2013-2014 record: 9-9-3 (women), 11-8 (men)
Women's captains: Charlotte Dewey ’15 & Anne Wymard ’15
Men's captains: Robert Galluccio ’15 & Reed Palmer ’15
This season begins a new chapter for the members of the Middlebury squash program. On Aug. 3 former coach John Illig suddenly passed away.
“We lost an amazing coach and friend this summer and are doing everything in our power to carry forward his legacy,” captain Robert Galluccio ’15 said. “We’re looking to achieve big things this season, just as he would have wanted us to.”
Captain Annie Wymard ’15 says that even though Illig has passed, his presence and memory will be felt by this year’s team.
“John’s influence pervades every aspect of our mentality,” Wymard said. “At every practice, every time we step onto those courts, we play with values John constantly instilled in us: the importance of sportsmanship and playing for the love of the game.”
Mike Morgan, current head coach of Middlebury’s women’s tennis team, is the Interim Head Coach for the squash team this season. Morgan formerly served at Colby as an assistant with the women’s tennis and women’s squash team. During his first year at Middlebury in 2006-2007, he served as the women’s squash coach, leading the team to 12 victories and a ranking of 15th nationally.
Morgan is quick to praise to his two assistants, newly hired Middlebury graduate Brian Cady ’11 and Alessondra Parra, who also serves with Morgan as his assistant with the women’s tennis team, for the expertise they have brought to the players since practice began on Nov. 1.
Morgan credits his players for buying into the instruction of the current coaching staff.
“It takes courage to buy in,” Morgan said, “But it’s a testament to the character of every player on the team and its collective vision of the season as a chance to do something special together.”
Both teams look to carry Illig’s legacy forward with strong campaigns and are off to a strong three-and-one start coming out of Thanksgiving break and heading into the DIII Invitational.
As a captain, Galluccio has high expectations.
“Speaking for the men’s team, we have a very promising season ahead and the results from the first weekend only reassured us of that,” he said. “We aim to finish the season ranked somewhere in the top 16 nationally.”
