Men’s Squash Opens with Two at Home This Weekend

Saturday, November 13

New York, N.Y.

1:00 P.M.

Columbia University

Western Ontario

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

Men’s Squash Opens with Two at Home This Weekend

11/12/2021 3:35:00 PM | Men's Squash

Live Results Video: Lions Prepare for Opening Weekend

No. 6 Lions host No. 12 Western Ontario and No. 7 Virginia

NEW YORK — The Columbia men's squash team begins its 2021-22 campaign this weekend with a pair of matches at its home SL Green StreetSquash Center. The sixth-ranked Lions will host No. 12 Western Ontario on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the No. 7 Virginia Cavaliers on Sunday at 11 a.m.

MATCH COVERAGE
Fans unable to attend the matches can keep up with live results courtesy of CSAsquash.com.

FAN POLICIES:
Attendance is limited for the 2021-22 season at the SL Green StreetSquash Center. For consideration to join the Columbia Squash team pass list for each home event, please contact Joanne Schickerling at js4411@columbia.edu 24 hours prior to the contest. Only people on the pass list will be allowed access into the venue.

All Spectators must show proof of their vaccination in one of the following ways;
- An official immunization record from outside NYC or the US.
- NYC Vaccination Record
- CDC Vaccination Card (or photo)
- Excelsior Pass
- NYC COVID Safe App
All spectators will be given a wristband once vaccination is checked
Masks are required indoors at all times.
Disposable masks & fabric masks are acceptable.
No neck gaiters, buffs, or masks with valves will be permitted.
Spectators are permitted to leave the venue and return. All spectators will be required to present proof of vaccination upon re-entry.

THE CAPTAINS
Columbia's roster consists of 19 players this season and is led by co-captains James Wyatt and Chaitanya Shah. Wyatt, a senior, is a returning two-time All-American and played primarily at the No. 1 in 2019-20. Shah, a junior, went 2-0 at No. 1, 4-0 at No. 4 and 5-3 at No. 5 that season. He defeated Cornell's Luke Park, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4, in the final for the Hoehn Cup at the CSA Team National Championships.

THE RETURNERS
Columbia returns nine players from the 2019-20 team that last competed. Along with Shah and Wyatt are seniors Callan Hall, Aditya Kankariya, Vishan Patel, Velavan Senthilkumar and Justin Ghaeli. All of those players have significant experience playing in the scoring nine in their time with Columbia. Also returning from the junior class are Hugh Camiener and Nico Hughes, both of whom also competed in the top nine during the 2019-20 campaign as first-years.

THE NEWCOMERS
The Lions have 10 new faces competing for spots since 2019-20. Among them are sophomores Sankalp Anand, Harold Castiaux, Rutvik Rau and Sameer Saxena. The first-year class is six players deep and consists of Jacob Bulbulia, Ryan Chen, Gonzalo de la Mora, Adam Goad, Zach Nam and Gabriel Yun.

NEW AT THE HELM
Joanne Schickerling, who is in her ninth season on the Columbia Squash coaching staff and has taken over as the interim head coach this season. Schickerling has been with the program since the fall of 2013 and was promoted to associate head coach in the summer of 2017.

ABOUT WESTERN ONTARIO
The Mustangs (0-0) begin their season on Friday at MIT. They last competed in 2019-20 and went 20-4 but fell to the Lions in the second round of the Hoehn Cup draw at CSA Men's Nationals.

ABOUT VIRGINIA
Virginia (1-0) opened up its season with a 9-0 sweep at Navy. Only one of the nine scoring matches went past three sets, as UVA dominated for its first win of the season. Aly Hussein played at the No. 1 position and trounced Navy's Millen Randell, 11-1, 11-3, 11-6.

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For the latest on the Columbia squash programs, be sure to follow the teams on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsSquash), on Facebook (Facebook.com/ColumbiaSquash), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.