A Veteran & A Rookie Lifting Columbia Squash To New Heights
2/3/2015 4:07:00 PM | Men's Squash
NEW YORK - In just five seasons, the No. 3 Columbia men's squash program has emerged as one of the top contenders in the country. Entering a triumphantly prestigious conference that is the Ivy League in team's 2010 inception, the Lions have continued to climb that ladder to success and are now in an outside position to take the Ivy League crown with a 4-1 record with only two games remaining.
With Columbia Alumni and Friends Head Coach Jacques Swanepoel at the helm, the men's squash team has developed into its strongest lineup of talent and experience this season. Coach Swanepoel has continued to make significant strides to propel his vision of success in Columbia's rise to the national spotlight, however no one can argue that his picture really began to take place with the arrival of standout player Ramit Tandon.
• RAMIT TANDON •
In his arrival to Morningside Heights and dawning of Columbia Blue, Ramit Tandon captivated the college squash world and ignited a spark for the Lions' emerging program for the 2011-12 season. In 2012, Coach Swanepoel described him as "definitely the most exciting player in college squash."
The Kolkata, India, native finished his inaugural season with a 15-1 record as Columbia's top player, while becoming the programs first player to achieve Ivy League Honors and CSA All-America First Team honors. Tandon went unbeaten in match play during the regular season, becoming the Ivy League's co-Rookie of The Year. He capped the year ranked second in the nation after a runner-up finish at the 2012 CSA Individual National Championships.
Tandon helped lead a Columbia team that began the 2011-12 year with No. 20 ranking to its first Ivy League victory over No. 13 Brown, a runner-up finish in the Hoehn Cup finals at the 2012 CSA National Championships, and a No. 10 final national ranking.
In his sophomore season, Tandon used another All-Ivy League team performance to lead the Lions to its first multiple win conference year. A quarterfinals appearance in the CSA Individual National Championships led to a second straight CSA All-American Honor. He started his junior season with nine consecutive victories and finished 14-1, to lead Columbia to a runner-up finish in the Hoehn Cup (B Division) of the CSA Team National Championships. Tandon was unanimously selected to the All-Ivy League team for the third straight year.
This season, the senior captain has continued in his leadership and high-level of play to lift Columbia to incredible heights. With a 9-1 record at the top position, Tandon spearheads a national championship contender in the Lions, who have already defeated two top-five teams to earn a No. 3 national ranking.
• OSAMA KHALIFA •
Columbia has also welcomed a very talented newcomer to the lineup this season in Osama Khalifa. In his inaugural collegiate season, Khalifa has remained the Lions top performer this season. Khlaifa is 10-0 overall at the #1 and #2 positions as the sole unbeaten player for Columbia.
Last weekend, Khalifa picked up two Ivy League wins at #2 against Dartmouth's Alexander Greer (11-4, 11-9, 11-3) and Harvard's Dylan Murray (11-3, 11-8, 11-9). Also at #2, the first-year defeated George Washington's Olsion Logan after back-to-back wins over Middlebury's Andrew Cadienhead (11-5,11-3,11-6) and Rochester's Ryosei Kobayashi (11-6,11-9,11-7). The Cairo, Egypt, native picked up victories in three matches in as many days to start the month, including a 3-1 victory at #2 over Trinity's Miled Zarazua (11-8-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6), another 3-1 win at #2 over Yale's Sam Fenwick (11-6, 11-13, 11-5, 11-8), and a 3-0 triumph at #1 over Brown's Jack Blasberg (11-9, 11-4, 11-6).
To close the regular season this weekend, the Lions will travel to No. 8 Princeton on Friday, Feb. 6 at 2p.m., before hosting No. 10 Penn on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. at the SL Green StreetSquash Center. The Lions still have an outside chance for a share of the Ivy League title with a pair of wins this weekend and barring the result of Yale looking to upset the unbeaten Harvard this Friday.
Gocolumbialions.com caught up with both Tandon and Khalifa to talk about their incredible seasons. Press the play button above to see what they had say.
