To most people, squash is an unknown sport, uncommon to watch and confusing in its rules. However, for squash players like Courtney Mulligan ’10, the sport is extremely exciting and a central part of life.
After quitting basketball in high school, Mulligan wanted to try a new sport to replace the void basketball left. She started playing squash while she was a sophomore and quickly fell in love with the game. It was her coach in prep school who encouraged her to continue playing the sport throughout college.
“I didn’t even consider it an option until he told me that I was good enough to play at the next level,” Mulligan said. “I absolutely loved the game, so I figured, ‘why not?’”
As a senior and a co-captain for the women’s squash team, Mulligan plays a critical role on the team. She believes the season is going very well. With five strong upperclassmen and four gifted new first-years, the team is filled with talent and determination. The team had major wins over George Washington, Bowdoin, and Columbia over the past few weeks, and is currently hoping to improve their ranking from 23 to 18.
The team is also preparing for its important weekend at Cornell in two weeks and then Nationals towards the end of February.
One of the team’s biggest accomplishments has been the constant improvement throughout the season. They have surprised many teams, such as Bowdoin—they have beaten their opponent or come much closer to them in points than the opponent may have originally anticipated.
For Mulligan, her greatest accomplishment comes when she can win in the fifth game.
“The fifth game is one of the most physically and mentally draining battles. But you win, you really feel like you have accomplished something,” she said.
Part of the team’s success comes from the bond they have with each other in and out of the sport.
“We have great team chemistry amongst the women and the men,” Mulligan said. “Both the teams are really supportive of each other and work well together. We have a lot of fun traveling together and fighting over which movies we are going to watch on the bus. Everyone cheers for each other and watches each other’s game which makes for a great team dynamic.”
Every athlete enjoys the specific sport they play for one reason or another. Squash was quite new and different from the other sports Mulligan played in her life such as soccer, basketball, and lacrosse.
“I love playing squash because for me, the game is always different. Every opponent presents a new challenge, and I like to figure out their game and beat them at it,” she said.
“Squash is one of the most exhausting sports to play even though it is in a rather small glass box,” Mulligan added.
Aside from playing squash, Mulligan is in Chi Omega and coaches lacrosse at Lancaster Country Day School. She is an Art History Major and hopes to work in a gallery or at an auction house in the future.
