Oct. 24, 2006

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Junior Tucker George (West Hartford, Conn.) has been elected by his peers to serve as Navy's team captain during the 2006-07 squash season.

"It's a great honor being selected captain," said George, who is coming off his third-consecutive Barb Tournament win. "I truly appreciate the trust Coach Dawson and the team has placed in me by selecting me as the team captain. I also have an excellent leader in Jeff Sawin, a classmate of mine who is also a two-time letterwinner.

"I am excited to be a part of the team that is emerging as a top-10 ranked national contender," George added. "We have all the players to make this year our most successful since I have been at Navy."

George has been the Mids' No. 1 player since his arrival at the Academy in 2004. As a freshman, he turned in a 16-8 record and finished the season ranked No. 41. A year ago, he produced a 15-5 mark and helped lead Navy to a No. 15 national ranking by year's end.

Last April, George produced a 3-1 record and won the consolation bracket at the Under-23 U.S. Squash Championship in Greenwich, Conn. By virtue of his finish, he earned his way onto the U.S. National Team and represented the United States at the 2006 World University Squash Championship held in late August in Hungary. While there have been players from the United States who have competed in the previous four championships, it marked the first time the U.S. officially participated in the tournament as a team. Comprised of three men and two women, the United States finished fourth and featured a win over third-seeded Malaysia. George, who played against some of the best players in the world, including the top-ranked Swiss player, finished 26th in the individual competition.

George's success in the classroom has also been impressive. Ranked in the top five percent of his class academically, George is a mathematics major who owns a 3.85 grade-point average. He has appeared on the Dean's List once, the Superintendent's List twice and the Commandant's List three times.

"Tucker will have a tough role to play this year," said seventh-year Navy head coach Craig Dawson. "As the team captain, he sets the example for the team in practice, on trips and in competition. When you add the fact that Tucker will play at the top of the lineup and never have an easy match, it is quite a challenge. Tucker is equal to the task. He is a perfectionist in everything he does, so as captain he will lead the team to a great season."