Rating a team's success proves difficult when it comes to women's college squash. Nationally it's a very small sport, meaning that all programs compete in one division, eschewing the traditional three-tier system found in other NCAA sports.
While the Jumbos' final season tally ended at 9-12, what is not readily apparent is their unprecedented six-game winning string, their peak at No. 12 in the College Squash Association (CSA) rankings or their large leap in the standings from last season.
"I think in every sport you have to look at the overall rankings," coach Doug Eng said. "The NESCAC in any sport is going to be very tough; other Div. III conferences are much weaker. Anytime you can break .500 in the NESCAC, it's a good season. Also, if we can finish in the second [B] division it's a good season for us."
The end of the 2006-2007 campaign saw Tufts finish No. 23 nationally, posting an 8-16 record. This year Tufts made the biggest ranking jump of any team in the top 20, from No. 23 to No. 16.
One of the goals the Jumbos envisioned earlier in the season was placement in the once-elusive B division, also know as the Kurtz Cup, of the national championships. After a dispute between Tufts and Amherst as to who was No. 16 and who was No. 17, the Jumbos eventually pulled away with No. 16 and the final spot in the Kurtz Cup.
Tufts ended up posting losses to Williams, Bowdoin and Hamilton, but maintained its No. 16 standing.
Eng said the Tufts squash team faced a number of disadvantages against programs above them on the national ladder, especially in terms of physical size, facilities and the quality of opponents.
"It's a small sport and we're competing against the Ivy [League] and teams like Stanford and Trinity," Eng said. "You take those 11 teams out and we finish fifth out of the more human teams. We could get a much better record if we played more of these teams. Some teams do that, like Wellesley, and its reflected in their 11-3 record, but it makes us stronger."
The finish in the Kurtz Division also granted Tufts two bids to the CSA Individual Championships, awarded to senior co-captain Rebecca Rice and sophomore Stefanie Marx, who played at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots respectively throughout the season. Rice competed for her third time at the annual season-ending competition but fell in her first-round contest and again in her consolation round, both in straight games.
Rice wrapped up her Tufts career at 25-45 over three-and-a-half seasons, as she studied abroad in her junior year. She began her career playing at No. 3 before bumping up to the No. 2 slot for the remainder of her freshman year, going 9-11. In her sophomore year Rice became the consistent No. 1 player, posting a 9-15 record.
"She's had a very solid career; this year she has shown great leadership," Eng said. "When she's playing well, she handles the No. 1 very well. She's progressed along. She's contributed a lot to the team in this year and the years before."
This season Rice also took on the role of captain with senior Micela Leis, adding a needed refreshing and more intense style of leadership.
"[Rice] is hardcore and more intense than past captains and the team responded very well to that," Eng said. "This year's team was young and fit well with this type of leadership."
"Rebecca and Micela were amazing captains," freshman Allie Dempsey added. "I felt like the team really became a unified group instead of just a bunch of girls of different ages. Their attitudes were always positive, even when we were facing opponents of much greater strength. With them, victory was always an attainable goal, and I think they really inspired everyone to give it their all on court and play their hardest."
Leis will also graduate this spring after a stellar 30-39 career. She has steadily moved up in the ladder over her career at Tufts, beginning as a No. 9 player her freshman year and playing as high as No. 5 this season.
Despite losing their co-captains, the Jumbos will bring a promising roster into next season. Junior Victoria Barba may step into Rice's shoes as she has held the No. 2 position for most of the season. Barba has solid experience at the top of the ladder in her 23-41 career at Tufts, with a feisty never-give-up style of play on the court.
"Victoria is aggressive and can take the challenge, she can run with anyone," Eng said. "She can bring more success next season if she attacks the ball a bit more."
The sophomore class holds two of the top ladder competitors, Marx and Laura Curren. Marx has a career record of 22-23 with strong tournament experience under her belt. Curren made the decision this season to join the team, and her high school experience gave her the chance to prove her strength in the top three ladder positions, posting a 6-12 season record.
Freshman Valerie Koo had a noteworthy rookie season. Koo mostly played in the No. 5 position and had a breakout performance against Bowdoin to clinch a historic 5-4 win. Koo holds the best individual record this season with 12 wins and nine losses.
"I'm really excited to see how the team does next year because looking at the progress made this season, I see so much potential in all the girls," Rice said. "Everyone really made strides throughout the course of the season. The enthusiasm level is so high it will help carry over into next year's preseason and season."
