Hobart and William Smith Colleges will open their squash seasons under new coach Tyler Smith this weekend with home matches against St. Lawrence and Bard.
The Geneva teams will face St. Lawrence at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and Bard at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Smith Squash Center, according to HWS Athletics.
Smith was appointed head coach of both teams in April. He spent the past year at Portland Community Squash after serving as director of squash operations at Colby College. As a player, he won national titles at the under-13 and under-17 levels.
“As we head into this season, our focus has been entirely on building a strong foundation rooted in trust, authentic relationships, and a unified team culture,” Smith said in the colleges' season preview.
Hobart brings back a young core
The Statesmen return 10 players from a team that won three matches and finished third in the Conroy Cup at the College Squash Association Team Championships last season.
Sophomores Adam Le, Caio Paiva and Gabriel Garcia each finished with seven individual wins.
Le and Paiva played exclusively in the top two lineup spots, each earning three wins at No. 1 and four at No. 2. Paiva received second-team All-Liberty League honors in 2026. Garcia played primarily at No. 3 and No. 4.
Billy Gantcher and Peter Vorbach are Hobart's only seniors. The pair will help lead a roster built largely around younger players.
William Smith replaces top lineup spots
The Herons return eight players from a team that won four matches and finished fourth at the Liberty League Championships last season.
Junior Danielle Dezart leads the returners with six wins from the middle of the lineup. Fellow junior Kimberly Javier had five wins.
William Smith has two seniors and six newcomers. The new players will help fill the top three positions vacated by graduation, including the departure of All-Liberty League selection Jada Smith-Padmore.
Smith said he is emphasizing hard work, accountability and consistency on the court, in the classroom and across campus.
Championship dates ahead
After Saturday, the teams will be off until Nov. 21, when they travel to Poughkeepsie to face Hamilton and Vassar. They will finish the 2026 portion of the schedule at home against Denison on Dec. 6.
St. Lawrence will host the Liberty League Championships Feb. 13-14 in Canton. The CSA Individual National Championships are scheduled for Jan. 22-26 in New York City, followed by the CSA Team Championships Feb. 26-28 in Philadelphia.
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