Men's squash takes on national powerhouse Trinity

With one of the highest student-athlete percentages in the nation, Princeton is no stranger to athletic success. Yet even amidst all the achievement and stars of the Tiger athletic community, the men's squash team (12-2 overall, 4-2 Ivy League) has traditionally stood out as a king among princes, vying for, if not winning, the national championship year after year.

However, two disappointing losses this season to Harvard and Yale have currently dropped the Tigers to No. 4 in the nation and No. 3 in the Ivies. Princeton will battle to strengthen its national ranking this weekend against No. 1 Trinity.

After graduating five of last season's starters, Princeton was well aware that this rebuilding season might not deliver the championships of prior years.

"We have a very different team this year," head coach Bob Callahan said. "A lot of rebuilding was needed after graduating our Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 guys, four of whom were All-Americans."

It is in this area of development and rebuilding that the team's success has shone bright. With five freshmen in the lineup, the underclassmen have performed beautifully, living up to every expectation. Callahan hopes to take multiple players to the individual national championship tournament, in which the top 64 players in the country participate, a fact which attests to the talent and depth of this young squad.

Trinity

This match against Trinity will be a challenging test for Princeton.

"Trinity has been the best team in the country for about five or six years," Callahan said. "They have a very strong collection of players from around the world."

The fact that Trinity has won its last 101 varsity matches certainly seems to support this claim. But the Tigers, feeding off regular season adrenaline and post-season anticipation, are eager to meet the Bantams head on.

"A win against Trinity would be amazing," senior Aaron Zimmerman said. "The team is looking forward to the challenge."

Although a victory would be the ultimate achievement, the team's goals include more than just this. Players and coaches alike will be looking for the best overall performance of the season, no matter what the outcome may be.

"What we're looking to get out of the match this weekend are well-played games and individual improvement," Callahan said. "This season has really been a chance for the underclassmen to mature as players."

After the matches this weekend, which also include No. 9 Williams and No. 11 Amherst, the Tigers will begin a two-week preparation for the College Squash Association National Championship tournament, held the last weekend in February.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Princeton, who as No. 4 in the nation has a very decent shot at the championship, is more than anything else looking forward to another chance at No. 2 Yale and No. 3 Harvard. These teams will also be at the tournament.