MEDFORD, MA (February 10, 2023) -- The No. 16 Tufts University men's squash team will look to continue its upward trajectory in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) this weekend, traveling to Williams College for the 2023 NESCAC Championships.
Championship Details:
2023 NESCAC Men's Squash Championships
Dates: Saturday, February 11 - Sunday, February 12
Location: Williamstown, MA – Simon Squash Center (
Directions)
Coverage:
TOURNAMENT WEBSITE
The Jumbos come into this weekend with an 8-6 record on the year, but of those six losses four came against teams ranked in the College Squash Association's Top 10. Before Tuesday's loss to No. 1 Harvard University, Tufts has won four straight all against NESCAC opponents, giving the Jumbos some confidence going into the weekend. Tufts is looking to reach the NESCAC finals for the first time in program history this weekend, having fallen to Middlebury College last year in the NESCAC quarterfinals 5-4.
Tufts will get Middlebury once again in the NESCAC quarterfinals in 2023, having knocked off the Panthers 9-0 back on January 22. Tufts was 6-2 this year against NESCAC teams, falling to No. 6 Trinity College and the No. 2 seed in the NESCAC Tournament Williams College 7-2 on January 21. The Jumbos second-seed is the highest it has been, as it looks to earn a spot in the semifinal round for the first time ever this weekend.
The Jumbos have put together enough depth and talent on the roster to be able to make a run to the finals with some strong play. The strength of the team is its depth, showcased by a winning percentage of nearly .650 at the No. 3 through No. 7 positions this season. Tufts has gotten a huge year from
Vivaan Jaikishan, who leads the team with an 11-3 record including a perfect 5-0 mark at No. 7 this season. Jaikishan is also 7-1 against NESCAC squads. Right behind him with 10 wins including an 8-3 mark at No. 5 is
Sanjeev Jeyabalan.
Youssef Ezzo comes into the weekend playing his best squash of the season, having won four straight including a victory at No. 4 against Harvard on Tuesday.
Kerwin Teh is one of the toughest players on the team, having posted a 7-5 record this year with all 12 matches coming at No. 3.
Harry Charlton has been the rock at the top of the lineup this season, going 5-3 against NESCAC foes. His five wins against conference opponents is tied for third on the team.
Kunal Valia has also gone 5-3 in NESCAC play, winning his last four matches.
The first-round opponent for the Jumbos, Middlebury College, is the sixth seed for the first time since 2009. Middlebury have reached the semifinals of the NESCAC Championships in 11 straight tournaments, having finished third seven times since 2007. Last season, Trinity, the host of the 2022 NESCAC Championship, captured its 15th NESCAC title with an 8-1 victory over Bowdoin.
The Polar Bears, who did not qualify for this year's tournament, finished as tournament runner-up for the first time in program history in 2022 after reaching the championship match for the first time. Bates defeated Middlebury, 5-4, to claim third place while Amherst earned fifth place with a 7-2 win over Tufts and Colby claimed seventh place with a 6-3 win over Hamilton. Only three teams other than Trinity have played in the championship match – Bates (2016, 2017, 2018), Bowdoin (2022), and Williams (11 times – last: 2020).
Action starts at 3 p.m. Saturday for the Jumbos on Courts 7-12 against Middlebury. If Tufts were to advance, the Jumbos would play Sunday in the semifinals against the winner of Williams College and Colby College at 10:30 a.m. with the two remaining teams playing at 3:30 p.m. in the NESCAC finals.
--JUMBOS--
