New Haven, CT — Yale is aiming high this year: the Bulldogs intend to take home the Ivy League and national titles. The team loses two players from the middle of their order, but the middle three narrowly had the lowest win percentage on the team. Three new players are expected to make impacts throughout the line-up, so that should bolster the team’s chances of playing for a title on the last day of championships. Senior Shiyuan Mao will captain the team, and fellow senior Jenny Scherl will provide on-court leadership as well. After moving up from number 5 her freshman year, Scherl played number 1 for the past two seasons, earning All-Ivy and All-American honors along the way. Associate head coach Pam Saunders says that Scherl “has shown what hard work can do to a game. She has been a great leader and big part of our team’s recent success. Her morale is critical to the success of our team.” Indeed, working hard is part of the Bulldogs’ ethos: “Our team works very hard yet still manages to have fun and live a balanced life outside of squash,” explains Saunders. “As coaches we strive to teach our kids valuable life lessons both on and off the court and as a result we have a great team dynamic.” Toward that end, the team’s goals for this season include developing each player into the best that they can be and helping them become confident women in the workplace and beyond. The team will play Stanford at Stanford for the first time this season, and that match along with other traditional rivals will make for a competitive season for the Bulldogs.
2015-2016 SEASON RECAP
Season Record: 13-5
Final Ranking: 5
Team Championships: 5th in the Howe Cup (A Division)
By the Numbers (From US Squash): 5-4 Matches Won: 1 of 1… Top 3 Win%: .704… Middle 3 Win%: .648… Lower 3 Win%: .694…
2016-2017 SEASON PREVIEW
Program Status: Varsity
Head Coach: David Talbott
Associate Head Coach: Pam Saunders
Returning Players from Team Championships: 1. Jenny Scherl (2017 – All-Ivy League Team; Second Team All-American); 2. Celine Yeap (2019 – Second Team All-American); 3. Shiyuan Mao (2017 – CSA Scholar Athlete); 6. Jennifer Davis (2018); 7. Selena Maity (2018); 8. Jocelyn Lehman (2018); 9. Emily Sherwood (2019); 10. Madeline Tomlinson (2017 – CSA Scholar Athlete); 11. Ashley Suan (2018);
Graduated/Non-Returning Players from Team Championships: 4. Annie Ballaine (2016); 5. Georgia Blatchford (2016 – CSA Scholar Athlete);
Additions to the 2016-2017 Roster:
- Expected to play in the top 3: Lucy Beecroft
- Expected to play in the middle 3: Helen Teegan
- Expected to play in the bottom 3: Jessica Yaccobucci
Captain: Shiyuan Mao
Team Goals: To win the Ivy and National Championship titles
Key Matches: Ivy League matches, Trinity, and Stanford
To read other team previews, please visit the 2016-2017 College Squash Season Previews page.
