PHOTO ALBUM – Chris McLintinck

Finals

Women

(1) Trinity 5/4 (2) Harvard

CSA reports

Trinity College secured the 2025 CSA Women’s Team National Championship (Howe Cup) in dramatic fashion on Sunday, March 9, defeating Harvard University 5-4 in a match that came down to the final court. The top-seeded Bantams and second-seeded Crimson battled for over three hours, with momentum shifting throughout the morning before Trinity ultimately emerged victorious. With the win, Trinity successfully defended its national title, securing back-to-back championships.

Harvard struck first, as Brecon Welch earned a four-game victory over Fabiola Cabello to put the Crimson on the board. Lucie Stefanoni followed with a hard-fought five-game win against Noa Romero, giving Harvard a 2-0 lead. Moments later, Hanna Chukwu responded for Trinity, battling past Habeeba Eldefrawy in five games to earn the Bantams’ first point.

Trinity continued to gain ground when Varvara Esina defeated Emma Carney in four games, leveling the overall score at 2-2. Harvard quickly regained the lead as Caroline Fouts overcame Jana Safy in four games, making it 3-2 in favor of the Crimson. Meanwhile, Luján Palacios was in the middle of a grueling contest with Molly Stoltz, ultimately winning in five games to bring the match to 3-3.

As the final wave of matches got underway, Janna Ashmawy delivered a crucial win for Trinity, defeating Amira Singh in straight games to give the Bantams their first lead of the match. Saran Nghiem answered for Harvard, defeating Malak Ashraf Kamal in four games to tie the score again at 4-4. With the national championship on the line, the final match between Trinity’s Kara Lincou and Harvard’s Ocean Ma took center stage. With a packed crowd surrounding Court 4, Lincou held her nerve, securing a straight-game victory and clinching the Howe Cup for Trinity.

The 5-4 win sealed the Bantams’ second consecutive national championship, completing a championship run as the tournament’s #1 seed.

HARVARD NEWS: RUNNER-UP

Men

(1) Penn 6/3 (3) Yale

Salman Khalil (P) def. Tad Carney (Y), 3-1 (11-4, 11-13, 11-9, 11-3)
Nick Spizzirri (P) def. Arav Bhagwati (Y), 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-5)
Omar Hafez (P) def. Lachlan Sutton (Y), 3-0 (11-8, 11-3, 11-8)
Marwan Abdelsalam (P) def. Maxwell Orr (Y), 3-1 (12-14, 11-1, 11-3, 11-6)
Nathan Kueh (P) def. Rohan Gondi (Y), 2-1 (11-9, 11-6, 14-16, 11-0 ABN)
Rishi Srivastava (Y) def. Dana Santry (P), 3-1 (11-3, 11-5, 11-13, 12-10)
Max Forster (Y) def. Zane Patel (P), 3-1 (6-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-0 ABN)
Abdelrahman Dweek (P) def. Nikhil Ismail (Y), 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-2)
Merritt Wurts (Y) def. Varun Chitturi (P), 3-2 (4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9)

PENN TELL THE TALE

“The top-seeded University of Pennsylvania men’s squash team completed its first perfect season and earned its second straight College Squash Association Potter Cup national team championship on Sunday, defeating third-seeded Yale at the Arlen Specter Squash Center, 6-3.

“The Quakers (20-0) won the first four matches of the day—Omar Hafez at No. 3, Abdelrahman Dweek at No. 8, Marwan Abdelsalam at No. 4, and Nick Spizzirri at No. 2—to get on the verge of the title. Yale (10-3) fought hard and won the next two matches (at No. 9 and No. 6) to close the gap to 4-2, but Salman Khalil won in four games at the top spot to clinch the fifth and final point.

“In many ways, this year was way more stressful than last year,” said head coach Gilly Lane C’07. “I’ve always loved being the person who’s going after it and chasing it, really attacking the big dog. It was a weird situation being the other way around this year.

“I’ve never been more impressed with a group of student-athletes,” he continued. “They just got it and understood what they needed to do in big moments. In actuality, I was able to take a step back a bit because it was such a senior-laden group, an upperclass-led group. I am more honored than anything to get to coach these incredible players.”

How It Happened

Hafez was on the exhibition court for the first wave and got things started with a sweep. He was followed quickly by Dweek, and then Abdelsalam—who lost his first game but rolled in the next three—to put Penn up 3-0 as the second wave of matches got started. Spizzirri made quick work of his opponent on the exhibition court, winning in three, and at that point it seemed like the Red and Blue were well on their way.

“I thought the biggest match was Dweek’s match,” said Lane. “He’s gone up and down with that particular opponent throughout his college career, so for him to get over the line in three gave us some good momentum. Nick is always a stud, so tough, and it was great for him to finish his career so emphatically. That put us up 4-0 but then it got a little edgy.”

Indeed…not so fast. Varun Chitturi won his first game but lost the next two. He fought back to win the third, then fought off several match points in the fifth before falling 11-9. Dana Santry, meanwhile, fell in his first two games, fought off a few match points to win the third, then another match point in the fourth before he was vanquished.

By that time the third match was underway on the exhibition court and Penn had to like its chances with CSA individual champion Khalil repping the Red and Blue. He did not disappoint, winning the first game 11-4. His opponent, Tad Carney, came back with a 13-11 win in the second game, and then the two battled through a dramatic third game that Khalil pulled out, 11-9. That seemed to take the wind out of Carney’s sails, and the Quaker sophomore rolled to an 11-3 victory in the fourth game to clinch the win for Penn.

Nathan Kueh (who was up 2-1 in games) and Zane Patel (who was down 2-1) had their matches abandoned once Khalil’s match went final.

Yale finished as National Runner-up, its best result since 2016!

Semis

Women

(1) Trinity 9/0 (5) Penn
(2) Harvard 8/1 (3) Princeton

Men

(1) Penn (4) 9/0 Trinity College
(3) Yale 6/3 (2) Princeton ***

PENN NEWS: SWEEPING TRINITY

YALE NEWS: GETTING PAST PRINCETON

With the CSA Team Championships nearing their climax, the energy inside the venue was electric. A packed house of fans, teammates, and alumni filled the stands, with roars echoing through the facility as every point was fought with intensity.

In the Howe Cup (Women’s Division), Trinity College played with confidence and precision to secure their place in the final, earning a victory over Penn in front of a lively crowd. They will face Harvard, who put together a strong performance against Princeton to advance. Both teams have been dominant all season, setting up a highly anticipated final between two of the most decorated programs in college squash.

Meanwhile, in the consolation bracket, Stanford and Cornell engaged in one of the most thrilling matches of the day, with Stanford narrowly securing the deciding point in a back-and-forth contest. Virginia and Columbia both put together standout team efforts to claim victories over Yale and Drexel, while Dartmouth and Tufts battled down to the wire, with Dartmouth emerging just ahead in another nail-biter.

On the men’s side, Penn’s squad delivered a composed and confident performance against Trinity, while Yale played inspired squash to overcome Princeton in a match that saw momentum swing throughout the afternoon. The Penn-Yale final will be a clash of two teams who have been building toward this moment all season.

In the consolation draw, the fans were treated to some of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament. Columbia and Virginia fought through a tense 5-4 battle, with Columbia just edging ahead in the final moments. Harvard and Drexel put on a competitive display, as did Dartmouth and Cornell in another down-to-the-wire finish. Williams and Tufts wrapped up the day with another close 5-4 contest, capping off an unforgettable slate of matches.

With the finals now set, the excitement is at a fever pitch. Trinity and Harvard women will take the court for the Howe Cup Final at 10:30 AM, followed by Penn and Yale men in the Potter Cup Final at 2:30 PM. After three days of elite competition, two teams will emerge as champions—but not without one final test on the grandest stage.

Quarters

Women

(1) Trinity 8/0 (8) Cornell
(5) Penn 6/3 (4) Stanford ***

(3) Princeton 7/2 (6) Virginia
(2) Harvard 9/0 (7) Yale

PENN NEWS: WOMEN STUN STANFORD TO SECURE SEMI WITH TRINITY

Men

(1) Penn 7/2 (8) Columbia
(4) Trinity College 7/2 (5) Virginia

(3) Yale University 5/4 (6) Harvard
(2) Princeton 8/1 (7) Drexel

The second day of the CSA National Collegiate Team Championships delivered high-energy competition as teams battled for a spot in the semifinals. With a packed arena and an enthusiastic crowd, players fed off the energy from teammates and supporters, producing some of the most intense matches of the tournament so far.

In the Howe Cup (Women’s Division), top-seeded Trinity College continued its dominant run, conceding just one match in an 8-1 victory over Cornell. Harvard delivered a statement performance with a 9-0 sweep of Yale, while Princeton powered past UVA 7-2, setting up an intriguing semifinal showdown. The only upset of the day came as the University of Pennsylvania took down fourth-seeded Stanford 6-3, showcasing their depth and resilience in a hard-fought win.

On the men’s side in the Potter Cup, the top four seeds all survived to advance to the semifinals, though not without drama. The most thrilling match of the day came from Yale and Harvard, where the Bulldogs edged out a 5-4 victory over their longtime rivals in a classic Ivy League battle. Elsewhere, Penn took down Columbia 7-2, while Trinity mirrored that result against UVA. Princeton made quick work of Drexel with an 8-1 win, rounding out a semifinal field stacked with title contenders.

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The 2025 CSA National Collegiate Team Championships are officially underway at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, as the top 12 men’s and women’s teams begin their pursuit of college squash’s ultimate prize — the Howe Cup for women and the Potter Cup for men.

With the top 4 seeds in each division receiving a bye into Saturday’s quarterfinals, 8 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams stepped onto court today for a full slate of first-round matches. The opening day gave teams a chance to settle in, adjust to the championship atmosphere, and set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling weekend of squash.

Last 16

Women

[8] Cornell 7/2 [9] Drexel
[5] Penn 9/0 [12] Dartmouth
[6] Virginia 8/1 [11] Tufts
[7] Yale 5/4 [10] Columbia

Men

[8] Columbia 7/2 [9] Cornell
[5] Virginia 3/0 [12] Tufts
[6] Harvard 9/0 [11] Dartmouth
[7] Drexel University 8/1 [10] Williams

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Last week, met the “lower ranked” teams on a three-day event, with fierce competition and great photos! Now, it’s the Creme de la Creme…

The 2025 College Squash Association (CSA) National Collegiate Team Championships are set to commence on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This prestigious event will showcase the top 12 men’s and women’s teams from across the nation, all vying for the esteemed Potter Cup (Men’s Championship) and Howe Cup (Women’s Championship).