Written By: Emily Hau

The Rye Country Day School Girls’ Squash team has gotten off to a strong start with a shared goal and drive to push hard together. In reference to the team’s promise, Head Coach Elani Landman stated, “This is the strongest team we’ve had in many years…so far the team is ranked number fifteen in the country in division one, so I think that is a first for the girls squash team.” 

Captained by Alexandra Lynch ‘27 and Yana Thukral ‘26, the team’s strong start can be attributed to their shared objective: to work hard and improve together. Coach Landman believes this unified mindset empowers the team, fostering positivity and motivation. In agreement, Lynch added, “The team’s spirit and dedication especially with our new players has led to success and a great start to the season.” The players put in their best effort in practice and have had spirit themes before games to boost the energy, such as black out and Hawaiian, with more fun ones to come. 

The team is off to a promising start with a record of 7-1, with wins against Sacred Heart (6-1), Bronxville (6-1), Hopkins (8-0), and Masters (7-0), only losing to Greenwich Academy (5-2). The team’s win over Sacred Heart marked an impressive milestone in this season, as they have not beaten them in around 20 years. 

This season, the team’s goals are to win the NYSAIS championship, finish in the top two at the FAA championships, and rank high nationally. Throughout this season, Landman wants the team to enjoy the victories but also learn from the losses. She also mentioned two freshmen for their commitment to the team: Tian-yi Chen ‘29, a new student who made a strong impression, and Audrey Demong ‘29, who has brought positive energy to the team. 

As the season continues, the team will continue to stay focused and work hard in practice to prepare for their upcoming matches!