Minneapolis, MN — Minnesota squash has hit the ground running. Although the team formed after last season was already underway, they hosted a round robin, met the season match requirement, and finished second in the Emerging Teams Division at the Men’s National Team Championships. This season, the team plans to compete in a nine-player division and break into the mid-fifties in the national rankings. The team has an expanded budget this season, four new courts are under construction, and a new faculty member with squash experience will be assisting with coaching. “Our players and coaches represent a broad internatiional mix, including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Egypt, France, Canada, and, of course, the US,” explains coach John Stever, who has been a driving force behind Minnesota’s impressive growth. “We are a young program that is getting bigger and better each year.” Teams in the midwest and beyond should note that the Golden Gophers and the Jester’s will be hosting the second annual Minnesota Invitational Round Robin in early February in Madison, Wisconsin.
2011-2012 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 4-2
Final Ranking: 61
Team Championships: 2nd in Emerging Teams Division
2012-2013 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Club
Head Coach: John Stever
Returning Players from Team Championships: Tarun Nambiar (1); Michael Kraft (2); Rahul Saladi (3); Samuel Lindsay (5)
Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Tarun Nambiar; 5. Mikael Rellier; 6. Ben Kerzman; 7. Vedansh Gupta; 8. Oliver Adams; 9. Michael Cowger; 10. Sam Lindsay; 11. Brian Benton
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from 2011-2012 Team Championships: 2. Michael Kraft; 3. Rahul Saladi; 4. Craig Sadowski
Additions to the 2012-2013 Roster: Stephan Perera
Captains: Tarun Nambiar and Mik Rellier
Team Goals: To field a full 10-player team and move into the mid-fifty ranking level
Key Matches: Notre Dame, Northwestern, Illinois (Springfield), Illinois (Champaign), and Washington University (St. Louis).
To read other team previews, please visit the 2012-2013 College Squash Season Previews page.
