With all CSA teams eligible to begin match play this weekend, the schedule is packed with intriguing early season match-ups.
The fireworks get started right away this evening, covering many different areas of interest. Both the George Washington and Virginia men set program bests with their preseason rankings – 8 and 9, respectively – and the winner of their contest in Washington tonight could ultimately decide which program earns its first Potter Division berth at the end of the season.
In upstate New York, two other regional rivalries could have the same long-term impact on the end-of-season rankings. The No. 27 William Smith women welcome No. 25 St. Lawrence aiming for an early Epps Cup edge, while the No. 13 Cornell men work to keep No. 15 Western Ontario at bay.
Bates and Bowdoin, both with new, first-time head coaches, will kick off the NESCAC season with the rivalry match in Brunswick. The friendly foes from Maine are one of four pairs of NESCAC matches which open the season for the conference this weekend.
On Saturday, squash fans can find excellent college action up and down the mid-Atlantic corridor, from New York to Philadelphia to Baltimore and Washington, DC. Starting in the north, the Fordham men host potential Chafee Cup previews with Bucknell, Cal-Berkeley, New York University, Northeastern, and Stanford coming to town.
The informal Pennsylvania state tournament takes place in Philadelphia this season, with Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall taking on Penn and Drexel. In Baltimore, Meadow Mill Athletic Club hosts another valuable round robin for emerging and club teams, including a surging Chatham team, as well as Johns Hopkins (men & women), Georgetown (men & women), North Carolina-Chapel Hill (men), and Bucknell (Women).
Finally, the Princeton men and their newly-minted No. 4 preseason ranking travel south to take on Navy (Saturday) and George Washington (Sunday). Farther north, Cornell and St. Lawrence renew their rivalry in Ithaca (including the No. 13 vs. No. 12 men’s match) and No. 6 Rochester men start their season against Western Ontario, both on Sunday morning.
The order of play for this weekend is:
- 3-court system: 2,1,3 / 6,5,4 / 8,7,9
- 5-court system: 2,1 / 3,4 / 6,5 / 8,7 / 10,9
View the full college schedules here:
College Squash Women’s Schedule
College Squash Men’s Schedule
Live Scoring will be available for many matches during the weekend on Club Locker.
Please also follow the CSA on Twitter (@CollegeSquash) and Instagram (@college_squash) for social media updates throughout the weekend.
