From Carlisle, Pa. to Annapolis, Md. and back north to Lancaster, Pa., the Middlebury squash teams emerged from an intense three-match weekend with momentum-building victories.
The 20th ranked men's team (6–2) opened their weekend with a commanding 7–2 victory over #28 Dickinson, with five Panthers sweeping their matches 3–0. Building on this momentum, the team earned edged out longtime rival #16 Navy 5–4 on Saturday in a match that came down to the thrilling five-set victory of co-captain Alexis Ballo ’25.
"The cadets really bring a serious environment to the facility, and it's a big away match, especially for the underclassmen who have never been there," said men's co-captain Nathan Feinstein ’25.
Three underclassmen emerged victorious in their first experience at the Naval Academy.
"To reach our goals of both top 16 and hopefully top 12, that was a must-win match," Feinstein added. "It was really awesome for the team, definitely the first real quality win of the season."
Though they fell 8–1 to #13 Franklin and Marshall on Sunday, with first year Aditya Kothari ’28 securing the lone point, the weekend's overall success keeps the Panthers on track.
The #16 women's team (6–2) bookended their demanding weekend with impressive victories. The Panthers opened with a strong 7–2 victory over #21 Dickinson and closed with their fifth shutout of the season against #24 Franklin and Marshall (9–0). The middle match on Saturday brought a challenging 8–1 loss to #13 Georgetown, though sophomore Mariana Reedich ’27 fought through for a decisive 3–0 victory.
“We were all bummed, but just for a second, and then we kind of rallied,” Izzy Ronda '26 said. “For upcoming matches, the goal is to just relax a bit more and not focus so much on the results but more on playing individual matches well.”
The Panthers' road success was built on methodical preparation that began in mid-September, when team captains led voluntary practices before official coaching sessions commenced in October. Both teams returned to campus on New Year's Day, immediately diving into three consecutive days of double practices. The intensive training schedule intentionally simulates their three-match weekends, combining match play, technical work and solo drilling.
“It's interesting making the switch between preseason and in-season,” Ronda said. “We're not lifting anymore. It's much more focused on match play and drilling.”
Fresh off their Pennsylvania-Maryland swing, both teams now continue their busy January schedule and turn their attention to Maine, where they'll face NESCAC rivals Bates College, Bowdoin College and Colby College in another three-match weekend. For the 20th-ranked men's team, the Maine trip represents another opportunity to climb the national rankings.
“We take it one match at a time,” Feinstein said. “We play Bates first, so that's where our focus is. Once we get through the Bates match Friday night, we'll regroup and worry about Bowdoin.”
While the team has its sights set on the top 16 nationally, Feinstein remains measured but confident.
“We don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves, but if we're being honest, we expect to beat a number of teams currently ranked ahead of us,” he said. “We know what we're capable of, and we don't want to shy away from that.”
With nationals approaching in March, both teams are building momentum for tournament success. The championship format features multiple 12-team brackets, with the top-ranked teams competing in Bracket A, the next tier in Bracket B and subsequent tiers following. Currently positioned in Bracket B, the women's team is seeking redemption after last year's semi-final exit and has their sights set on qualifying to the bracket final. Meanwhile, the men's team is focused on placing in the top 16 in rankings, with the long-term goal of reaching the top 12 to qualify for Bracket A — though for now, they remain focused on the matches at hand.
Family ties run deep within the program, bringing a unique dynamic that strengthens the program’s already close-knit culture. The women’s team features two sets of sisters — Madeline and Sabrina Schwarz ’27 and Izzy and Lucy Ronda ’28 – with a brother pair – Nathan Feinstein ’25 and Gabe Feinstein ’28 – on the men's side.
"I never played on a squash team before getting to Middlebury," Ronda reflected. "It's been so nice over the years to learn that even if I individually lose my match on the ladder, if my team has won, I could not care less."
The women's team nurtures these bonds through group dinners and movie nights in hotel rooms to stretching circles while traveling for matches. “Middlebury squash always had a great culture, but I think that this year, particularly, it just feels very close and comfortable,” Ronda said.
Team unity is equally central to the men's program, beginning each season with their signature pre-orientation training camp.
“This year, we hosted the entire team in Pittsburgh for four days of intensive training,” Feinstein said. “Getting our freshmen together with the squad before school starts has become a cornerstone of our program – it really kicks off our season and builds those early connections." This emphasis on relationship-building continues throughout the year with the co-captains working to build strong bonds off the court.”
Fans can rally behind both teams during J-term when they face off against rival Tufts on Saturday, Jan. 25. The highly anticipated matchup – the program's only home match during winter term – begins at 1 p.m. at Middlebury’s Bostwick Family Squash Center, where strong fan support could help propel both squads to victory against their longtime competitors.
Editor’s Note: Izzy Ronda ’26 is a Local Editor for The Campus.
Ting Cui (she/her) is a Sports Editor.
Ting has previously contributed as a sports writer and spent the past year in Washington, D.C., where she interned at the National Press Club as a policy analyst and politics writer. She also interned as an Editor at Fair Observer this past summer, focusing on stories related to international politics and security.
Ting is majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. She is also competitive figure skater for Team USA and enjoys hiking, thrifting, and consuming copious amounts of coffee.
