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#13 Women’s Squash Secures Fourth Seed For Upcoming NESCAC Championship

The 13th-ranked Middlebury women's squash team has earned the fourth seed for the NESCAC Tournament. The Panthers begin their quest for their first conference title against 16th-ranked/fifth-seeded Williams on Saturday, February 14, at 10:00 a.m. in quarterfinal action. Hamilton, ranked 22nd in the latest national poll, serves as the host for all rounds of the tournament from the Little Squash Center.

ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

  • Middlebury enjoyed a strong regular season, posting an 11-4 record and a 7-2 mark in league action.
  • The Panthers set a program record for longest winning streak, logging 10 consecutive victories from November 21 to January 24.
  • Middlebury enters the tournament having won 11 of its last 13 contests and sits third with 28 victories in NESCAC Tournament history.
  • The navy and white has appeared in the conference semifinals on 12 occasions, most recently in 2020.
  • The Panthers have made one NESCAC title appearance (2011).

PANTHERS TO WATCH

  • Lindsey Burnham has appeared at the top of the ladder in every outing this season, tallying a 9-5 record and claiming eight of nine battles during the squad's ten-match winning streak.
  • Aanvi Anand played her first four matches at #3 before rising to the second slot. She earned seven consecutive victories at #2 and leads the team with 11 triumphs on the season.
  • Sitting in the third position, Izzy Ronda has claimed seven of 10 matches in the position after turning the calendar to 2026. The senior owns a 10-5 record.
  • A mainstay at #4, Sabrina Schwarz joined the fold in January, posting a 10-1 mark that included eight wins in a row and seven sweeps.
  • Lillian Showalter has prevailed in eight of her 10 matches in the sixth position while adding a pair of triumphs at #4 to earn a 10-4 record. She rattled off nine straight wins during the year.
  • Caroline Didden brings a 10-4 mark into the conference tournament. Seven of her 10 triumphs have come in the eighth slot.
  • Other contributors in the heart of the lineup have been Madeline Schwarz (9-2), Lucy Ronda (9-4) and Mariana Reedich (7-4).

ABOUT WILLIAMS

  • Before their matchup against Dartmouth on Wednesday evening, Williams owns a 5-7 record and looks to snap a three-match losing streak.
  • Williams is 3-4 in conference play, with its last win coming in an 8-1 result against Bowdoin on January 18.
  • The team has competed in each of the prior 19 NESCAC Tournaments and earned a spot in the semifinals each time.
  • Last season, the Ephs bowed out against Trinity in the semifinals.

EPHS TO WATCH

  • Rhea Pandit, Melanie Wang and Frances Brooks have competed in the top three positions for the bulk of the campaign, combining for 13 victories. Brooks' five triumphs lead the way for the trio. 
  • Sophia Koehler began her campaign with five consecutive wins in the fourth spot.
  • Competing in the #5 and #6 slots, Roshni Pal has matched Brooks and Koehler with five victories.
  • Alicia Chen and Anika Kakarla anchor the ladder across the bottom three spots. Chen paces the squad with eight wins, while Kakarla has carved out seven.

SERIES HISTORY

  • The programs meet for the 66th time with Williams holding a 52-12-2 advantage in the all-time series.
  • Middlebury disrupted a four-match winning streak for the Ephs in the series, earning a 7-2 decision on January 24 in Vermont.
  • The teams have met in the league tournament 10 times, with Williams taking seven of those matches. The Panthers look to avenge a 6-3 defeat in last season's quarterfinal.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

  • Trinity has claimed the top seed for this season's championship. The Bantams have won all 18 NESCAC Championships.
  • Amherst secured the #2 seed, marking the highest placement in program history. The Mammoths have advanced to the semifinals on seven occasions, including last season.
  • Third-seeded Tufts looks to break through after being the conference runners-up in each of the last four tournaments.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

  • 2026 NESCAC WOMEN'S SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP
    • Saturday, February 14 at Hamilton (5-court system)
    • Quarterfinal Matches
      • No. 5 Williams vs. No. 4 Middlebury - 10:00 a.m. 
      • No. 6 Bowdoin vs. No. 3 Tufts - Not before 12:00 p.m. 
      • No. 7 Colby vs. No. 2 Amherst - Not before 2:00 p.m. 
      • No. 8 Wesleyan vs. No. 1 Trinity - Not before 4:00 p.m. 
    • Sunday, February 15 at Hamilton (3-court system)
    • Semifinal Matches
      • Winner of No. 2/No. 7 match vs. Winner of No. 3/6 match - 9:00 a.m. 
      • Winner of No. 1/No. 8 match vs. Winner of No. 4/No.5 match - Not before 12:00 p.m. 
    • Final
      • Semifinal Winners - 4:00 p.m. 
  • CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
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