GRANVILLE, Ohio (November 4, 2021) – After being officially announced as the newest varsity sports at Denison University, the Big Red men's and women's squash teams are set to begin their first full varsity seasons this week.

The 2021-22 season for Denison's two newest sports will begin on Saturday, November 6, at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. The women play against Chatham University at 9 a.m. and then William Smith College at 12 p.m. while the men will play Chatham at 10:30 a.m. followed by Hobart College at 1:30 p.m.

The Big Red will then play a round robin at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on November 13-14 to close out their Fall season.

After the Pioneer Valley Invitational kicks off the Spring Season in mid-February, Denison will have four more regular-season matches before the start of postseason play.

The College Squash Association National Championships will take place February 18-20 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the men, and February 25-17 in Boston, Massachusetts, for the women. Following those, the CSA Individual Championships for both men's and women's squash will be March 4-6, also in Philadelphia.

Denison's Head Coach Pam Anckermann said, "This will be our first season competing as a varsity program. We have worked so hard to achieve this and we are eager for our first competition this coming weekend. We weren't able to have any real competitions last year due to Covid, so we are excited to have the opportunity to get on the road and play. We have a very competitive schedule where we will play teams like the Navy, Connecticut College, Hamilton College and Mount Holyoke College among others. We have worked hard, and we are ready."

Denison's current men's squash roster features 10 student-athletes from five different states and the countries of Brazil, Egypt and Trinidad & Tobago while the women's roster consists of 13 student-athletes from six different states and South Africa.

Key returners for the Big Red include Huma Bekhiet (So) from Egypt and Mario Reifschneider (So) from California on the men's team, and Jaz'mene Little (Jr) from Detroit, Chloe Sigg (Jr) from Connecticut, Lindsey Cruikshank (Jr) from New York and captain Maddie Kate Kaufman (Sr) also from New York on the women's side.

"I am extremely excited to welcome three first years on the men's team and five on the women's team," concluded Anckermann. "On the men's team, Lucas Piller from Virginia is currently our number two, Joao Victor Barbosa Gomes from Brazil who will play as our number five and Rayan Dar from Cleveland will play number six. On the women's side, Kaylee Hunt from South Africa is currently our number one, Antoinette Ramsey a strong competitor from Detroit will play as our number two, and Charlotte Sigg from Connecticut, Nay Woodley from Detroit and Paige Feeney from Massachusetts will also be in the mix."