Cambridge, MA — Samantha Rosado of Mount Holyoke was named the 2015 Wetzel Award winner.
The Wetzel Award is presented annually to a senior who began playing squash in college and has progressed to a high level of skill, demonstrates sound understanding of the game, and exhibits good sportsmanship and a positive demeanor on the court.
To be eligible for this award, candidates may not have played squash before coming to college, and this limitation includes informal play as well as formal instruction. In essence, a player would not have picked up a squash racquet before coming to college.
Candidates for the award are evaluated by a committee of college coaches. The player who wins the award must show outstanding growth technically as a player (records and results), a sound understanding of the rules of squash, and positive on-court poise and demeanor.
The award is named for former University of Pennsylvania coach Ann Wetzel. During the more than 20 years she coached at the University of Pennsylvania, Wetzel taught hundreds of women the game of squash. Wetzel was inducted into the Women’s College Squash Hall of Fame in 1995 and the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame in 2003.
This year’s award was presented at the Women’s National Team Championships, which were hosted by Harvard University.
Rosado, a Psychology and Spanish double major, played tennis, volleyball, and softball in high school. During her first year at Mount Holyoke, she played volleyball and squash and received the most improved player honor in both sports.
During her first year playing squash, Rosado played in the lower third of the Lyons’ ladder. She went 5-0. By her sophomore season, she moved into the third position for Mount Holyoke. She recorded a 11-11 record. Continuing her tenure in the top third of Mount Holyoke’s ladder, she went 9-11. At the DIII Invitational, Rosade captured the consolations of the B Division. For her senior campaign, Rosado concluded with a 10-17 overall record. She was a 2015 College Squash Association Scholar Athlete.
She is the second player from Mount Holyoke to win the Wetzel Award.
