Cambridge, MA — There were only two moments last season when eventual national champions Harvard looked vulnerable. One was a 5-4 win over Princeton at home in January, and the other was a 5-4 win over Yale in New Haven, the match that clinched the 2012 Ivy League title for the Crimson. Those tests strengthened Harvard’s resolve, and by the time the Crimson took to their home courts for the Howe Cup final, they were unstoppable, steamrolling Yale 8-1 to capture the 2012 national title. The 2012-2013 edition of the Crimson should be on par with last year’s squad, if not stronger. Newcomers Michelle Gemmell (Toronto, Ontario) and Saumya Karki (Thane, India) will help fill in the gaps left by graduating seniors Nirasha Guruge and Cece Cortes, and fellow first-year Isabelle Dowling (Riverside, CT; Greenwich Academy) will add depth to the line-up. (Gemmell and Dowling both have family ties to Harvard squash: Gemmell’s sister Laura will be a senior on the team, and Dowling’s mother, Diana Edge, and father, Joseph Dowling, both played for the Crimson.) Unless there’s a big surprise, the Crimson will have a shot at defending their title in February. What remains to be seen is how much pressure teams like Yale, Trinity, Princeton, and Penn can put on Harvard.
2011-2012 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 17-0
Final Ranking: 1
Team Championships: 1st in the Howe Cup (A Division)
2012-2013 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: Mike Way
Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Amanda Sobhy (First Team All-Ivy, Ivy League Player of the Year, Ivy League Rookie of the Year, 1st Team All-American, Ramsay Cup Winner); 2. Laura Gemmell (First Team All-Ivy, 1st Team All-American, Scholar Athlete, Academic All-Ivy); 4. Haley Mendez (2nd Team All-American); 6. Natasha Kingshott (Scholar Athlete); 7. Sarah Mumanachit; 8. Julianne Chu; 9. Megan Murray; 10. Eliza Calihan (Scholar Athlete); 11. Vidya Rajan
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from 2011-2012 Team Championships: 3. Nirasha Guruge (First Team All-Ivy, 1st Team All-American); 5. Cece Cortes (2nd Team All-American; Scholar Athlete, Academic All-Ivy)
Additions to the 2012-2013 Roster:
- Expected to compete for spots in the top or middle 3: Michelle Gemmell and Saumya Karki
- Expected to compete for a spot in the bottom 3: Isabelle Dowling
Captains: Natasha Kingshott and Sarah Mumanachit
Team Goals: To defend the national title
To read other team previews, please visit the 2012-2013 College Squash Season Previews page.
