Dunlop 2014-2015 Women’s College Squash Preseason Team Rankings

In October, a series of College Squash Association rule changes were announced. This included an addition to the Ranking Rules that stipulated “CSA varsity coaches will vote on the top-25 positions for the preseason ranking positions. The Ranking Chair and the Executive Administrator will determine the remaining positions in the rankings.”

In accordance with this new rule, close to three-quarters of varsity coaches cast their ballots according to the following parameters:

• Coaches were provided with a summary of each school’s team preview information (returning players, graduating/non-returning players, and expected additions) to assist in evaluating the teams.
• Teams received points for every vote they received. For example, each first place vote garnered 25 points, a second place vote garnered 24 points, a third place vote garnered 23 points, etc.
• If there was a tie, the team with the higher ranking at the conclusion of last season received the higher ranking position in the preseason rankings.
• Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own school.
• The poll was based on how strong teams are at the beginning of the season and not how strong teams will be at the end of the season. Coaches took into consideration if players are abroad during the Fall semester.
• Teams in the top 25 would be unable to appeal their preseason ranking position.

Harvard was voted the top team in the nation. The Crimson did not graduate a single player from last season’s national championship final. Last season’s champion, Trinity, begins the season ranked 2nd, while Penn and Yale move to 3rd and 4th, respectively.

Last season’s Kurtz Cup (B Division) champions, George Washington, move to 8th, while Columbia moves up to 9th. Williams and Drexel vault Bates to take the 12th and 13th positions.

Franklin & Marshall and Amherst, last year’s pairing in the Walker Cup (C Division) final, switch positions, with F&M taking 17th and Amherst taking 18th.

Mount Holyoke and Colby also switch positions. The Mules are ranked 22nd, while the Lyons are ranked 23rd.

The ranking positions of 26 – 30 were rearranged due to incoming and graduating players. Tufts takes the 26th position, followed by William Smith, Conn College, Boston College, and Georgetown.

Last season’s E Division champions, Haverford, move up a position to 32nd.

With four players returning from studying abroad, Smith College vaults up four positions to 35th.

Select schools have already commenced their seasons.  The results of these early matches were not factored into the preseason rankings. Teams that did not compete in the 2013 – 2014 Women’s College Squash Association National Team Championships were not ranked.

Below are the 2014 – 2015 Dunlop Women’s College Squash Association preseason team rankings.  Listed after each school’s name is their final ranking from last season and the overall number of votes and points received in the varsity coaches’ poll.

1. Harvard University  (2; 23 Votes Received for 572 Points)
2. Trinity College  (1; 22 Votes Received for 522 Points)
3. Pennsylvania, University of  (4; 22 Votes Received for 500 Points)
4. Yale University (3; 22 Votes Received for 484 Points)
5. Princeton University  (5; 22 Votes Received for 482 Points)
6. Cornell University  (6; 22 Votes Received for 443 Points)
7. Stanford University  (7; 21 Votes Received for 390 Points)
8. George Washington University  (9; 21 Votes Received for 372 Points)
9. Columbia University  (10; 21 Votes Received for 368 Points)
10. Dartmouth College  (8; 21 Votes Received for 357 Points)
11. Brown University  (11; 22 Votes Received for 324 Points)
12. Williams College  (13; 21 Votes Received for 298 Points)
13. Drexel University  (14; 20 Votes Received for 272 Points)
14. Bates College  (12; 21 Votes Received for 268 Points)
15. Middlebury College  (15; 22 Votes Received for 246 Points)
16. Hamilton College  (16; 21 Votes Received for 206 Points)
17. Franklin and Marshall College  (18; 21 Votes Received for 202 Points)
18. Amherst College  (17; 21 Votes Received for 199 Points)
19. Bowdoin College  (19; 21 Votes Received for 152 Points)
20. St. Lawrence University  (20; 21 Votes Received for 144 Points)
21. Wesleyan University  (21; 22 Votes Received for 137 Points)
22. Colby College  (23; 21 Votes Received for 104 Points)
23. Mount Holyoke College  (22; 20 Votes Received for 80 Points)
24. Wellesley College  (24; 20 Votes Received for 54 Points)
25. Virginia, University of  (25; 18 Votes Received for 46 Points)
26. Tufts University (27; 9 Votes Received for 21 Points)
27. William Smith College (28; 2 Votes Received for 2 Points)
28. Connecticut College (30; 4 Votes Received for 8 Points)
29. Boston College (26; 3 Votes Received for 4 Points)
30. Georgetown University (29; 1 Vote Received for 1 Point)
31. Johns Hopkins University (31)
32. Haverford College (33)
33. Bucknell University (32)
34. Colgate University (34)
35. Smith College (39; 1 Vote Received for 1 Point)
36. New York University (35)
37. Minnesota, University of (37)
38. Northeastern University (36)
39. Washington University in St. Louis (38)
40. Northwestern University (41)
41. Rochester, University of (40)
42. Notre Dame, University of (43)
43. California (42)