Ithaca, NY — Ithaca is one of the CSA’s newest teams. The Bombers competed in the Emerging Teams Division at the Men’s National Team Championships last season and finished third in the division and 59th overall.

Moving ahead, the Bombers are looking to develop Ithaca’s squash program. They are working towards moving out of the Emerging Teams Division into the nine-player divisions at the Men’s National Team Championships. Toward that end, one of Ithaca’s goals is to play at least six matches during the regular season, a requirement for nine-player teams.

Ithaca is also expanding its roster. Four of the five players who traveled to Nationals will be back this year, and six new players will be joining the squad. Senior Mike Silipo and first-year player Mack Smith will be competing for spots in the top 3. Smith played squash competitively as a junior in high school and has decided to pick up the sport again. Silipo plays lacrosse for Ithaca and has family college squash ties; his brother Andrew captained Cornell during the 1999-2000 season.

Junior David Gal, another Ithaca lacrosse player who has been playing squash non-competitively for years, is expected to compete for a spot in the middle 3, as is Ryan Wolfman, who like Smith is returning to squash after playing in high school. Calvin Healy, a transfer from Colorado College, and Natasha Jones-Sykes, a Williston Northampton grad, will be competing for spots in the bottom 3. Healy is a converted racquetball player and has six years of squash experience. Jones-Sykes played on the varsity squad for Williston.

The Bombers will get an early start to the season when they take on Siena and Cornell’s club team in late October. “Our program has experienced significant growth in just two years,” says team member Brad Kolodner. “We are very excited about the upcoming season as we feel that squash at Ithaca College will continue to rapidly develop in the near future.”

2009-2010 SEASON RECAP

Season Record: 0-2
Final Ranking: 60
Team Championships: 59th Overall; 3rd in Emerging Teams Division

2010-2011 SEASON PREVIEW

Program Status: Club

Returning Players from Team Championships: Ty Broderson (3); Brad Kolodner (1); Dan Petty (2); Leisa Robotham (4)

Graduates on Last Season’s Team Championships Roster: Mike Hopewell (5)

Additions to the 2010-2011 Roster:

• Competing for spots in the top 3: Mike Silipo and Mack Smith
• Competing for spots in the middle 3: David Gal and Ryan Wolfman
• Competing for spots in the bottom 3: Calvin Healy and Natasha Jones-Sykes

Team Goals: Continue to develop as a club team and continue to build program, play at least 6 matches in the regular season, compete as a nine-player team at Nationals and crack the top 50, and have fun

Key Matches: Siena, Colgate, and Cornell club team

To read other team previews, please visit the 2010 – 2011 College Squash Preview Page.