Trinity College hosted the 24th Pan American Squash Championships at the George A. Kellner Squash Center from September 18 to 24, and Bantam Head Men’s Squash Coach Paul Assaiante coached the U.S. team to gold medals in the women’s individual and the men’s and women’s team tournaments.
The Pan American Squash Federation encompasses squash-playing nations in the Caribbean and North, Central, and South America. Andres Vargas ’11, a former Trinity All-American men’s player and assistant coach, organized the event for US Squash.
“We were so very excited to have the Pan American Federation Games come to the United States for the first time,” said Assaiante, the Paul D. Assaiante Associate Professor of Physical Education. “It is also exciting to showcase Hartford, Capitol Squash, and, of course, Trinity College.”
More than 100 of the region’s top professional players from 12 countries participated in the championships. Former and current Trinity players competing were Chris Binnie ’12 (Jamaica), Alexia Echeverria ’17 (El Salvador), Andrea Echeverria ’12 (El Salvador), Nayelly Hernandez ’10 (Mexico), Pamela Larromana ’12 (El Salvador), Nku Patrick ’19 (Jamaica), Catalina Pelaez ’14 (Colombia), Fernanda Rocha ’07 (Argentina), and Juan Vargas ’16 (Colombia).
Hernandez and Pelaez reached the women’s singles quarterfinals, with Pelaez defeating her fellow Bantam in that round before losing to American champion Marian Kamal in the semifinals. Hernandez also was a women’s doubles finalist, and Pelaez was a mixed doubles finalist.
For more photos from the opening ceremony of the Pan American Squash Championships, please view the images on flickr.