Spencer Lovejoy, the senior captain of the Yale University men’s team, was awarded the 2020 College Squash Association (CSA) Skillman Award, as voted on by the coaches of men’s varsity teams. The award was presented on Saturday afternoon prior to the start of the Potter Cup semifinals by representatives of the Schiller Family Foundation in honor of Dr. Sheldon Schiller.
The Skillman Award is given annually to a senior men’s squash player who has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship during his entire college career while maintaining a high level of play. The nominees were evaluated according to criteria such as on-court poise and demeanor, skill level and ability in the game of squash, team play, contributions to intercollegiate squash, leadership, and cooperation with players, coaches, and tournament officials.
Lovejoy’s hard work and dedication to honing his skills has paid off with notable results on court and great progress over his college career. His results during his first three CSA National Collegiate Individual Championships illustrate the arc of success: in three years he went from a top seed in a Molloy (B) Division draw to Pool (A) Division consolation draw winner to Pool Trophy semifinalist a year ago.
His on-court accolades are eclipsed by his reputation as a great sportsman and a fair player. Revered by peers, competitors, coaches, and fans alike, Lovejoy is widely known as a player with the utmost respect for the game and a true sense of decency and fairness, even at the highest level of play.
The four-time First-Team All-Ivy selection and two-time CSA All-American earns high praise from his coaches. Yale Head Coach Dave Talbott notes that “Spencer winning the Skillman Award validates what has been such an impressive college career. He has absolutely been a standout for his fair play and sportsmanship. Spencer epitomizes what the Skillman Award represents, and his winning the award is a statement of his character on and off the court.”
Saadeldin Abouaish of Harvard University and Kush Kumar of Trinity College were the other two finalists for the 2020 Skillman Award. The award is named for John Skillman, the Yale head squash coach for 41 years.
