HomeArticlesTrinity: 2015 – 2016 Men's College Squash Season Preview

Trinity: 2015 – 2016 Men’s College Squash Season Preview

Trinity College

Hartford, CT — After nineteen seasons and fifteen national titles, could this be the end of Trinity’s run? The question has been asked for close to twenty years. Even with four graduates from the top 9 at Team Championships, the Bantams do not expect to be out of the mix for the national title. The team has four new players, two for the top 3 and two for lower 3, ready to help defend the Potter Cup. Fresh off coaching the United States’ team at the Pan Am Games, head coach Paul Assaiante will be able to focus his attention completely on collegiate squash this academic year: after 21 seasons of coaching two sports, he will not be coaching the Trinity men’s tennis team. Co-captain Juan Vargas, the sole senior from Trinity’s  starting nine  last season, was also at the Pan Am Games. The CSA All-American helped Colombia earn a gold medal in doubles squash. With the regular slate of tough competition scheduled this season, all eyes will be on Trinity to see if the young squad can earn their 20th straight trip to the National Championship final.

2014-2015 SEASON RECAP

Season Record: 20-1

Final Ranking: 1

Team Championships: 1st in the Potter Cup (A Division)

By the Numbers (From US Squash): 5-4 Matches Won: 0 of 1… Top 3 Win %: 0.6133… Middle 3 Win %: 0.9315… Lower 3 Win %: 0.9583

2015-2016 SEASON PREVIEW

Program Status: Varsity

Head Coach: Paul Assaiante (National Team Championship, Potter Cup, NESCAC Championship)

Returning Players from Team Championships: 3. Rick Penders (2018 – CSA First Team All-American, Second Team All-NESCAC); 4. Juan Vargas (2016 – CSA Second Team All-American, First Team All-NESCAC, NESCAC All-Academic); 6. James Evans (2018); 8. Affeeq Ismail (2017 – Molloy Cup Finalist); 9. Omar Allaudin (2018)

Graduated/Non-Returning Players from 2014-2015 Team Championships: 1. Vrishab Kotian (2015 – First Team All-NESCAC); 2. Miled Zarazua (2015 – CSA Second Team All-American, First Team All-NESCAC); 5. Karan Malik (2015 – CSA Second Team All-American, NESCAC All-Sportsmanship, Second Team All-NESCAC); 7. Moustafa Hamada (2015); 10. Elroy Leong (2015); 11. John Lamont (2015 – NESCAC All-Academic)

Additions to the 2015-2016 Roster:

  • Expected to play in the top 3: Michael Craig and Tom De Mulder
  • Expected to play in the middle 3: Tor Christofferson
  • Expected to play in the bottom 3: Nku Patrick and Mudit Pantt

Captains: Affeeq Ismail and Juan Camillo Vargas

Team Goals: Retain the National Team Title

Key Matches: Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Rochester, St. Lawrence, and Yale

To read other team previews, please visit the 2015-2016 College Squash Season Previews page.

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