The 2026 – 2027 Senior National Squad features ten athletes this season, including several familiar faces alongside a number of emerging talents.
The athletes named to the Senior National Squad are Hollie Naughton (ON), Nicole Bunyan (BC), Nikki Todd (ON), Niki Shemirani (ON), Zeina Zein (ON), David Baillargeon (QC), Connor Turk (AB), Liam Marrison (ON), Wasey Maqsood (ON) and Karim Michael (QC).
“It’s incredibly exciting to see the depth, competitiveness and sheer potential of this year’s Senior National Squad,” says Reiko Peter, Athlete Development Director. “This group reflects the strength of our athlete pipeline and the progress being made at every level of the program. The Senior National Squad is a powerful building block on our journey toward the LA28 Olympics, and Squash Canada looks forward to supporting these athletes as they take on the 2026 – 2027 season.”
Naughton, Bunyan and Todd all return with a wealth of experience and international success, having represented Canada together on numerous occasions. Hollie returns as a six-time Canadian Champion and former world No. 16; Nicole as a 2024 Pan American Championships Gold Medallist and former world No. 39; while Nikki brings nearly a decade of national-team experience and remains one of Canada’s most trusted names on the international stage.
Joining them are Niki Shemirani and newly Canadian, Zeina Zein. Niki climbed from world No. 189 to No. 131 in the world rankings over the past year, while Zeina brings a career-high of world No. 54 and back-to-back CSA Individual Championship titles to the squad.
The men’s squad brings together a strong mix of experience, with each player entering the season with plenty to build on. After working his way back from injury, David Baillargeon is steadily returning to the form that saw him reach a career-high of No. 39; Liam as the 2025 Canadian Men’s Champion and a former world No. 129; and Connor as a former world No. 129 and multi-time Canadian Championship medallist.
Joining them are Wasey Maqsood and Karim Michael, each of whom have put together impressive results over the past year. Wasey has continued his rise in the PSA rankings, climbing from No. 279 to a career-high No. 180 while claiming three titles. Karim, meanwhile, has reached multiple PSA finals and earned several podium finishes throughout the summer.
Together, these athletes represent the strength of Canadian squash today and the potential of what’s to come. You can help support Team Canada’s continued progress by donating to the Road to Podium Fund (Click Here). Your contribution directly helps these athletes train, travel and compete at their very best as they pursue success on the international stage.
