College squash picks up pace this weekend, with 31 matches featuring 30 teams. The Ivy League’s competition season officially opens Friday, bringing many of its teams into the action for the first time this season.

Philadelphia and Boston will be at the center of a busy slate of 18 men’s and 13 women’s matches. Five Pennsylvania programs meet for the Pennsylvania State Championships, including UPenn and Drexel, whose rivalry requires only a short walk down 33rd Street. In Boston, Harvard and MIT welcome visiting opposition, while matchups in Virginia, New York, and the Washington, D.C., area extend the action well beyond those two hubs.

Around the League

• Brown’s varsity debut: Vassar hosts Brown’s women for Brown’s official debut as a varsity team – a milestone for the program and college squash.
• Pennsylvania bragging rights: UPenn, Drexel, Franklin & Marshall, Dickinson, and Haverford compete in the Pennsylvania State Championships.
• A busy Boston swing: Harvard’s men open against Western on Friday before hosting Rochester on Saturday. Western also faces MIT during its Boston trip before stopping in Rochester for a match on the journey home.
• Key matchups beyond the hubs: Virginia hosts Yale, Cornell welcomes Columbia, and Georgetown’s women face both Yale and Dartmouth in the Washington, D.C., area.
• NESCAC waits in the wings: While Ivy League teams enter competition this weekend, NESCAC teams continue their preparations for their first official competition date on November 20.

Women’s Match of the Week: No. 9 Columbia at No. 8 Cornell

Sunday, November 15 | 12:00 p.m. | Cornell University

Ivy League rivals Cornell and Columbia open their seasons Sunday in Ithaca, with just one spot separating them in the preseason rankings. Cornell has won the last three meetings, but a history of closely contested matches makes this an intriguing opening test for both teams.

Columbia arrives looking to build on a strong finish to a challenging season. After falling outside the top 12 during the regular season, the Lions regrouped to win the Kurtz Cup at the Divisional Team Championships and finish No. 13 nationally. Cornell earned a place at the National Team Championships and finished No. 7.

The Big Red will look to extend their winning streak in the series on home courts, while Columbia has an early opportunity to carry last season’s late momentum into a new campaign.

Men’s Match of the Week: No. 8 Yale at No. 4 Virginia

Sunday, November 15 | 2:45 p.m. | University of Virginia

Virginia gets another shot at Yale on Sunday after the Bulldogs handed the Cavaliers a heartbreaking 5–4 defeat at last season’s National Team Championships. UVA had earned the No. 4 seed following a strong regular season that included a win on Yale’s home courts, but the Bulldogs prevailed when the teams met again on the championship stage.

That result adds another chapter to a rivalry that has grown increasingly compelling over the past few seasons. Yale has won six of the last seven meetings, while Virginia has pushed to establish itself among the nation’s top four. Now ranked No. 4, the Cavaliers opened their season last weekend with a 6–3 win over Drexel and will look to build on that start against a familiar rival.

Yale begins its season at Navy before continuing to Charlottesville. After graduating several top players, the Bulldogs enter the season looking to establish a new lineup and prove they can continue to compete with the country’s best. Virginia, meanwhile, has an opportunity to answer last year’s championship defeat with a win on home courts.

This Weekend’s Order of Play

The order of play is randomly assigned each weekend. This weekend’s sequence is:

• Three-court system: 3,2,1 / 6,5,4 / 8,7,9
• Five-court system: 2,1 / 3,4 / 5,6 / 7,8 / 10,9

Follow the Matches Live

Thirty teams. Thirty-one matches. Plenty of college squash to get behind. If you’re near the action, join us courtside and bring your support. Wherever you are, follow live scores through the match banner on the CSA website and stay connected with CSA social channels for highlights and updates throughout the weekend.

Full Weekend Schedule