Seven years after starting to compete, Sascha Greatrex '95, the captain of the women's squash team, has an impressive list of honors.
Greatrex is a three-time All-Ivy selection, has been named three times to the All-Ivy Academic Team and is a second-team All-American.
"Being recognized as an All-American is of course a great honor and reward for the effort I have put into squash. It makes me feel that the work I have put in has brought me to the level of players I have been around for a number of years and have always respected," Greatrex said. "However, it has not necessarily been the most important part of my squash career at Dartmouth."
Good team dynamics have made Greatrex's time on the court well spent. "I have learned not only from working towards my individual goals, but also from being part of a team and working together with other players," she said. "The experiences I have shared with my teammates and the things I have learned from them over the years are what has made playing squash at Dartmouth really great."
Greatrex was introduced to squash by her mother as a child but did not play regularly until her sophomore year of high school. She transferred to Milton Academy where there was a squash team and a year later Milton won the New England Championships.
Publicity from the championship allowed Greatrex to catch the eye of former Dartmouth squash coach Jim McCracken, who recruited her.
"I came to Dartmouth with the intention of playing on the squash team," Greatrex said. Though squash was not the only sport she has played at the College.
Greatrex sailed freshman year but had to choose between the sports because she wanted to be on campus sophomore summer and to study abroad for a term.
"I chose squash because it was an individual sport, and I wanted to make it my own. The great thing about both squash and sailing is that you can compete in them at a high level after you graduate," Greatrex said.
"I took a break from squash for about a month after Nationals this year, but after coming back this spring I have been really excited to keep playing. I know the sport will always be part of my life and I definitely plan to continue to play," Greatrex said. "I still have so much to learn and there will always be so many parts of my game that I can improve."
Coach Christina Brownell, who replaced McCracken in the fall of 1993, said Greatrex "has lead the team by example, always a hard worker and putting in lots of hours outside of practice to maximize her performance."
"She had the 'squash bug' and couldn't get enough of the game," Brownell said. "Her commitment to the team and to the sport has been nothing shy of 100 percent, and she will be sorely missed by her teammates."
Greatrex has earned the respect of her teammates, as well as her coach. "She is an incredible number one player because she faces other top players ranging from the highly competitive at the top of the Ivy League to less experienced players from other schools. Sascha treats them all with the same respect and plays hard every time," said Trisha Cunningham '96.
"She was able to mentally and physically prepare for her tough matches, while at the same time making sure her teammates were well prepared," Cunningham said.
Greatrex, an English major and classic studies minor, said she has no definite plans after graduation ... except to play squash.
Greatrex's teammate, Heather Duckworth '98 was also selected as a second team All-American.
