HomeArticlesColumbia: 2018-2019 Women's College Squash Season Preview

Columbia: 2018-2019 Women’s College Squash Season Preview

The Columbia Lions Women’s Squash team has made a gradual march up the rankings to a solid place in the bottom half of the Howe Cup (A Division) draw, but in recent years they have stalled there. 2018 was a possible breakthrough year, with Columbia beating Penn in the regular season for the first time in program history. Penn avenged that loss at the CSA National Team Championships, however, and the Lions managed to hold off Cornell for 7th place, still tied for their highest ever program finish.  Head Coach Jacques Swanepoel’s squad will have a fierce fight to maintain their place in Howe Cup competition this season with two major player losses and only two added recruits.  Three-time All-American and All-Ivy League player Tanvi Khanna and fellow team captain and four-year starter Addie Fulton both graduated in 2018, creating a need for anchors at both the bottom and the top of the Columbia ladder.  Top returning player Maddie O’Connor has valuable experience, including two straight showings in CSA Individual Championships Holleran Cup finals, but depth will be critical as the Lions aim to maintain their position.  Cornell, Drexel, and Dartmouth will all be eagerly waiting should Columbia falter at all along the way.

2017-2018 SEASON RECAP

Season Record:  10-7

Final Ranking:  7

Team Championships Result:  7th in the Howe Cup (A Division)

2018-2019 SEASON PREVIEW

Head Coach:  Jacques Swanepoel

Returning Players from Team Championships:

  1. Maddie O’Connor; 3. Nicole Kendall; 4. Jui Kalgutkar; 5. Habiba Mohamed; 6. Jane Pincus; 7. Doria Chen; 9. Diana Masch; 10. Julia Masch

Graduated/Non-Returning Players from Team Championships:

  1. Tanvi Khanna; 8. Addie Fulton

Additions to 2018-2019 Roster:

  • Soo Hyun Hong
  • Pranjali Sharma

Key Matches:  Cornell, Stanford, Dartmouth, Drexel, Penn

To read season previews for other CSA teams, please visit the 2018-2019 College Squash Season Previews page.

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