College squash championship season has arrived with the Liberty League Championships, Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference (MASC) Championships, and the NESCAC Women’s Championships all on tap for this weekend. In preparation, the College Squash Association (CSA) has released the latest set of team rankings.
With many results from the last week playing out according to the previous rankings, there is not a large amount of movement among team positions this week.
Both Columbia wins over Dartmouth on Sunday are causing the biggest impact on the two polls. Positions five through nine are jam-packed on the women’s side, and the Lions’ win propelled them up three spots to No. 6. Because of that move, Penn and Dartmouth both fell two spots, to No. 7 and No. 9, respectively. In a crucial battle for the final standings, Columbia and Penn will meet this weekend in Philadelphia.
The Columbia men did not quite receive the bump they were looking for, but they did play spoiler, forcing Dartmouth down two spots to No. 9. Yale and Virginia both benefit, moving up a place each to No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. If Virginia can stage a successful MASC Championship run, they could be competing for the Potter (A Division) Trophy for the first time in program history.
The standings also continue to be close in the 15-17 and the 23-25 ranges, especially on the men’s side. Despite MIT’s win over Williams during the weekend, the Ephs maintain their 16th position thanks largely to No. 20 Amherst’s upset victory over MIT previously. No. 22 Colby’s win over Bowdoin helps them jump over the Polar Bears in the rankings. And now, after an additional week of matches, Dickinson and Tufts are locked in a virtual tie at No. 24. (All ties will be broken at the end of the regular season after all matches have been played.)
Similarly to the men, an extra week of matches helped separate Bates, Amherst, and Middlebury, who were previously tied at No. 15. Bates edges ahead to take the lead spot, with Amherst at No. 16 and Middlebury at No. 17. They will have it all to play for this weekend at the NESCAC Championships, hosted by Wesleyan.
Before the quest for trophies gets underway on Friday, there is a true clash of the titans scheduled for Wednesday evening. The Trinity teams – ranked second and third in last week’s polls – welcome top-ranked Harvard for a true primetime battle. Fans who cannot make it to Hartford for the midweek clash can catch the action live here: Trinity Athletics Live Stream.
To view the full set of rankings, please visit the College Squash Team Rankings page.
