Currently, the Harvard men’s and women’s squash teams are separated by only one slot in the national rankings—the women, as the defending national champions, are ranked first, while the men trail only Trinity.

But the teams are even closer than that. Under the tutelage of a shared coaching staff headed by Harvard Coach Satinder Bajwa, the two teams’ practices often overlap. They even study yoga together to improve team unity as well as the players’ balance and mental focus. Even off the court, the teams are close—as part of the same blocking group, both men’s captains and both women’s captains live in the same entryway. It seems fitting, then, that both are essentially locks to be chasing national titles this season and both will have to contend with strong Trinity teams in pursuit of that goal.

Harvard Women

On the women’s side, both co-captain Virginia Brown ’01 and Katie Gregory ’01—who had been undefeated for two consecutive years before she lost her final match of the season—graduated from last year’s Howe Cup-winning squad. The loss of that duo, coupled with the decision of Ashley Harmeling, who went undefeated last year as a freshman, to take a year off to work in Boston has left three holes in the bottom of the Harvard lineup.

“We could count on them, even if the top had tough matches and lost,” senior Carlin Wing says. “This year, we don’t have that type of experience.”

However, all indications are that experience may be the only advantage last year’s team had over the current edition, as the seven recruited freshmen on this year’s squad appear quite capable of filling those slots.

“They’re going to make this team solid for the next four years,” Wing says.

The top players from last year, too, are a year older, including Crimson No. 1 Louisa Hall. As a freshman last year, Hall finished the season ranked fourth in the country and was named a first-team All-American. This year, she has moved up to No. 3 nationally in the preseason rankings.

“Louisa is one of the most natural squash players I’ve ever seen,” Wing says. “When you watch her, she’s confident in her shots. Her technique and her movement just work very well together.”

Behind Louisa Hall, senior Margaret Elias returns for her second year as co-captain. Also a first-team All-American, Elias finished as the eighth-ranked player in the country last year and is fifth in the current rankings. Although she is easily one of the quickest players on the team, Elias is a fierce competitor whose real strength is her intensity.

“She always rises to the occasion in important matches and pulls through,” Louisa Hall says.

Freshman Lindsey Wilkins, who will start the season playing No. 3, is a tough competitor who reminds many of a young Elias. An aggressive, focused, fast player, teammates have observed that Wilkins has breezed through the often-bumpy transition to the college game.

“She’s been competing for ever and ever, so it’s not like she’s going to be intimidated by these college girls,” co-captain Colby Hall says.

Playing No. 4 for Harvard will be Wing, a second-team All-American who finished last year ranked thirteenth in the country and had moved into the top ten in this year’s preseason rankings at No. 8.

Behind Wing are junior Ella Witcher, who is ranked No. 26, and the last of the Crimson’s returning All-Americans, co-captain Colby Hall. Colby, Louisa’s older sister, joined Wing on the second team, ending the season ranked 18th in the country and is currently ranked 11th in the nation.