Photos by David B. Newman
Men’s Squash
The Trinity College men’s squash team completed another historic season in 2016–17, finishing with a 19–1 record, winning its 11th consecutive New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship title, and capturing the College Squash Association (CSA) National Team Championship (Potter Trophy) title for the 16th time in the last 19 years. The Bantams, coached by Paul Assaiante in his 23rd season, defeated Pennsylvania 8–1 and St. Lawrence 7–2 in the Potter Trophy quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, before winning at Harvard 5–4 in the CSA finals.
Senior tri-captain Affeeq Ismail won a third consecutive CSA National Singles Championship B Division (Molloy) title. Junior tri-captain Rick Penders and sophomores Michael Craig and Thoboki Mohohlo were each named to the CSA All-American First Team, while Ismail graced the CSA All-American Second Team. Mohohlo also was selected as the NESCAC Men’s Squash Rookie of the Year and joined Penders and junior James Evans on the All-NESCAC First Team, while Ismail, junior Omar Allaudin, and Craig each garnered All-NESCAC Second Team honors.
Women’s Squash
Trinity’s women’s squash team, coached by Wendy Bartlett in her 33rd season, finished with a 16–3 record, won its 11th consecutive NESCAC title, and finished third in the CSA National Team Championships (Howe Cup) at Princeton University. The Bantams swept through the league tournament at Amherst College with 9–0 wins over Colby, Bates, and Williams and blanked Stanford 9–0 in the Howe Cup quarterfinals before falling to Penn in the semifinals. Trinity rallied to win 7–2 at Princeton to earn third place. Trinity junior Raneem Sharaf and first-year Vanessa Raj were named to the CSA All-American First Team, while fellow Bantam rookies Salma Alam El Din and Lakeesha Rarere graced the CSA All-American Second Team. Raj also was named as the NESCAC Women’s Squash Rookie of the Year and joined senior co-captain Anna Kimberley and Sharaf on the All-NESCAC First Team, while junior Julia LeCoq, Alam El Din, and Rarere graced the All-NESCAC Second Team.