WashU women’s club squash won the Ebbs Cup this year. (Courtesy of Olivia Stephan)

When sophomore Raina Patel entered the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia on Feb. 16, she walked into her first ever squash tournament. Patel, who has only played squash for one semester, made her tournament debut at the College Squash Association’s (CSA) women’s club championship, known as the Epps Cup. Beside her stood her suitemate and close friend Olivia Stephan, the team’s president and one of its captains, who has played the sport for most of her life. 

By the end of the weekend, the two helped lead WashU women’s club squash to a national championship, one by years of practice and the other through her relentless energy.

For Stephan, the national championship was an opportunity to show her prowess after years and years of playing squash. Stephan ended up going undefeated for the Bears over the weekend as one of the two top-ranked players on the team, tied with junior Lily Levitsky. 

“[Levitzky] is so nonchalantly good at squash,” Patel said. “I didn’t know how talented she was until I saw her play against other top seeded players. She is so effortless when she plays and just makes it look so easy. She gets the most insane shots and you can really just tell that she has played for years.”

The level of commitment is reflected in the whole team. Levitsky is studying abroad in Madrid this semester but flew back to Philadelphia for four days to compete at nationals — WashU paid for her plane ticket. She landed, competed, and then went right back to Spain after the tournament wrapped up.

Patel served in a different role for the team. Her background is in badminton, and she did not have as much success on the court as Stephan. Patel made her presence known through her unwavering support on the sidelines.

“Raina just jumped right in and didn’t even ask any questions,” Stephan said. “She was the team’s number one cheerleader and she brought the energy. It was great, and we love her so much for that.”

The club squash team had been building momentum for years, which culminated in their national championship. Two years ago, the Bears placed fourth in the same tournament, and they placed third last year. Being in the Midwest poses the team with another challenge. Most collegiate club squash teams are located on the East Coast, so WashU does not have many programs near them that they can compete against. The Bears often have to travel for competition. The CSA requires that teams play a minimum number of matches, forcing the Bears to travel to cities like Chicago and Boston throughout the year.

Their lack of varsity resources poses lots of challenges to the team, but it did not stop them from rising to the occasion. This season, the program made an important investment by adding a coach to their team. The team began working with coach Emma Charlton, a former top-20 player in the world from the United Kingdom, who now works in St. Louis trying to grow the sport of squash. Charlton attends one squash practice per week, bringing a level of structure and intensity to better prepare players.

“It was nice to have someone who’s been through the heat of the moment,” Patel said. “[Charlton] gives us advice and feedback when we need it most.”

Hiring and traveling with a coach added another element that required increased funding, especially for a club sport. The team worked with the Student Union Treasury to secure funding, as they saw coaching as necessary to compete at a higher level. The Bears were able to bring Charlton with them to Philadelphia, which is the first time they did not just coach themselves at this competition.

“I don’t think there was ever a doubt she would make it, as long as it was logistically feasible,” Stephan said. “This just really shows the level of dedication that our team has to each other and how much we want to succeed. Because if she hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t have won.”

Another essential team member is recent graduate Lily Lippert, who has been the team’s captain for two years. Lippert shows up to and runs every single practice. Even on days off, Lippert will text people to go to the gym or practice hitting.

“Lily is so available and always putting in the time and encouraging others to do the same,” Stephan said. “I think her level of commitment has been really extraordinary.” 

Together, these individuals’ efforts reflect a team that is passionate and works hard for each other. This can be achieved by years of competitive squash experience, leadership in practice, or just showing up with energy and enthusiasm, and each player has contributed to the success of the team in a distinctive way. This has allowed the program to grow in both skill level and their commitment to improvement.

The team is currently working to have their trophy on display in the Athletic Complex to make their presence more visible and celebrated in the broader WashU athletics community. Alongside their desire to be celebrated for their accomplishments, the team believes greater recognition could help shape the program’s future. As a club sport, funding and recruitment are tied to the team’s awareness.

“We want people to come to WashU knowing that there’s a club team, because that’s how we build our team,” Stephan said.