2001-02 Men's Squash Outlook

With 12 returning players, including five seniors, the 2001-02 Trinity College men's squash team is poised to continue its domination of collegiate squash. Over the past three seasons, Trinity has won 52 straight matches and captured three consecutive National Intercollegiate Squash Racquets' Association (NISRA) Team Championship titles. Last season, the Bantams finished 17-0 and defeated Harvard University in the Potter Trophy finals for the third year in a row. Trinity won 145 of 153 varsity matches during the 2000-01 season and placed five players on the All-American squad.

This year’s seniors have the incomparable opportunity to complete their four-year careers without losing a single squash match. Co-captains Rohan Juneja and Lefike Ragontse, who combined for an 87-11 career record between them, will lead the way, along with classmates Rohan Bhappu, Gaurav Juneja, and Noah Wimmer. Rohan Juneja has a 32-1 career duals record and earned second team All-American honors last season. Ragontse has earned All-American honors in each of his first three seasons and reached the finals of the NISRA Singles Championships in 2000-01. Bhappu, Gaurav Juneja, and Wimmer have compiled a 96-12 career mark among them in their three seasons.

Juniors Nickolas Kyme and Jonathan Smith also return after establishing themselves as dominant collegiate squash players. Smith had a 17-1 record and won a NISRA Singles consolation title as an All-American as a freshman and went 8-0 last year despite missing half the season. Kyme emerged last season with a 15-2 mark to earn first team All-American status. Classmates Carl Baglio and Thaddeus Roberts are solid contributors as well.

Sophomore Michael Ferriera breezed through his first collegiate squash season with a perfect 13-0 dual record while playing No. 1 for the Bantams. A member of the English National team, Ferriera was named a first team All-American. Fellow sophomores Pat Malloy and Nadeem Osman also enjoyed fine rookie campaigns with a combined 15-0 mark. In addition, Malloy combined with Duncan Pearson ’01 to capture the NISRA doubles title. An outstanding freshman class, led by Columbian National Champion Bernardo Samper and India’s Junior National Team member Vishal Kappur will push for playing time immediately.

The 2000-01 Bantams will play in the world’s first squash facility with two permanent colored glass wallcourts. The newly constructed state-of-the-art complex will feature a pyramid gallery to ensure an intimate setting for spectators, and Trinity will be the nation’s only college to play its home matches with a white ball.

"These seniors have the unique challenge of winning every match they played in their collegiate careers and my challenge is to keep an amazing group of elite athletes motivated to grow," Assaiante says. "This group has accomplished so much, and it’s difficult to move forward while looking over your shoulder. We need to create our own reality and that reality is on the horizon."