In a virtual ceremony held last Thursday evening by the College Squash Association (CSA), Navy's Jack Lentz (Philadelphia, Pa.) was named the winner of the 2021 Skillman Award. Along with Lentz, Franklin & Marshall's Sanjay Jeeva and George Washington's Salim Khan were among the finalists for the award.

The Skillman Award, voted on by CSA coaches and established in 1983, is the top honor bestowed each year to a senior men's squash student-athlete who has displayed exemplary sportsmanship and skill throughout his career. Players are evaluated based on their on-court poise and demeanor, skill level and ability in the game of squash, team play, contributions to intercollegiate squash, leadership and cooperation with players, coaches and tournament officials.

"I'm just so happy for Jack. He has made a significant impact on our program both on and off the court, and to be recognized by fellow coaches for such a prestigious award as the Skillman, it's incredibly special," said third-year Navy head coach Tyler Osborne. "All three of these nominees - Sanjay (Jeeva), Salim (Khan) and Jack (Lentz) - are incredible ambassadors to the game and to the college squash community. It's humbling to see the impact each of them have had on their respective programs. Jack is no exception! He has left this program in a better place and I'm incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to work with him for the past three years. Congratulations, Skip!"

Since his arrival in the summer of 2017, Lentz played either the No. 1 or 2 position on the ladder for the Mids where he put together a 56-25 record. As a rookie, he produced a 22-9 record, primarily playing the No. 2 spot (13-1), and tied for the most wins on the team. He went on to play No. 1 as a sophomore (16-6), junior (17-9) and senior (1-1), completing his career just two wins outside of Navy's all-time record book. He was named to the 10-player All-Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference Team last spring after leading the Mids with a 17-9 record. Lentz went undefeated at the CSA Team Championship and put together a 2-1 mark at the CSA Individual Championship where he knocked off Penn's Saksham Choudhary, who came into the match undefeated (17-0), in four games.

Lentz also saw success in doubles action, partnering with Michael Kacergis to win the 2019 Intercollegiate Squash Doubles National Championship. Ironically, he defeated F&M's Sanjay Jeeva, a fellow Skillman Award finalist, and his partner Shamseldeen Abbas in a five-game thriller.

"I never allowed myself to believe I had a chance at winning this award for two reasons - first because it felt like such a far-fetched goal and second because winning meant that my time competing with my teammates was over," said Lentz, who will graduate from the Naval Academy in May and be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. "Looking down the list of names on the trophy, there are some legends of the game on here, and I am honored to be seen alongside them."

One of those men listed on the trophy is 1993 Naval Academy graduate and two-time All-American Casey Garwood, who resides in Annapolis with his family and has seen first-hand the player and leader Lentz has become over the last four years.

"The Skillman Award represents many of the key traits expected of all Naval Academy midshipmen and its graduates: teamwork, leadership and sportsmanship," said Garwood, Navy's only previous Skillman Award winner. "Over the past four years, I've watched Jack compete at the highest levels of collegiate squash in a manner which makes his selection as the award recipient one that all alumni can take pride in."


### Go Navy ###