Trinity Women's Players Garner Prestigious Awards And Recognition by David Kingsley March 26, 2014 - Hartford, Conn.
- Trinity College senior co-captain Catalina Pelaez (Bogota, Colombia)
was selected as the 2014 recipient of the prestigious Richey Women's
Squash Award, given annually to the women's player who best exemplifies
the ideals of squash in her love of and devotion to the game, her
strong sense of fairness, and her excellence of play and
leadership. Pelaez also joined Bantam sophomore Kanzy El Defrawy
(Cairo, Egypt) on the College Squash Association (CSA) All-American
First Team, while Trinity first-year Anna Kimberley (Essex, England)
was named to the CSA All-American Second Team. El Defrawy was
additionally honored as the New England Small College Athletic
Conference (NESCAC) Women's Squash Player of the Year for the second
year in a row, and joined Pelaez and senior Wee Nee Low (Penang,
Malaysia) on the All-NESCAC First Team. Kimberley and Trinity
juniors Natalie Babjukova (Prague, Czech Republic) and Ashley Tidman
(Lamor-Plage, France) were each named to the All-NESCAC Second Team,
and Kimberley was also selected as the 2014 NESCAC Rookie of the Year.
Trinity, coached by
Wendy Bartlett (30th Season), completed its best dual-match season
since 2003 with a 16-1 record, captured their eighth consecutive New
England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship crown,
and won the College Squash Association (CSA) National Team Championship
(Howe Cup) title for the third time and the first time since 2003 with
a thrilling, 5-4 victory against Harvard at Princeton on February 23.
Pelaez, a two-year
captain and a four-year occupant at the No. 1 and/or No.2 spot in
the Trinity lineup, was perfect in dual matches this season with a
team-high 15 wins and zero losses, and finished 16-1 overall. She
is a four-time CSA All-American, a four-time All-NESCAC First Teamer
and won NESCAC Player of the Year honors in both 2011 and 2012.
Pelaez finished ranked among the nation's top ten players in each of
her first three seasons, including No. 2 in her rookie season when she
was also named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year. She reached the CSA
Singles Championship Quarterfinals in 2011, won consolation tournaments
in the event the next two seasons, and played her way back into the
quarterfinals this year before suffering her only loss of the 2014
campaign to El Defrawy by a 3-2 score. Pelaez was also honored as
the Trinity women's squash's recipient on the NESCAC All-Sportsmanship
Team a year ago. She finished fourth all-time at Trinity with 60
wins against just 15 losses in her fine career. A graduate of
Colegio Nueva Grandada in her native Colombia, where she has been a
celebrated member of its National teams, Pelaez is majoring in studio
arts with a minor in Italian at Trinity. She is the daughter of
Ana Lucia Casasfranco and Armando Pelaez.
El Defrawy was 11-4
this winter in her second campaign at the top of the Trinity
lineup. A CSA All-American and All-NESCAC 1st Teamer and the
NESCAC Rookie of the Year in 2012-13, El Defrawy was the CSA National
Singles Championship Ramsay "A" Division Runner-Up in both 2012-13 and
this winter and finished 2012-13 as the No. 2-ranked player in the
nation. A graduate of Lycee Francais, she is the daughter of
Nevine El Baz and Emad El Defrawy.
Low, 10-2 this winter
as Trinity's No. 3 player, is a four-year starter, a 2013 All-NESCAC
1st Team selection, and a 2010-11 All-NESCAC Second Team honoree.
She was also a two-time CSA All-American Honorable Mention and finished
2012-13 as the No. 20-ranked player in the nation. She is a
graduate of Sri Pelita and is the daughter of Low Eng Beng and Evelyn
Chuan Poh Sian.
Babjukova is a
three-year starter in the middle of the Bantam lineup with a 12-5
record (12-3 in dual matches), and repeats on the 2013 All-NESCAC
Second Team after gracing the All-NESCAC First Team as a rookie in
2011-12. She finished 2012-13 as the No. 25-ranked player in the
nation and earned NESCAC All-Academic honors last winter. A
graduate of Gymnazium Na Prazacce, she is the daughter of Marko and
Lenka Babjukova.
Tidman was 13-2 this
year in her third season as a starter in the middle of Trinity's lineup
and collects All-NESCAC Second Team recognition for the third
consecutive season. A graduate of Dupuy de Lome, she is the
daughter of Spencer and Annick Tidman.
Kimberley was
undefeated in her first 15 career collegiate matches, including a
flawless 14-0 in dual matches, and settled in as Trinity's No. 4 player
in her rookie year. She is a graduate Colchester Sixth Form
College and is the daughter of Joanna and Richard Kimberley.
