Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Maryam K. Hassan
Columbia Announces Class Of 2024
5/7/2020 11:35:00 AM | Women's Squash
Columbia Women's Squash announced the addition of eight student-athletes as members of the Class of 2024.
NEW YORK – Kenneth W. Torrey Head Coach of Squash Jacques Swanepoel announced, on Thursday, May 7, the addition of eight women to the Columbia Women Squash squad as members of the Class of 2024.
The incoming first years include four women who will be attending Barnard College, four women from around the world, three women who hail from the Tri-State area and one from California. All eight women make up a diverse and talented class to bolster the Columbia squad in the years going forward.
"With our women coming off of the best finish in program history and with the program only graduating one player from our starting lineup, a large and talented class like this will have a massive impact on our team's performance this coming season," said Swanepoel. "They will add talent at the top and depth to the lower half of the lineup while contributing positively to our team culture. I am really excited to see what this team will achieve in the coming season."
Rewa Bharma, Barnard (The Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, India):
- Maharashtra State Closed Championships, Pune – Second Place
- Eastern Slam (Junior), Kolkata – Fourth Place
- JSW Sunil Verma Memorial Junior and Senior Open, Vasind – Fourth Place
Renée Chan, Columbia College (Pingry, Short Hills, New Jersey):
- Twice played for Team USA
- US Squash All-American and Scholar Athlete
- Earned rankings as high as No. 3 in GU17 and No. 8 in GU19
- Three-time New Jersey State Champion
Julia Fink, Columbia College (The Chapin School, New York, New York):
- Won a Gold Medal at the Maccabi Games
- Two-year captain and played Number One on Chapin Varsity team
- Three-Time AAIS League All-Star
- Three-Time US Squash Scholar Athlete
Anika Kanchi, Barnard (Lynbrook High, Saratoga, California):
- Served as captain on high school varsity squad
- Helped power high school squad to third place finish in California High School Squash League
- Four-time US Squash Scholar Athlete
- Seven-time California Silver Junior Champion
- Top 12 finish at Santa Clara Gold
Naira Kothari, Barnard (Vasant Valley, New Delhi, India):
- Third position at the 2019 Eastern Slam Junior Open (Girls U19)
- Fifth position at the 2019 Indian Junior Open (Girls U19)
- Eighth rank at the 2018 Junior National Championship (Girls U19)
- Sister Amaya Kothari '20BC and cousin Tanvi Khanna '18CC are Columbia Women's Squash alumni
Megan Meyerson, Columbia College (Greenwich Academy, New Canaan, Connecticut):
- Reached the Round of 32 at the 2018 US Open
- Earned No. 21 ranking in U17
- Member of the 2020 High School National Championship team
Farida Mohamed, Columbia College (American International School, Alexandria, Egypt):
- Finished third at the 2019 Individual World Juniors
- Finished first at the 2019 Team World Juniors
- Knocked off a pair of top 10 players in the world
- Sister is current Columbia women's squash junior Habiba Mohamed
Jannia Singh, Barnard (Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh, India):
- Second in the Sub-Junior/junior 2018 National Squash Championship
- Finished first at the 2019 Summer Classic Junior Open
- Finished first at the 2019 Otters Club Squash Open
- Earned top five ranking in India
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Squash by following the Lions on Twitter (@Columbia_Squash), Instagram (@ColumbiaSquash) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
The incoming first years include four women who will be attending Barnard College, four women from around the world, three women who hail from the Tri-State area and one from California. All eight women make up a diverse and talented class to bolster the Columbia squad in the years going forward.
"With our women coming off of the best finish in program history and with the program only graduating one player from our starting lineup, a large and talented class like this will have a massive impact on our team's performance this coming season," said Swanepoel. "They will add talent at the top and depth to the lower half of the lineup while contributing positively to our team culture. I am really excited to see what this team will achieve in the coming season."
Rewa Bharma, Barnard (The Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, India):
- Maharashtra State Closed Championships, Pune – Second Place
- Eastern Slam (Junior), Kolkata – Fourth Place
- JSW Sunil Verma Memorial Junior and Senior Open, Vasind – Fourth Place
Renée Chan, Columbia College (Pingry, Short Hills, New Jersey):
- Twice played for Team USA
- US Squash All-American and Scholar Athlete
- Earned rankings as high as No. 3 in GU17 and No. 8 in GU19
- Three-time New Jersey State Champion
Julia Fink, Columbia College (The Chapin School, New York, New York):
- Won a Gold Medal at the Maccabi Games
- Two-year captain and played Number One on Chapin Varsity team
- Three-Time AAIS League All-Star
- Three-Time US Squash Scholar Athlete
Anika Kanchi, Barnard (Lynbrook High, Saratoga, California):
- Served as captain on high school varsity squad
- Helped power high school squad to third place finish in California High School Squash League
- Four-time US Squash Scholar Athlete
- Seven-time California Silver Junior Champion
- Top 12 finish at Santa Clara Gold
Naira Kothari, Barnard (Vasant Valley, New Delhi, India):
- Third position at the 2019 Eastern Slam Junior Open (Girls U19)
- Fifth position at the 2019 Indian Junior Open (Girls U19)
- Eighth rank at the 2018 Junior National Championship (Girls U19)
- Sister Amaya Kothari '20BC and cousin Tanvi Khanna '18CC are Columbia Women's Squash alumni
Megan Meyerson, Columbia College (Greenwich Academy, New Canaan, Connecticut):
- Reached the Round of 32 at the 2018 US Open
- Earned No. 21 ranking in U17
- Member of the 2020 High School National Championship team
Farida Mohamed, Columbia College (American International School, Alexandria, Egypt):
- Finished third at the 2019 Individual World Juniors
- Finished first at the 2019 Team World Juniors
- Knocked off a pair of top 10 players in the world
- Sister is current Columbia women's squash junior Habiba Mohamed
Jannia Singh, Barnard (Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh, India):
- Second in the Sub-Junior/junior 2018 National Squash Championship
- Finished first at the 2019 Summer Classic Junior Open
- Finished first at the 2019 Otters Club Squash Open
- Earned top five ranking in India
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Squash by following the Lions on Twitter (@Columbia_Squash), Instagram (@ColumbiaSquash) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
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