Women's Squash Places Pair on All-Ivy League Team; Gemmell Sweeps Awards

Photo courtesy of Gil Talbot Photography.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.- Two members of the national-championship winning Harvard women's squash team have been honored on the All-Ivy League team, the league office announced Wednesday morning. Freshman Laura Gemmell was named the Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and was tabbed to the All-Ivy League team. Sophomore Nirasha Guruge earned her second career spot on the All-Ivy League team after being honored as the Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season.

Gemmell, a native of Toronto, Ont., compiled a perfect 16-0 record during her rookie campaign, as she captured the CSA individual title and the Ramsay Cup.  She owned a 5-0 mark at the CSA Individual Championships and went 11-0 during the year at the No. 1 position.  Gemmell also boasted a 3-0 mark at the CSA Team Championships and did not drop a game during the dual season.

Guruge, who hails from Colombo, Sri Lanka, earned her second straight nod to the All-Ivy League team after compiling a 9-5 overall record.  Guruge sported an 8-3 mark at the No. 2 slot and went 2-1 at the CSA Team Championships, including posting a win in the national final against Penn.

Gemmell becomes the first Crimson player to be named the Ivy League Player of the Year since 2007. Gemmell also captured Harvard’s third consecutive Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Guruge earned the award last year and junior June Tiong was the 2008 recipient. Harvard has now garnered five of the last six Rookie of the Year honorees.

Harvard completed the season with a 12-0 record, as the Crimson defeated Penn, 6-3, to claim the 12th national title in program history.  Harvard also won 17th Ivy League crown, going 6-0 in league play, and earned the Barhite Award, presented annually to the team with the best dual match record in the nation.