London, ON - In March 2023, the Western Mustangs Squash team made headlines with their remarkable victory as NCAA Division 1 Doubles Champions at the U.S. Intercollegiate Doubles Championship, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Coach Christopher Hanebury told us he had immense pride in the team's first-time participation and subsequent victory in the doubles championship. The accomplishment was especially meaningful as it marked the first title in this category for the Western Mustangs. "The doubles championship was the first [US doubles championship] we have participated in and also our first [US] title," Coach Hanebury said. 
 
Griffin Manley is in his third season with the Western Mustangs Varsity Squash Men's team and together with Dylan Deverill, also on the Western Mustangs Varsity Squash Men's team, he won the Men's Open category (doubles). Manley provided some insights into his personal squash journey. "I first picked up a racquet when I was five years old; I started playing competitively at the age of seven and played tournaments around the world during my junior career - including the British, Dutch, and U.S opens." 
 
Currently playing as a left-waller in doubles, Manley discussed the promising season this year despite early challenges, expressing confidence in the team's ability to rise in the rankings. "We have a promising team this season. A few injuries early in the year led to a tough loss against rivals Rochester and Princeton, but the team is playing great squash and looks to take down Columbia in the New Year to bring our overall ranking back up into the top-10".
 
According to Manley, who is currently studying in the Faculty of Engineering at Western, managing an Engineering workload alongside Squash commitments can be challenging. He stressed the importance of planning ahead. "When school isn't quite as busy it is important to stay diligent and get ahead on school work so that when the combined load of squash trips and academic assessments is high, you are able to manage it." 
 
Looking ahead, Coach Hanebury revealed plans to continue to enter a doubles team at the NCAA Division 1 Championship, and the need for Manley to find another partner as Dylan Deverill plans to shift to singles. Despite the change, the Coach remains optimistic, citing, "We have some experienced doubles players on the team so I suspect we will be one of the favourites again."
 
The focus for the team, however, remains on singles, as Hanebury aims to improve the Mustangs U.S. ranking from 14th into the top-10. He anticipates improvement for the team with the return of key players this month and a push towards the team's ultimate goal. "We get two of our top players back [this month] in January. This should help improve our ranking and make a push for the top-10," Hanebury reflects. 
 
Manley also talked about his personal aspirations, including defending his NCAA championship title and adapting to a new doubles partner. "My personal goal for the season is of course to defend my title at NCAA championships." With his winning partner Deverill moving to focus on singles, Manley is practicing with a second-year student, Jangus Kay. "Kay and I have been practicing hard this year and are confident we can repeat last years success."
 
Coach Hanebury is very proud of the team's historic success in Canada, especially in Ontario University Athletics (OUA). "We have won 39 consecutive OUA titles, so this is a big year for the team". Their upcoming short-term goals include breaking back into the top 10 in the NCAA, and securing their 40th OUA championship at the upcoming OUA Championships, hosted by the Western Mustangs February 9-11 at the White Oaks Resort in Niagara on the Lake. 
 
Manley said that one of the most important parts of building a strong team is ensuring good rapport within the team, particularly with younger members. "Having a close bond with your teammates drives everyone to train harder and be more committed to the team's overall goals." Events like team barbeques and celebrations contribute to a close-knit environment, fostering commitment and drive toward collective goals. Manley mentions these events will "really help to develop that and is one of the key factors in our team's success."
 
Coach Hanebury also highlighted the immense support the team receives from alumni as being a key to success. "Some of our alumni are playing doubles professionally, so having success at the collegiate level is something that resonates with our alumni." He also reflected that this serves as additional inspiration for current players. "This [alumni] success also demonstrated to Deverill and Manley that they could also play professionally when they graduate." 
 
Manley also expressed his appreciation for the support of the Mustangs Squash team's alumni, stating, "It would be impossible to achieve anything we do without their generous support; they are the real driving factor behind creating such an amazing team environment and push us to train harder to repeat on their past championships."
 
The Western Mustangs Squash team success reflects the strong bonds within the team and the enduring support of their alumni, as well as the Western student athletes' skills on the court. As the team heads into the 2024 OUA Squash Championships in February, aiming for an historic 40^th win in a row, they have already proven they are one of the top teams in Canada. But they continue to push themselves and strive to be recognized as one of the best in North America as they look forward to competing at the US College Squash Association Championships again in February/March 2024. For a full schedule of future team events, visit 2023-24 Men's Squash Schedule - Western Mustangs Sports.
 
Editor Note: The governing body of squash, the World Squash Federation, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee, and Squash has been added for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.