March 5, 2006

AMHERST, Mass. - Sophomores Tucker George (West Hartford, Conn.) and Jeff Sawin (Haverford, Pa.) represented the Naval Academy at the 2006 College Squash Association Individual Championship played over the weekend at Amherst in Massachusetts.

George was placed in the Potter Division which is made up of the top 32 players in the country vying for All-America recognition. An extremely competitive group of players hailing from around the world, George was one of only 12 American-born players in the Potter Division.

George faced the No. 2 player in the country, Princeton's Yasser El Halaby, in the opening round of the tournament. Though he played a solid match, George dropped a 9-1, 9-5, 9-5 decision to his Princeton foe who just two weeks earlier nearly led his Tigers to the national championship. George moved on to the consolation round where he faced Manek Mathur, who is the No. 6 player for Trinity, the 2006 CSA National Champion. Mathur handed George a 9-7, 10-8, 9-4 setback to end his season.

In the Molloy Division, Sawin also dropped his opening-round matchup. He was tripped up by Dan McElvaine, the No. 1 player for St. Lawrence, 9-3, 9-4, 9-7. Sawin, however, regrouped and defeated Columbia's Nik Trikha in the first round of the consolation bracket, 9-6, 9-4, 9-7. Trikha was Columbia's No. 1 player this winter. Sawin's season came to an end in the quarterfinals of the consolation bracket, losing a 9-6, 3-9, 9-0, 9-1 decision to Williams' No. 4 player Tyler Kyle.

2006 CSA Individual Championship - March 3-5

Potter Division - Round of 32No. 2 Yasser El Halaby (Princeton) def. No. 32 Tucker George (N)   3-0   9-1, 9-5, 9-5
Consolation, First RoundNo. 15 Manek Mathur (Trinity) def. No. 32 Tucker George (N)        3-0   9-7, 10-8, 9-4
Molloy Division - Round of 32Dan McElvaine (St. Lawrence) def. Jeff Sawin (N)                   3-0   9-3, 9-4, 9-7
Consolation, First RoundJeff Sawin (N) def. Nik Trikha (Columbia)                          3-0   9-6, 9-4, 9-7
Consolation, QuarterfinalsTyler Kyle (Williams) def. Jeff Sawin (N)                          3-1   9-6, 3-9, 9-0, 9-1

G-o N-a-v-y