Hartford, CT — For the past three seasons, Trinity has played in the Team Championship final, winning the Howe Cup in 2013 – 2014. This season, Trinity wants to be in contention again. The Bantams are focused on matches with teams that were ranked in the top 8 last season. During the 2014 – 2015 season, only one team, Harvard, bested Trinity, once in the regular season and again in the National Championship final. Head coach Wendy Bartlett, the NESCAC Coach of the Year, states that “Trinity squash is a hard working team that always achieves to be the best.” Last season, Trinity’s top 3 had the best win percentage in the country. With all three of those players returning, the possibilities look strong for the Bantams. At the top of Trinity’s order is Kanzy El Defrawy, a three-time CSA First Team All-American, three-time NESCAC First Team member, a three-time NESCAC Player of the Year, and the 2013 NESCAC Rookie of the Year; she will be the Bantams’ co-captain this season. After finishing the past three seasons as runner up in the Ramsay Cup (Individual National Championships), El DeFrawy will be seeking the individual title this year. The Bantams appear to be well positioned to contend for the national title this season.
2014-2015 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 17-2
Final Ranking: 2
Team Championships: 2nd in the Howe Cup (A Division)
By the Numbers (From US Squash): 5-4 Matches Won: 2 of 2… Top 3 Win %: 0.8947… Middle 3 Win %: 0.7895… Lower 3 Win %: 0.7679
2015-2016 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: Wendy Bartlett (NESCAC Championship; NESCAC Coach of the Year)
Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Kanzy El DeFrawy (2016 – CSA Ramsay Cup Finalist, CSA First Team All-American, First Team All-NESCAC, NESCAC Player of the Year); 2. Raneem Sharaf (2018 – CSA First Team All-American, First Team All-NESCAC); 3. Anna Kimberley (2017 – CSA Honorable Mention All-American, First Team All-NESCAC); 4. Julia Le Coq (2018 – CSA Second Team All-American, Second Team All-NESCAC); 6. Salma El DeFrawy (2018); 8. Karol Holinkova (2016); 9. Sachika Balvani (2016); 11. Alexia Echeverria (2017)
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from 2014-2015 Team Championships: 5. Ashley Tidman (2015 – Second Team All-NESCAC); 7. Natalie Babjukova (2015 – NESCAC All-Academic, NESCAC All-Sportsmanship); 10. Chanel Erasmus (2015)
Additions to the 2015-2016 Roster: Jillian Davey (2018) and Katiria Sanchez (2016)
Captains: Sachika Balvani and Kanzy El Defrawy
Team Goals: To contend for a National Championship
Key Matches: Teams ranked in the top 8
To read other team previews, please visit the 2015-2016 College Squash Season Previews page.
