The Liberty League has announced the major award winners for the 2023-24 women's squash season. William Smith College senior Rafaela Albuja Sanchez earned Liberty League Player of the Year honors for the second straight season. Denison University first-year Esme Adelman was named Rookie of the Year. Haverford College head coach Niki Clement earned Coach of the Year honors in her first season of Liberty League competition.
Player of the Year
Rafaela Albuja Sanchez, Senior, Quito Ecuador
William Smith College junior Rafaela Albuja Sanchez was selected as Liberty League Player of the Year for the second straight season. Albuja Sanchez played in the number-one position in all 16 matches for the Herons, going 12-4. A three-time selection as Liberty League Performer of the Week, Albuja Sanchez won both of her matches in the league championship, helping the Herons to back-to-back titles. She competed in the Holleran North draw at the College Squash Association (CSA) individual championships, going 1-1 while earning a berth in the quarterfinals. Albuja Sanchez cruised to an 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 win over Navya Gupta of Bates in the first round before falling in a five-game match against Sanya Vats of Drexel, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10. In two seasons with William Smith, her overall record is an impressive 34-9.
Rookie of the Year
Esme Adelman, Denison, First-Year, Toronto, Ontario
Denison University first-year Esme Adelman was selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. A four-time selection as Liberty League Rookie of the Week, Adelman competed in the number-two position for the Big Red, going 11-9 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the league championship, helping Denison to a third-place finish. She also went 2-1 at the CSA Team Championships, defeating Ku Paw 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-5) during Denison's 9-0 win over No. 30 Mount Holyoke College in the first round of the Walker Cup and earned a 3-2 (8-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9) comeback victory over No. 28 Connecticut College's Mariam Anwar in the second consolation semifinals. Her only loss was a 3-1 (11-5, 11-3, 12-14, 11-3) defeat against Aryaa Ogale of No. 22-ranked and second-seeded Franklin and Marshall College in the Walker Cup quarterfinals.
Coaching Staff of the Year
Haverford College – Niki Clement, Head Coach
Haverford College joined Liberty League squash for the 2023-24 season and head coach Niki Clement's team turned in a strong showing in the team's debut season. The Fords finished fourth in the seven-team Liberty League championship after earning a quarterfinal-round win over fifth-seeded Mount Holyoke. Competing in the Walker Cup at the CSA Team Championships, Haverford went 2-1, picking up victories over Liberty League foes Bard and Vassar to close out the season.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
Esme Adelman, FY, Denison
Rafaela Albuja Sanchez, Sr., William Smith
Petra DeRose, Sr., St. Lawrence
Lane Harding, So., Denison
Anna Lee, Sr., Vassar
Kate Manderlink, So., Denison
Antoinette Ramsey, Jr., Denison
Laila Selim, Sr., William Smith
Nathalie Sim, So., William Smith
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
Laura Franz, So., St. Lawrence
Virginia Lawrence, Jr., Denison
Anna O'Connor, Jr., William Smith
Jada Smith-Padmore, Sr., William Smith
Meg Pruett, Jr., St. Lawrence
Amy Saxon, So., Haverford
Xitlali Zuniga-Romero, Sr., St. Lawrence