Middletown, CT — “The future is bright, and this young squad will grow in experience over time,” says head coach Shona Kerr. The Cardinals find themselves in the midst of a rebuilding year, having graduated a number of seniors. Sophomore Laila Samy, a 2015 First Team All-American, returns at the top of the ladder, and seniors Bridget Doherty and Liza Bayless will captain the squad. In addition to new players Ale Lampietti, Ali Imperiale, and Anna Knes, the Cardinals will benefit from the expertise of new assistant coach Tim Bacon, a certified strength and conditioning coach who brings experience working with beginners through to the Canadian National team level. The team also plans to take a week-long training trip to San Diego for the ninth consecutive year. Kerr speaks highly of the experience Wesleyan offers student athletes. “Wesleyan University boasts exceptional facilities and coaching staff for any player to fulfill their squash potential. It also offers one of the finest liberal arts educations in the country and the ability to pursue other interests such as music, real time scientific research, study abroad or any other passion that a student may discover while here,” she says.
2014-2015 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 8-12
Final Ranking: 21
Team Championships: 5th in the Walker Cup (C Division)
By the Numbers (From US Squash): 5-4 Matches Won: 0 of 2… Top 3 Win %: 0.6833… Middle 3 Win %: 0.4068… Lower 3 Win %: 0.4386
2015-2016 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: Shona Kerr
Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Laila Samy (2018 – CSA First Team All-American, DIII Individual Champion – A Draw, First Team All-NESCAC, NESCAC Rookie of the Year); 5. Liza Bayless (2016 – CSA Scholar Athlete, NESCAC All-Academic); 7. Abigail Smith (2017 – NESCAC All-Academic); 8. Annie Ferreira (2017 – NESCAC All-Academic); 9. Bridget Doherty (2016 – NESCAC All-Academic, NESCAC All-Sportsmanship); 10. Tatum LeClair (2018)
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from 2014-2015 Team Championships: 2. Lauren Nelson (2015 – CSA Scholar Athlete, NESCAC All-Academic); 3. Ashley Suan (2018); 4. Annie Maxwell (2015 – CSA Scholar Athlete, NESCAC All-Academic); 6. Claire Miller (2015 – CSA Scholar Athlete, NESCAC All-Academic); 11. Hannah Jenkins (2015); Cristina Ortiz (2015)
Additions to the 2015-2016 Roster: Ale Lampietti (Friend’s Seminary, NY), Ali Imperiale (The Bay School of San Francisco) and Anna Knes (Chicago)
Captains: Bridget Doherty and Liza Bayless
Team Goals: To gain experience and peak for Team Championships
Key Matches: Any team in the top 20 and all NESCAC opponents
To read other team previews, please visit the 2015-2016 College Squash Season Previews page.
