Racquetball places second at nationals

The RPI Racquetball Team traveled to Warren, New Jersey for the 2017 – 2018 Eastern Collegiate Racquetball Conference Regional Championship over the weekend of February 23.

Following the meet, the 2017-2018 regular season standings were announced.  This season, the RPI Racquetball Women’s Team finished in third place, the Men’s Team finished in second place, and the Combined Team finished in second place.  This is the best finish for the Combined Team since the early 2000’s.

The team then travelled to Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 13 to 17 to compete in the 2018 USA Racquetball Intercollegiate National Championships.  The team competed against schools such as Oregon State, Brigham Young University , Texas, and Missouri and defended their Overall Team Division II Championship.       

Coach Kevin Mitchell voiced his praise for the team.  He noted how hard the team practiced and competed during the second semester, “We knew as a team we were only 150 points out of second place going into the final meet, a difference of three matches.  The players practiced hard and battled during the final meet of the season on our home courts in Albany.  We were ultimately able to secure second place ahead of Army and Penn State.”   

We completed the most successful ECRC regular season for RPI in over 10 years and I was ecstatic the team defended the Division II National Title.  More importantly, I am proud the team continues to improve and recruit.  I want to thank all the graduating seniors and wish them nothing but success in the next chapter of their lives.  I am extremely optimistic for next season and truly believe RPI can compete for the ECRC Regular Season Championship.

Team president Will Puswald stated,  “I’m extremely proud of what this team was able to accomplish this year.  What I am even more proud of is that I know the team is in a place where it will only get better from here.”

If anyone has ever played the sport or would like to give it a try, please reach out to someone on the team or email Will Puswald ’18 at puswaw@rpi.edu, Vice Presidents Melissa Helm ’20 at helmm2@rpi.edu or Nick Harrison ’19 at harrin4@rpi.edu.