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Saints men's team sweep Liberty League Squash Awards

Posted 3/20/15

St. Lawrence University's men's squash team swept the 2015 Liberty League awards following a 15-2 season which ended with a second place finish in the College Squash Association team nationals. …

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Saints men's team sweep Liberty League Squash Awards

Posted

St. Lawrence University's men's squash team swept the 2015 Liberty League awards following a 15-2 season which ended with a second place finish in the College Squash Association team nationals.

Junior Amr Khalifa was named the Liberty League Player of the Year for the third straight year while Edgar Zayas was a unanimous choice as Rookie of the Year and Chris Abplanalp was a unanimous choice as Coach of the Year.

Khalifa, who battled injuries throughout the season, compiled a 7-2 overall record, including a 3-0 record in the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championships where he defeated opponents from Franklin & Marshall, Harvard and Trinity (Conn.). Khalifa's only losses were by injury default. In three seasons at St. Lawrence, his career record while playing out of the number-one position is 32-4.

Zayas was selected as the Liberty League rookie of the year after compiling a 13-4 overall record. Zayas was the highest ranked Liberty League rookie in Pool (A Division) competition at the College Squash Association Individual Championships (10th) and also recorded the top finish as he advanced to the quarterfinals. In dual matches, Zayas went 4-0 while playing in the number-one position, 4-2 at number two and 3-1 at number three.

The St. Lawrence University coaching staff, led by Head Coach Chris Abplanalp, was voted as coaching staff of the year. Abplanalp guided his squad to a 15-2 overall record, the Liberty League championship and a runner-up finish at CSA Team Nationals. The Saints ascended to the number-one national ranking early in the season, finishing second, with both losses coming to national champion Trinity. St. Lawrence had seven players selected for CSA Individual Nationals. Abplanalp is assisted by Nikhil Seth.

Khalifa and Zayas were both unanimous selections to the all-league team and were joined by freshman Ahmed Bayoumy, who went 15-4 for the year and Ibriham Khan who was 8-7 in his senior season as unanimous selections. Hussein Elrayes, who was 10-7 as a freshman for the Saints, was also named to the all-league team.