Waterville, ME — Colby improved significantly last season, and other teams took notice. The Mules were the first-ever recipients of the Most Improved Team Award. The team was also recognized for their sportsmanship, receiving the 2010 Chaffee Award as well.
Colby finished 14th during the 2007-2008 season, but with the graduation of a number of players that year, they struggled the following year. The dropped from the Kurtz Cup (B Division) almost to the bottom of the Walker Cup (C Division) in 2008-2009. Last season, the Mules worked their way back into the Kurtz Cup competition, jumping from 23rd to 16th by the end of championships.
The experience of regrouping after losing a number of players will be invaluable to Colby this year. The Mules have graduated over half of their starting lineup from last season, including four-year number 1 Samantha Smith. Smith received Colby’s Pamela Hoyt-Sanborn Award for her contributions to the team and was one of only four NESCAC athletes to be named to the All-Conference, All-Academic, and All-Sportsmanship teams during the past two years.
The addition of Kate Pistel and Molly Parsons to the top four contributed to Colby’s improvement last season. Hopefully, the two newest Mules — Hotchkiss’s Lindsey McKenna and St. Paul’s Julie Monrad — will have a similar impact as the young team rebuilds the middle of their line-up.
2009-2010 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 14-12
Final Ranking: 16
Team Championships: 16th Overall; 8th in Kurtz Cup (B Division); Chaffee Award Winners; Most Improved Team Award Winners
2010-2011 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: Sakhi Khan
Returning Players from Team Championships: Alison Crevi (9); Lily Greenberg (10); Jae Paik (8); Molly Parsons (4); Kate Pistel (2; 2nd Team All-NESCAC)
Graduates on Last Season’s Team Championships Roster: Madeline Dufour (3); Jessica Kravetz (6); Caroline Reaves (5); Kaeley Shepard (7); Samantha Smith (1; 2009-2010 Captain; NESCAC All-Sportsmanship; 1st Team All-NESCAC)
Additions to the 2010-2011 Roster: Lindsey McKenna and Julie Monrad
Captain: Alison Crevi
To read other team previews, please visit the 2010 – 2011 College Squash Preview Page.
