Tigers sign three talented international players

Men's squash head coach Bob Callahan confirmed this week that three highly touted players, all originally hailing from outside the United States, will be members of Princeton's class of 2009.

The talented triumvirate of Mauricio Sanchez, Hesham El Halaby and Kim Lee Wong are expected to make an immediate impact for the Tigers.

"They will be a strong trio next year that harkens back to the fall of '99, in which four young fellows came through and won three out of four Ivy League championships," Callahan said. "These fellows have the potential to form the backbone of a very strong team."

Sanchez is originally from Mexico City. After graduating from high school, he made the decision to spend a postgraduate year at the Lawrenceville School. Lawrenceville provided him with the opportunity to be immersed in an English-speaking and academically intensive environment in preparation for university life, in addition to being a high school squash powerhouse and the current national champion.

Sanchez has already squashed many international opponents and is ranked No. 132 in the world according to the Professional Squash Association. Sanchez has garnered championship titles from an early age and is expected to make a big impact on Princeton's program.

"He has been one of the top players in North America since he was young," Callahan said.

El Halaby, originally from Egypt, is also spending a postgraduate year at Lawrenceville. His last name is a famous one on the squash circuit thanks to the enormous success his older brother Yasser, a junior at Princeton, has had over the past three years. The elder El Halaby has played No. 1 for the Tigers since his freshman year, winning three straight individual national titles — a feat no other male player has ever accomplished in his first three collegiate seasons.

Though Hesham is not yet playing at Yasser's remarkable level, Callahan said he is confident that the potential is there.

"He was very excited, like the other two [recruits], to come join us this year," Callahan explained. "He will probably be right along the level of Mauricio."

Wong, the final member of the trio, originally hails from Malaysia but attended high school in England. After graduating in 2004, he has taken a year off from school to develop his play training with the Malaysian men's national team in preparation for the World Championships.

The three recruits will provide the Tigers with a needed injection of vitality. Princeton had an unusually rough year this past season after losing five of nine projected starters before the season even began. Sophomore Vincent Yu missed much of the year with an illness, freshman Martin Maierhofer withdrew from school and returned to his native Germany, juniors Nate Beck and Dent Wilkens both spent time away from Princeton and junior Will Boothby left the team. Still, the Tigers exceeded the expectations for their makeshift lineup, ultimately claiming third place in the national team tournament.

With the addition of Sanchez, El Halaby and Wong, as well as the expected returns of Yu, Beck and Wilkens, Princeton should have enough firepower next season to challenge Trinity College, the five-time defending team national champion.