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) has announced its 2009-2010 All-Conference squash teams.
NESCAC also singled out several individuals for exceptional performances this season.
Pamela Hathway of Trinity was named Player of the Year. Hathway went 13-2 in dual match play this season, helping Trinity win its fourth consecutive NESCAC team title and finish third in the nation. Hathway ended the season ranked second nationally, making it to the finals of the Women’s Individual Championships.
“What stands out most about her this year are the challenges she overcame to finish as one of the best women collegiate players,” says Trinity coach Wendy Bartlett.
Hathway, a junior, transferred to Trinity this year from the University of Munich. Within a month after arriving at Trinity, she came down with mono, making the process of adjusting to a new culture and a new school even more challenging. Sick for at least eight weeks, Hathway wasn’t able to train until January. She entered the Trinity line-up at number four, and with focus, discipline, and hard work began to regain her game, playing number one for the Bantams by the end of the season.
She peaked at Individuals, where she faced Harvard’s Laura Gemmell in the finals. Gemmell had only lost a single game the entire season and had beaten Hathway 3-0 when they met during the regular season. But at Individuals Hathway took Gemmell to five games in a thrilling match that came down to the final points. Though Hathway did not win, she showed both outstanding play and exemplary sportsmanship.
“Pamela has also contributed a great deal not only as an individual player but also as a teammate,” Bartlett says. “She is supportive of every player, and is a role model as a hard worker, efficient practice partner, and superb sportswoman.”
Another player who made a major contribution to her team was Cheri-Ann Parris of Bates, who earned Rookie of the Year honors. Parris, playing number one for the Bobcats, went undefeated in the last nine matches of the regular season and finished her first year with an 18-5 record.
“Cheri-Ann Parris has single-handedly transformed our women’s squash program at Bates,” says Bobcats coach Pat Cosquer. “She brings a passion and quiet confidence that is infectious and permeates everyone here, even the men’s team. She will be a force in college squash as she continues to mature and develop her game.”
Cosquer was named the 2009-2010 Coach of the Year. In his second year at Bates, the Bobcats tied their record for most wins in a season. They finished the season with an 19-8 record, improving from an 11-10 record in 2008-2009. Bates came in third at the NESCAC championship and ended the season ranked 11th nationally, moving up three spots from last year’s final ranking of 14th. This was also the first year Bates had players in both the women’s and men’s A Draws at Individuals; Parris competed in the women’s A Draw and NESCAC co-Player of the Year Kush Mahan competed in the men’s. Cosquer was also named Coach of the Year for the men.
“I am extremely honored to be named as both the Men’s and Women’s NESCAC Coach of the Year by my peers,” he says. “But those awards are really a tribute to my student-athletes and their hard work and development this season, and I [would] not win those awards if we didn’t have such great kids here at Bates.” Cosquer singled out key 3-2 victories from Parris and senior co-captains Whitney Roller and Hannah Laverty as well as the team’s 5-4 win over Mount Holyoke at the Women’s National Team Championships as being especially memorable.
He is already looking ahead to next season: “Next year will be another exciting year for us and will include a training and service trip to California in January, where we will play several teams at Stanford and work with local community-service organizations, a mid-season stop at the Tourney of Champions in NYC and trips to rivals, Mount Holyoke, Dartmouth and Williams.” The Bobcats will also be going on a hiking trip to Acadia National Park in the fall.
Among the players named to the All-NESCAC teams were ten seniors: Jennifer Coxe (Williams), Toby Eyre (Williams), Cara Flynn (Connecticut), Tehani Gurgue (Trinity), Nayelly Hernandez (Trinity), Jo-Ann Jee (Trinity), Laverty, Samantha Smith (Colby), Avery Tilney (Middlebury), and Kelly Whipple (Hamilton).
They are an accomplished group of athletes. Eyre and Hernandez were recently named to the 2009-2010 All-American team, both earning First Team honors. Hernandez also won the consolation final of the 2010 Ramsay Cup (women’s individual A Division national championship). Jee came within a game of winning the 2010 Holleran Cup (women’s individual B Division national championship), and Coxe won the Holleran cup in 2009.
In addition to leading their teams on the court, many of these players have taken on leadership positions on their teams. Coxe, Eyre, Laverty, Flynn, Jee, Tilney, Smith, and Whipple all served as captains of their respective teams.
Congratulations to all the members of the 2009-2010 All-NESCAC team!
First Team
- Nour Bahgat (Trinity)
- Courtney Bogle (Williams)
- Jennifer Coxe (Williams)
- Toby Eyre (Williams)
- Lauren Gesswein (Bowdoin)
- Pamela Hathway (Trinity)
- Nayelly Hernandez (Trinity)
- Hannah Laverty (Bates)
- Cheri-Ann Parris (Bates)
- Samantha Smith (Colby)
Second Team
- Caroline Flynn (Connecticut College)
- Tehani Guruge (Trinity)
- Robyn Hodgson (Trinity)
- Jo-Ann Jee (Trinity)
- Valerie Koo (Tufts)
- Hayley Milbourn (Amherst)
- Kate Pistel (Colby)
- Virginia Shannon (Middlebury)
- Avery Tilney (Middlebury)
- Kelly Whipple (Hamilton)
