Princeton, NJ -– Trinity senior co-captain Gustav Detter won the 2009 Skillman Award. The annual award recognizes a senior men’s player who has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship throughout his college squash career.
A four-time All-American, Detter leaves Trinity with a 65-11 career record. Detter played most of this season at the number 2 position, compiling a 17-2 record and finishing the season ranked number four in the country. He was the 2009 New England Small Colleges Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men’s squash player of the year, and was named to the All-NESCAC First Team and the NESCAC All-Sportsmanship Team. He also received the George Sheldon McCook Trophy, which is given to Trinity’s senior male athlete of the year.
As a member of the Trinity squad, Detter was a four-time national team champion. He also played a pivotal role in keeping Trinity’s eleven-year winning streak alive. In their 2006 dual match against Princeton, the Bantams came into the final match tied 4-4 with the Tigers. Detter, then a freshman, was playing number 1 and faced Yasser El Halaby, arguably the greatest men’s college squash player in US history, in the deciding match. El Halaby won the first two games 9-7, 9-7, and brought Detter to match ball at 8-6 in the third. Detter dug deep, saved four match balls, and won the game in tie-breakers, 10-8. He won the next two games decisively, taking the match and saving Trinity’s streak. By the time Detter won his fourth team title with the Bantams this year, the streak had reached 202 victories, the longest active winning streak in US intercollegiate varsity sports.
A native of Malmoe, Sweden, Detter is a standout performer in the classroom as well as on the squash court. He was a two-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree, and graduated from Trinity with a 3.8 GPA with a degree in economics.
Detter joins fellow Bantams Chris Smith (1989) and Reggie Schonborn (2005) as a recipient of the Skillman Award, one of the top honors in college squash. Candidates for the award are evaluated on their on-court poise and demeanor, skill level, team play, leadership, and contributions to college squash. The award is named for legendary Yale coach John Skillman, who over 41 seasons led the Bulldogs to sixteen national titles and only one losing season.
