New Haven, CT — “The years when Yale seems to be the underdog is when they perform the best,” observes Yale associate head coach Pam Saunders. That’s the position the Bulldogs will be in entering the season after their sixth-place finish at the 2012 Men’s National Team Championships. The 2012 Bulldogs pulled off a historic feat last January when they ended Trinity’s unprecedented winning streak. “After a thrilling victory over Trinity to end their streak, we had two season-ending injuries in key players which explains our erratic results after that point,” Saunders explains. “Our win against Harvard for the fifth year in a row, with two walk-ons, was the major highlight of our season.” Having had the off-season to heal and regroup, the Bulldogs will now be aiming for the Ivy League and national titles. Two of their incoming players — Sam Fenwick of Wales and Zachary Leman of Canada — have been ranked #1 BU19 in their respective countries. All of the Bulldogs, newcomers and veterans, will be ready to work hard. “Our seniors have formed a great team dynamic that prioritizes all the right things and we are confident that we will have some surprising results,” Saunders predicts.
2011-2012 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 15-3
Final Ranking: 6
Team Championships: 6th in the Potter Cup (A Division)
2012-2013 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: David Talbott
Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Ken Chan (1st Team All-Ivy, 2nd Team All-American, CSA Scholar Athlete, Academic All Ivy); 2. Hywel Robinson; 3. Richard Dodd (All-American Honorable Mention); 6. Neil Martin; 9. Joey Roberts; 10. Eric Cain; 11. Sam Schlifer
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from 2011-2012 Team Championships: 4. John Roberts; 5. Ryan Dowd; 7. Robby Berner (CSA Scholar Athlete); 8. Sam Clayman (CSA Scholar Athlete)
Additions to the 2012-2013 Roster: Sam Fenwick, Zachary Leman, Pehlaaj Bajwa, and Peter Dewire
Captain: Hywel Robinson
Team Goals: To help players’ grow both on and off the court; to teach players how to be global citizens through learning lessons during training and in the classroom; to win a third Ivy Championship in four years and win a national title.
Key Matches: Ivy League matches, Trinity, and Rochester
To read other team previews, please visit the 2012-2013 College Squash Season Previews page.
