New London, CT — Conn College finished last season as the runners up in the Chaffee Cup (E Division) at the Men’s College Squash Association National Team Championships. Last season was challenging for the Camels with 11 of their 14 losses coming by either 0-9 or 1-8 margins. That said, the Camels improved throughout the year. They turned a 1-8 first semester season loss to Tufts into a 5-4 second semester regular season win. Conn College will be adding six first-year players to a roster that lost four players to graduation last season. “All players are very keen, willing to work hard together, and we will have good depth as a team,” states head coach Barry Ward. Five of the Camels’ first-year players are expected to play throughout the starting ladder this season. To improve this season, Conn College needs more wins from the bottom of its ladder. Last season, the lower 3rd of the ladder had a .193 winning percentage. A few more wins from this area of the line-up would boost the squad as a whole. If the young players on Conn College’s roster can step up, the Camels should increase their team’s number of victories and return to the Conroy Cup.
2015-2016 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 5-14
Final Ranking: 34
Team Championships: 2nd in the Chaffee Cup (E Division)
By the Numbers (From US Squash): 5-4 Matches Won: 2 of 3… Top 3 Win%: .228… Middle 3 Win%: .421… Lower 3 Win%: .193…
2016-2017 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: Barry Ward
Returning Players from Team Championships: 2. Matt Lillie (2017); 3. Daniel Reisman (2018); 4. John Dunham (2018); 8. Louis Feingold (2019); 9. Rafael Gamba (2017 – NESCAC All-Academic); 10. Clay Lenahan (2017 – NESCAC All-Academic); 11. David Aldaz (2019);
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Brendan McClintick (2016); 5. Nico Premutico (2016); 6. Santiago Moran (2016); 7. Alex Apkin (2016 – NESCAC All-Academic);
Additions to the 2016-2017 Roster:
- Expected to play in the top 3: Michael Rodriguez (2020, Pomfret School)
- Expected to play in the middle 3: Jeremy Carrasquillo (Suffield Academy) and Samuel Piller (St. Anne’s-Belfield)
- Expected to play in the bottom 3: Winston Simone (2020, Grace Church School) and Scott Brown (Greens Farms Academy)
- Other addition: Benji Osajie (2017, returning from study abroad) and Sam Ghorashi (2020, Northern Highlands Regional High School)
Captains: Matt Lillie and John Dunham
Team Goals: To train with intensity in practice, enjoy playing squash as a team, and to move up in the rankings
Key Matches: Tufts, Hamilton, MIT, and Stanford
To read other team previews, please visit the 2016-2017 College Squash Season Previews page.