Columbia Squash Welcomes 11 Newcomers
8/14/2026 11:58:00 AM | Men's Squash, Women's Squash
The Lions reload with international talents for the 2026-27 season
NEW YORK — 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 … Finished fourth at the 2024 Egyptian Junior Open … Competed for Wadi Degla and Maadi Sports Club … 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 … Competed in squash all four years … Ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the U17 division, No. 17 in U15 and No. 18 in U19 … Member of the South West England Regional Squad … Competed individually at the Dutch Junior Open and German Junior Open … Three-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete (2023-25).
Personal: Plans to study economics at Columbia College … 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) … Finished runner-up at the 2022 U.S. Junior Open and third in 2025 … Placed third at the 2020 British Junior Open and Hong Kong Junior Open … Finalist at the 2024 Arab International Junior Open … Semifinalist at the 2025 Egyptian Junior Open … Represented Egypt at the British Junior Open and U.S. Junior Open … 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) … Named to the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Squash Association First Team … Recipient of the U.S. Squash William T. Ketcham Jr. Most Improved Award for GU19 … Helped Germantown Friends win the Division III title at the High School Squash Team Nationals … Also competed in tennis, earning two All-Friends League First Team selections … Two-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete … Graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Personal: Plans to study political science at Columbia College … 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 … Competed with Altius Performance Squash and Bay Club Redwood Shores … National Merit Finalist … Earned a Regional Gold Key in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards … Conducted AI research on human gait analysis that was published in a peer-reviewed journal … Won first place at the UC Berkeley M.E.T. Innovation Academy pitch competition … 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 … Also competed in varsity crew … Earned High Honors in every term at Lawrenceville … Merrill Advanced Literary Research Scholar … Delaware State winner of the National Doodle for Google contest … Volunteered with Every Child Valued and First State Squash, coaching and mentoring children.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College … 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. … 2025 U.S. Junior National Championships finalist and All-American … Three-time British Junior Open qualifier (2019, 2023, 2025) … Two-time U.S. Junior Nationals Sportsmanship Award recipient … Co-founded Avon High School's squash club … AP Scholar with Distinction and National Merit Commended Student.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College … 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 … Helped Egypt capture the World Junior Team Championship … Three-time Egyptian National Champion … Won one PSA title … Recorded the biggest upset by ranking in PSA history with a victory over former World No. 1 Paul Coll … Competed for Wadi Degla Club and Gezira Club … 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 … Served as team captain as a senior … Went undefeated during his sophomore season … Represented Team Canada at the British Junior Open … Elected class president as a sophomore and vice president as a first- and third-year student… 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 … Ranked as high as No. 5 in Korea and No. 28 in the U.S. in the Boys U19 category … Four-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete … 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 … Reached No. 1 in the European Boys U19 and U17 rankings … 13-time Czech National Junior Champion … Finished third at the 2025 European U19 Championships … Placed third at the 2026 Czech Men's National Championships … Represented the Czech Republic at the U15, U17, U19 and senior levels at the European Championships … 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.
Women's Squash Newcomers
Kenzy Abostate
Cairo, Egypt | Egyptian Language School
Prior to Columbia: Won the 2025 Polish Junior Open … Finished fourth at the 2024 Egyptian Junior Open … Competed for Wadi Degla and Maadi Sports Club … 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 … Competed in squash all four years … Ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the U17 division, No. 17 in U15 and No. 18 in U19 … Member of the South West England Regional Squad … Competed individually at the Dutch Junior Open and German Junior Open … Three-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete (2023-25).
Personal: Plans to study economics at Columbia College … 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) … Finished runner-up at the 2022 U.S. Junior Open and third in 2025 … Placed third at the 2020 British Junior Open and Hong Kong Junior Open … Finalist at the 2024 Arab International Junior Open … Semifinalist at the 2025 Egyptian Junior Open … Represented Egypt at the British Junior Open and U.S. Junior Open … 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) … Named to the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Squash Association First Team … Recipient of the U.S. Squash William T. Ketcham Jr. Most Improved Award for GU19 … Helped Germantown Friends win the Division III title at the High School Squash Team Nationals … Also competed in tennis, earning two All-Friends League First Team selections … Two-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete … Graduated with a 4.0 GPA.
Personal: Plans to study political science at Columbia College … 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 … Competed with Altius Performance Squash and Bay Club Redwood Shores … National Merit Finalist … Earned a Regional Gold Key in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards … Conducted AI research on human gait analysis that was published in a peer-reviewed journal … Won first place at the UC Berkeley M.E.T. Innovation Academy pitch competition … 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 … Also competed in varsity crew … Earned High Honors in every term at Lawrenceville … Merrill Advanced Literary Research Scholar … Delaware State winner of the National Doodle for Google contest … Volunteered with Every Child Valued and First State Squash, coaching and mentoring children.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College … 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. … 2025 U.S. Junior National Championships finalist and All-American … Three-time British Junior Open qualifier (2019, 2023, 2025) … Two-time U.S. Junior Nationals Sportsmanship Award recipient … Co-founded Avon High School's squash club … AP Scholar with Distinction and National Merit Commended Student.
Personal: Plans to attend Columbia College … 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 … Helped Egypt capture the World Junior Team Championship … Three-time Egyptian National Champion … Won one PSA title … Recorded the biggest upset by ranking in PSA history with a victory over former World No. 1 Paul Coll … Competed for Wadi Degla Club and Gezira Club … 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 … Served as team captain as a senior … Went undefeated during his sophomore season … Represented Team Canada at the British Junior Open … Elected class president as a sophomore and vice president as a first- and third-year student… 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 … Ranked as high as No. 5 in Korea and No. 28 in the U.S. in the Boys U19 category … Four-time U.S. Squash Scholar Athlete … 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 … Reached No. 1 in the European Boys U19 and U17 rankings … 13-time Czech National Junior Champion … Finished third at the 2025 European U19 Championships … Placed third at the 2026 Czech Men's National Championships … Represented the Czech Republic at the U15, U17, U19 and senior levels at the European Championships … 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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