Squash Overview

Head Coach: Pamela Saunders
Phone: 413-538-2846

The squash season runs from mid-October through early March with most matches played at night or on the weekends. Athletes officially practice two hours a day on new international courts and follow a strength and conditioning program. Head coach Pamela Saunders stresses the basics, and players receive plenty of individual instruction on the fundamentals of footwork, shot-making and strategy. In 2007-08, the Lyons established a new school record by finishing the season as the 11th ranked team in the College Squash Association (CSA) national poll.

Squash is classified as a winter sport, and athletes are expected to return in early January to practice and compete. The team ends its season at the Howe Cup National Championships, where 32 teams from around the country are divided into four divisions (Howe, Kurtz, Walker and Epps) based on their season records. Individual athletes also have an opportunity to represent Mount Holyoke at the Women's College Squash Association (WCSA) Individual Championships held in early March.

Mount Holyoke squash athletes have typically played competitive squash at the high school level, competed for a club team or represented their country in a particular age classification before attending college. The College has a large population of international students, and the squash team reflects this diversity.

Mount Holyoke is located in one of the most culturally and academically vibrant regions of the country. A Mount Holyoke athlete is driven to excel in the athletic arena as well as the classroom and laboratory. The discipline, sense of accomplishment, and competitive edge that you bring to your sport resonate throughout your intellectual life. The desire to achieve -- it's all part of the mind-body connection.