Columbia Squash Welcomes 11 Newcomers
8/14/2026 11:58:00โฏAM | Men's Squash, Women's Squash
The Lions reload with international talents for the 2026-27 season
NEW YORK โ Columbia's Kenneth W. Torrey Head Coach of Squash Chris Saviche announced the class of 2030 addition to the squad. Representing four countries and three states, this group of newcomers has proven success at the national and international level. The women's team is welcoming six first-year student-athletes while the men's squad has five additions.
Women's Squash Newcomers
Kenzy Abostate
Cairo, Egypt | Egyptian Language School
Prior to Columbia: Won the 2025 Polish Junior Open โฆ Finished fourth at the 2024 Egyptian Junior Open โฆ Competed for Wadi Degla and Maadi Sports Club โฆ Earned Highest Honors and Top Achiever recognition from 2022-26.
Personal: Plans to study biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering.
Elinor Feldman
San Francisco, Calif. | The Urban School of San Francisco
Prior to Columbia: Feldman arrives at Columbia from San Francisco, California, where she attended The Urban School of San Francisco โฆ Competed in squash all four years โฆ Ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the U17 division, No. 17 in U15 and No. 18 in U19 โฆ Member of the South West England Regional Squad โฆ Competed individually at the Dutch Junior Open and German Junior Open โฆ Three-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete (2023-25).
Personal: Plans to study economics at Columbia College โฆ Brother, Felix, competed for Dartmouth Squash from 2022-26.
Maya Mandour
Cairo, Egypt | Egypt British International School
Prior to Columbia: Two-time U.S. Junior Open champion (2019, 2020) โฆ Finished runner-up at the 2022 U.S. Junior Open and third in 2025 โฆ Placed third at the 2020 British Junior Open and Hong Kong Junior Open โฆ Finalist at the 2024 Arab International Junior Open โฆ Semifinalist at the 2025 Egyptian Junior Open โฆ Represented Egypt at the British Junior Open and U.S. Junior Open โฆ Competed for Al Zohour, Al Ahly, Al Shams and Al Maadi clubs.
Personal: Plans to study economics at Barnard College.
Margaret Ruger
Philadelphia, Pa. | Germantown Friends School
Prior to Columbia: Three-time team MVP in squash (2024-26) โฆ Named to the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Squash Association First Team โฆ Recipient of the U.S. Squash William T. Ketcham Jr. Most Improved Award for GU19 โฆ Helped Germantown Friends win the Division III title at the High School Squash Team Nationals โฆ Also competed in tennis, earning two All-Friends League First Team selections โฆ Two-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete โฆ Graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Personal: Plans to study political science at Columbia College โฆ Brother, Henry, competed for Columbia men's tennis from 2020-24.
Rachel Yun
San Mateo, Calif. | The Nueva School
Prior to Columbia: Ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in GU13 and No. 3 in both GU15 and GU17 โฆ Competed with Altius Performance Squash and Bay Club Redwood Shores โฆ National Merit Finalist โฆ Earned a Regional Gold Key in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards โฆ Conducted AI research on human gait analysis that was published in a peer-reviewed journal โฆ Won first place at the UC Berkeley M.E.T. Innovation Academy pitch competition โฆ Earned Best Design at the 2024 Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering Summer Academy.
Personal: Plans to study entrepreneurship and computer science at Columbia Engineering.
Claire Zhou
Kennett Square, Pa. | The Lawrenceville School
Prior to Columbia: Four-year varsity squash player and team captain as a senior โฆ Also competed in varsity crew โฆ Earned High Honors in every term at Lawrenceville โฆ Merrill Advanced Literary Research Scholar โฆ Delaware State winner of the National Doodle for Google contest โฆ Volunteered with Every Child Valued and First State Squash, coaching and mentoring children.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College โฆ Is ambidextrous, playing both squash and tennis with either hand.
Men's Squash Newcomers
Omair Athar
Avon, Conn. | Avon High School
Prior to Columbia: Ranked among the top three junior players in the U.S. โฆ 2025 U.S. Junior National Championships finalist and All-American โฆ Three-time British Junior Open qualifier (2019, 2023, 2025) โฆ Two-time U.S. Junior Nationals Sportsmanship Award recipient โฆ Co-founded Avon High School's squash club โฆ AP Scholar with Distinction and National Merit Commended Student.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College โฆ ย Has two older brothers with ties to Columbia Squash: Zain, who competed for the Lions from 2017-21, and Imad, a member of the program since 2024
Adam Hawal
Cairo, Egypt | City International School
Prior to Columbia: Ranked as high as No. 3 in the world junior rankings and No. 60 in the PSA World Rankings โฆ Helped Egypt capture the World Junior Team Championship โฆ Three-time Egyptian National Champion โฆ Won one PSA title โฆ Recorded the biggest upset by ranking in PSA history with a victory over former World No. 1 Paul Coll โฆ Competed for Wadi Degla Club and Gezira Club โฆ Earned Best Scholar Athlete honors.
Personal: Plans to study computer science at Columbia College.
Devon Li
Malvern, Pa. | The Haverford School
Prior to Columbia: Competed for the squash team from sixth grade through his senior year โฆ Served as team captain as a senior โฆ Went undefeated during his sophomore season โฆ Represented Team Canada at the British Junior Open โฆ Elected class president as a sophomore and vice president as a first- and third-year studentโฆ Earned Cum Laude honors.
Personal: Plans to pursue a pre-med track at Columbia College.
Nathaniel Nam
Seoul, South Korea | Yongsan International School of Seoul
Prior to Columbia: Competed independently in squash and represented Seoul City โฆ Ranked as high as No. 5 in Korea and No. 28 in the U.S. in the Boys U19 category โฆ Four-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete โฆ Graduated with honors.
Personal: Plans to pursue pre-law and business at Columbia College
Martin Stepan
Brno, Czech Republic | American Academy in Prague
Prior to Columbia: Ranked No. 1 in the Boys Overall European Junior Rankings in 2024 โฆ Reached No. 1 in the European Boys U19 and U17 rankings โฆ 13-time Czech National Junior Champion โฆ Finished third at the 2025 European U19 Championships โฆ Placed third at the 2026 Czech Men's National Championships โฆ Represented the Czech Republic at the U15, U17, U19 and senior levels at the European Championships โฆ Has competed for Squash Moravska Slavia Brno since 2015.
Personal: Plans to study economics and computer science at Columbia College.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia squash programs, be sure to follow the teams on X and Instagram (@CULionsSquash), on Facebook (Facebook.com/ColumbiaSquash), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.
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Women's Squash Newcomers
Kenzy Abostate
Cairo, Egypt | Egyptian Language School
Prior to Columbia: Won the 2025 Polish Junior Open โฆ Finished fourth at the 2024 Egyptian Junior Open โฆ Competed for Wadi Degla and Maadi Sports Club โฆ Earned Highest Honors and Top Achiever recognition from 2022-26.
Personal: Plans to study biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering.
Elinor Feldman
San Francisco, Calif. | The Urban School of San Francisco
Prior to Columbia: Feldman arrives at Columbia from San Francisco, California, where she attended The Urban School of San Francisco โฆ Competed in squash all four years โฆ Ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the U17 division, No. 17 in U15 and No. 18 in U19 โฆ Member of the South West England Regional Squad โฆ Competed individually at the Dutch Junior Open and German Junior Open โฆ Three-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete (2023-25).
Personal: Plans to study economics at Columbia College โฆ Brother, Felix, competed for Dartmouth Squash from 2022-26.
Maya Mandour
Cairo, Egypt | Egypt British International School
Prior to Columbia: Two-time U.S. Junior Open champion (2019, 2020) โฆ Finished runner-up at the 2022 U.S. Junior Open and third in 2025 โฆ Placed third at the 2020 British Junior Open and Hong Kong Junior Open โฆ Finalist at the 2024 Arab International Junior Open โฆ Semifinalist at the 2025 Egyptian Junior Open โฆ Represented Egypt at the British Junior Open and U.S. Junior Open โฆ Competed for Al Zohour, Al Ahly, Al Shams and Al Maadi clubs.
Personal: Plans to study economics at Barnard College.
Margaret Ruger
Philadelphia, Pa. | Germantown Friends School
Prior to Columbia: Three-time team MVP in squash (2024-26) โฆ Named to the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Squash Association First Team โฆ Recipient of the U.S. Squash William T. Ketcham Jr. Most Improved Award for GU19 โฆ Helped Germantown Friends win the Division III title at the High School Squash Team Nationals โฆ Also competed in tennis, earning two All-Friends League First Team selections โฆ Two-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete โฆ Graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Personal: Plans to study political science at Columbia College โฆ Brother, Henry, competed for Columbia men's tennis from 2020-24.
Rachel Yun
San Mateo, Calif. | The Nueva School
Prior to Columbia: Ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in GU13 and No. 3 in both GU15 and GU17 โฆ Competed with Altius Performance Squash and Bay Club Redwood Shores โฆ National Merit Finalist โฆ Earned a Regional Gold Key in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards โฆ Conducted AI research on human gait analysis that was published in a peer-reviewed journal โฆ Won first place at the UC Berkeley M.E.T. Innovation Academy pitch competition โฆ Earned Best Design at the 2024 Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering Summer Academy.
Personal: Plans to study entrepreneurship and computer science at Columbia Engineering.
Claire Zhou
Kennett Square, Pa. | The Lawrenceville School
Prior to Columbia: Four-year varsity squash player and team captain as a senior โฆ Also competed in varsity crew โฆ Earned High Honors in every term at Lawrenceville โฆ Merrill Advanced Literary Research Scholar โฆ Delaware State winner of the National Doodle for Google contest โฆ Volunteered with Every Child Valued and First State Squash, coaching and mentoring children.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College โฆ Is ambidextrous, playing both squash and tennis with either hand.
Men's Squash Newcomers
Omair Athar
Avon, Conn. | Avon High School
Prior to Columbia: Ranked among the top three junior players in the U.S. โฆ 2025 U.S. Junior National Championships finalist and All-American โฆ Three-time British Junior Open qualifier (2019, 2023, 2025) โฆ Two-time U.S. Junior Nationals Sportsmanship Award recipient โฆ Co-founded Avon High School's squash club โฆ AP Scholar with Distinction and National Merit Commended Student.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College โฆ ย Has two older brothers with ties to Columbia Squash: Zain, who competed for the Lions from 2017-21, and Imad, a member of the program since 2024
Adam Hawal
Cairo, Egypt | City International School
Prior to Columbia: Ranked as high as No. 3 in the world junior rankings and No. 60 in the PSA World Rankings โฆ Helped Egypt capture the World Junior Team Championship โฆ Three-time Egyptian National Champion โฆ Won one PSA title โฆ Recorded the biggest upset by ranking in PSA history with a victory over former World No. 1 Paul Coll โฆ Competed for Wadi Degla Club and Gezira Club โฆ Earned Best Scholar Athlete honors.
Personal: Plans to study computer science at Columbia College.
Devon Li
Malvern, Pa. | The Haverford School
Prior to Columbia: Competed for the squash team from sixth grade through his senior year โฆ Served as team captain as a senior โฆ Went undefeated during his sophomore season โฆ Represented Team Canada at the British Junior Open โฆ Elected class president as a sophomore and vice president as a first- and third-year studentโฆ Earned Cum Laude honors.
Personal: Plans to pursue a pre-med track at Columbia College.
Nathaniel Nam
Seoul, South Korea | Yongsan International School of Seoul
Prior to Columbia: Competed independently in squash and represented Seoul City โฆ Ranked as high as No. 5 in Korea and No. 28 in the U.S. in the Boys U19 category โฆ Four-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete โฆ Graduated with honors.
Personal: Plans to pursue pre-law and business at Columbia College
Martin Stepan
Brno, Czech Republic | American Academy in Prague
Prior to Columbia: Ranked No. 1 in the Boys Overall European Junior Rankings in 2024 โฆ Reached No. 1 in the European Boys U19 and U17 rankings โฆ 13-time Czech National Junior Champion โฆ Finished third at the 2025 European U19 Championships โฆ Placed third at the 2026 Czech Men's National Championships โฆ Represented the Czech Republic at the U15, U17, U19 and senior levels at the European Championships โฆ Has competed for Squash Moravska Slavia Brno since 2015.
Personal: Plans to study economics and computer science at Columbia College.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia squash programs, be sure to follow the teams on X and Instagram (@CULionsSquash), on Facebook (Facebook.com/ColumbiaSquash), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.
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