The 2018 Canadian University and College Squash Championships concluded Sunday with two familiar faces capturing the national collegiate titles.
The 2018 Canadian University and College Squash Championships concluded Sunday with two familiar faces capturing the national collegiate titles.
Representing the University of Calgary, Andrew Schnell took home his third Men's University and College national title, last winning back-to-back years in 2014 and 2015. Schnell entered the championship as the heavy favourite to take the title, solidifying that position by not dropping a game throughout his run to the finals. In the finals, he faced Ryerson University's Mohanad Heikal, who himself was playing in his second consecutive finals. Schnell took control of the match early on, winning the first two games 11-1 and 11-2. In the third game, Heikal found his game and gave Schnell a run, but ultimately Schnell's precision and experience took over, allowing Schnell to capture the title.
Schnell, a regular on the PSA World Tour and Squash Canada High Performance squad member, holds a special place for the collegiate tournament. Between him and his older brother, Graeme, the Schnell name is on the men's trophy eight times in the eighteen-year history of the championships. "This tournament is a special one for me," said Schnell in his post-game speech to the crowd. "University [and College] squash is great and I'm so happy to see it continue to grow in Canada."
Runa Reta is no stranger to winning Canadian titles. In 2009 she won the Women's Open at the Canadian Squash Championships and in 1999 won the Girls U19 Canadian Junior Championships. And just fourteen months ago, she was a member of the gold medal Team Quebec at the 2017 Canadian Women's Team Championship. On Sunday she added one more title to her name – 2018 Canadian University and College Squash Championships Women's Open Champion. A masters student at McGill University, Reta used the opportunity of the championship being held in Montreal at Le Club Sportif MAA to compete and perhaps win one more title. She entered the championship as the #1 seed and showed her competitors exactly why she held that spot. In the finals she faced University of Alberta's Nour Elhendawi. The Women's final was a match where every point was a battle; Reta's experience in championship finals shone as she stuck to her game plan, ultimately taking the 3-0 [11-6, 11-4, 11-6] championship victory.
Four additional national titles were given as well in the Women's B, Men's B, Women's C and Men's C divisions. In total 61 competitors from 20 Universities and Colleges in six provinces competed for the national titles. In two and a half days over a hundred matches were played and it was safe to say Canada's best collegiate squash was on display. The student-athletes who represented their schools, did so with passion for the game, pride for their schools and performed to their best.
2018 CANADIAN UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP – FINAL RESULTS
Men’s Open
Champion – Andrew Schnell, University of Calgary
Finalist – Mohanad Heikal, Ryerson University
3rd – David Mill, University of Western Ontario
3rd – Erin Roberts, University of Calgary
Finalist – Hanna Grover
3rd – Kyla Fishburn, Wilfred Laurier University
Finalist – Tommy Guest, Wilfred Laurier University
3rd – Evan Garfinkel, Queens University
Finalist – Claire Wheaton, Queens University
3rd – Tori Grootjen, University of Waterloo
Finalist – Euan Hannigan, Queens University
