HADLEY, Mass. – Trinity College is the top seed in the 2023 NESCAC Men’s Squash Championship which will be hosted by Williams College on February 11-12. The NESCAC Championship has a new format as the top eight teams based on ELO rankings will compete for the title in a single-elimination tournament. Quarterfinal matches are set to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 11. The semifinals and final are set to be played on Sunday, February 12.
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Championship Central
2023 NESCAC MEN'S SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, February 11 at Williams
Quarterfinal Matches
No. 8 Hamilton vs. No. 1 Trinity – 1:00 p.m. – Courts 7-12
No. 5 Amherst vs. No. 4 Bates – 1:00 p.m. – Courts 1-6
No. 7 Colby vs. No. 2 Williams – 3:00 p.m. – Courts 1-6
No. 6 Middlebury vs. No. 3 Tufts – 3:00 p.m. – Courts 7-12
Sunday, February 12 at Williams
Semifinal Matches
Winner of No. 4/No. 5 match vs. Winner of No. 1/No. 8 match – 10:30 a.m. – Courts 1-6
Winner of No. 3/No. 6 match vs. Winner of No. 2/No. 7 match – 10:30 a.m. – Courts 7-12
Final
Semifinal Winners – 3:30 p.m. – Courts 1-6
2022 NESCAC Championship Recap
Trinity, the host of the 2022 NESCAC Championship, captured its 15th NESCAC title with an 8-1 victory over Bowdoin. The Polar Bears finished as tournament runner-up for the first time in program history after reaching the championship match for the first time. Bates defeated Middlebury, 5-4, to claim third place while Amherst earned fifth place with a 7-2 win over Tufts and Colby claimed seventh place with a 6-3 win over Hamilton.
Only three teams other than Trinity have played in the championship match – Bates (2016, 2017, 2018), Bowdoin (2022), and Williams (11 times – last: 2020).
#1 Trinity Bantams
2022-23 Record: 12-4
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 15 consecutive
NESCAC Titles Won: 15 consecutive
Notes: Trinity is the No. 1 seed for the 16th straight tournament … The Bantams have won every NESCAC Men’s Squash Championship since the tournament’s inception … Trinity faces No. 8 Hamilton in the quarterfinals for the second straight year … The Bantams earned an 8-1 victory over the Continentals in 2022 and own a 3-0 mark in the NESCAC posteason series … The two teams did not meet in the regular season.
#2 Williams Ephs
2022-23 Record: 13-5
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Williams is hosting the NESCAC Championships for the first time since 2015 … The Ephs are the No. 2 seed for the ninth time and will meet No. 7 Colby in the quarterfinals … Williams defeated the Mules, 8-1, on January 15 and improved to 2-0 versus Colby in the NESCAC Tournament with a 5-4 victory in the 2018 quarterfinals … The Ephs are 11-1 in their last 12 contests, which includes an 11-match win streak … Williams has played in the championship match 11 times since 2007 and has reached the semifinal round in every championship it has participated.
#3 Tufts Jumbos
2022-23 Record: 8-5
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Tufts is the No. 3 seed for the first time in program history … The Jumbos face No. 6 Middlebury to open the NESCAC Championships … Tufts swept the Panthers, 9-0, on January 22 but fell to 0-2 against Middlebury in the NESCAC postseason series with a 5-4 loss in the 2022 quarterfinals … The Jumbos have won five in a row and are 6-1 in their last seven matches entering the regular-season finale versus Harvard on Feb. 7 … A victory over the Panthers would mark Tufts’ first trip to the semifinal round.
#4 Bates Bobcats
2022-23 Record: 10-5
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 3 (last: 2018)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Bates is the No. 4 seed for the first time since 2019 and will play No. 5 Amherst in the quarterfinals … The Mammoths posted a 6-3 victory over the Bobcats on January 22 … Bates owns a 6-0 mark versus Amherst in the NESCAC Tournament, including a 5-4 win in the 2022 quarterfinals … The Bobcats started the season 7-1 … Bates played in the championship match three straight years (2016, 2017, 2018).
#5 Amherst Mammoths
2022-23 Record: 11-5
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Amherst is the No. 5 seed for the first time sicne 2019 and faces No. 4 Bates in the quarterfinals … The Mammoths registered a 6-3 win over the Bobcats on January 22 … Amherst is looking for its first win against Bates in the NESCAC Tournament … The Bobcats are 6-0 after a 5-4 victory in the 2022 quarterfinals … Amherst’s last semifinal appearance was in 2010 … The Mammoths are 6-2 in their last eight matches which included closing the regular season with three consecutive victories.
#6 Middlebury Panthers
2022-23 Record: 9-5
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Middlebury is the No. 6 seed for the first time since 2009 … Tufts swept the Panthers, 9-0, on January 22 but Middlebury owns a 2-0 edge over the Jumbos in the NESCAC Tournament following a 5-4 win in the 2022 quarterfinals … The Panthers have reached 11 straight semifinals but have never played in the championship match … Middlebury has finished third seven times since 2007.
#7 Colby Mules
2022-23 Record: 7-10
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Colby is the No. 7 seed for the first time since 2012 and will meet No. 2 Williams in the quarterfinals … Williams defeated the Mules, 8-1, on January 15 and improved to 2-0 versus Colby in the quarterfinals with a 5-4 victory in the 2018 tournament … The Mules snapped a four-match losing streak with an 8-1 win over Bowdoin in the regular-season finale … A win over Williams would propel Colby into the semifinals for the first time in program history.
#8 Hamilton Continentals
2022-23 Record: 4-7
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Hamilton is the No. 8 seed for the second straight year and will play No. 1 Trinity in a rematch of the 2022 quarterfinals … The Bantams earned an 8-1 victory over the Continentals in 2022 … The two teams did not meet in the regular season … Hamilton enters the NESCAC Championship having won three of its last four matches.
