The first half of the 2025–26 College Squash season has wrapped up, capping off a dense schedule featuring tons of competitive matches. From October’s season openers through the final matches leading into December break, the sheer volume of high quality squash helped teams across the country establish early positioning, generate key results, and reshape the rankings.
The past six weeks showed us some movement within the top 10 and several landmark program victories. As teams head into winter break, here’s a snapshot of where things stand at the midway point.
Men’s Division:
- UVA Holds at No. 4
The University of Virginia continues its upward trajectory following a historic 6–3 win over Yale in Week 3. UVA climbed from a Pre-Season ranking of No. 6 to No. 4 and successfully defended that position through December. - Top 8 Volatility
The middle of the top 10 saw significant shuffling. Drexel made headlines in Week 4 with a statement 6–3 win over Princeton. However, the order shifted again in the final weekend when Columbia secured a decisive 7–2 victory over Drexel. Columbia closes the semester at No. 6, followed by Drexel at No. 7 and Princeton at No. 8. - Conn College Claims Rivalry Win
In the final match before the break, Connecticut College traveled to Wesleyan and edged their NESCAC rivals 5–4. The result allowed the Camels to leapfrog the Cardinals, moving up to No. 28 in the rankings. - Rankings Risers
Outside the top 20, two teams made significant leaps. Dickinson College climbed four spots from No. 27 to No. 23, while Haverford College jumped three spots from No. 28 to No. 25, marking strong first halves for both programs.
Women’s Division:
- Top Four Shuffle
November brought notable change at the top. Stanford earned a key victory over Princeton, reshuffling the order. Meanwhile, No. 2 Penn defeated No. 3 Stanford 8–1, though the scoreline was deceptive; the match was incredibly tight, featuring six contests that went the full five games. - Tufts Breaks into the Top 10
Tufts University capitalized on home-court advantage in Week 3, defeating Columbia 5–4. The win propelled Tufts from a Pre-Season ranking of No. 13 into their first ever number 10 position. - Denison’s Strong Finish
Denison closed the semester with a perfect 3–0 weekend in December, highlighted by a 7–2 win over Hamilton College. Big Red heads into the second half of the season ranked No. 21.
Rankings Watch: Pre-Season vs. Dec 10
The following tables track the movement of all ranked teams from the Pre-Season poll to the final poll of the semester (12/10).
Men’s Rankings Progression
| Team | Pre-Season | 12/10 Rank | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn | 1 | 1 | – |
| Trinity | 2 | 2 | – |
| Harvard | 3 | 3 | – |
| UVA | 6 | 4 | ▲ 2 |
| Yale | 4 | 5 | ▼ 1 |
| Columbia | 7 | 6 | ▲ 1 |
| Drexel | 8 | 7 | ▲ 1 |
| Princeton | 5 | 8 | ▼ 3 |
| Dartmouth | 9 | 9 | – |
| Cornell | 10 | 10 | – |
| Tufts | 11 | 11 | – |
| Williams | 12 | 12 | – |
| MIT | 13 | 13 | – |
| Amherst | 14 | 14 | – |
| Naval Academy | 15 | 15 | – |
| Franklin & Marshall | 16 | 16 | – |
| Middlebury | 17 | 17 | – |
| Western Ontario | 18 | 18 | – |
| Rochester | 19 | 19 | – |
| Colby | 20 | 20 | – |
| Bowdoin | 21 | 21 | – |
| Bates | 22 | 22 | – |
| Dickinson | 27 | 23 | ▲ 4 |
| Chatham | 24 | 24 | – |
| Haverford | 28 | 25 | ▲ 3 |
| St. Lawrence | 23 | 26 | ▼ 3 |
| Hamilton | 25 | 27 | ▼ 2 |
| Connecticut College | 29 | 28 | ▲ 1 |
| Wesleyan | 26 | 29 | ▼ 3 |
| Denison | 30 | 30 | – |
| Fordham | 31 | 31 | – |
| Hobart | 32 | 32 | – |
| Vassar | 33 | 33 | – |
| Bard | 34 | 34 | – |
Women’s Rankings Progression
| Team | Pre-Season | 12/10 Rank | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 1 | 1 | – |
| Penn | 3 | 2 | ▲ 1 |
| Stanford | 4 | 3 | ▲ 1 |
| Princeton | 2 | 4 | ▼ 2 |
| Trinity | 5 | 5 | – |
| UVA | 6 | 6 | – |
| Cornell | 7 | 7 | – |
| Yale | 8 | 8 | – |
| Drexel | 9 | 9 | – |
| Tufts | 13 | 10 | ▲ 3 |
| Columbia | 10 | 11 | ▼ 1 |
| Dartmouth | 11 | 12 | ▼ 1 |
| Amherst | 12 | 13 | ▼ 1 |
| Georgetown | 14 | 14 | – |
| Williams | 15 | 15 | – |
| Middlebury | 16 | 16 | – |
| Colby | 17 | 17 | – |
| Bowdoin | 18 | 18 | – |
| Wesleyan | 19 | 19 | – |
| Dickinson | 20 | 20 | – |
| Denison | 21 | 21 | – |
| St. Lawrence | 22 | 22 | – |
| Hamilton | 23 | 23 | – |
| Bates | 24 | 24 | – |
| Connecticut College | 25 | 25 | – |
| William Smith | 26 | 26 | – |
| Franklin & Marshall | 27 | 27 | – |
| Haverford | 28 | 28 | – |
| Chatham | 29 | 29 | – |
| Bard | 31 | 30 | ▲ 1 |
| Vassar | 30 | 31 | ▼ 1 |
Notable Matches of the Fall
- Men: No. 6 UVA defeat No. 4 Yale (6-3) – UVA’s first program win over a top-4 opponent.
- Women: No. 13 Tufts defeat No. 10 Columbia (5-4) – A 5-4 decision that vaulted Tufts into the Top 10.
- Women: No. 3 Penn defeat No. 4 Stanford (8-1) – A decisive scoreline in a matchup of Howe Cup contenders.
- Men: No. 29 Connecticut College def. No. 28 Wesleyan (5-4) – A pivotal NESCAC rivalry win on the road.
Looking Ahead to 2026
With teams returning in January rested and recalibrated, the second half of the season promises high-stakes matchups, tighter ranking battles, and postseason implications across all divisions. Expect momentum shifts, emerging contenders, and plenty of drama as the race toward the CSA Championships heats up.
We wish all student-athletes good luck on their exams and a restful break. See you on the courts in January!
