For the first time in 14 years, a Dartmouth freshman has received All-American honors, as the Women's College Squash Association named Valeria Wiens '13 to the first team.
Wiens, a Russian 23-year-old, is the first Dartmouth squash player to earn the lofty first team recognition since 2005. The most recent All-American, Ashley Malenchak '08, was named second team in 2008.
"I am just really happy because it has been a lot of work," Wiens said. "When you put a lot of effort into something its nice to see it pay off."
Of the 10 players named to the first team, seven were Ivy League students.
Wiens had an impressive season as the top-ranked Dartmouth women's squash player this Winter. She experienced success even when faced with steep competition week-after-week, matching up against players like fellow All-American Julie Cerullo of Princeton.
"Both physically and mentally, I knew if I beat [Cerullo], I would be in the top 10," Wiens said.
To qualify as an All-American, players must compete in the Individual Squash Championships. This year, freshmen Laura Gemmell of Harvard won the championship. Harvard had five players earn All-American recognition and won the 2010 national title.
"Since we compete against such good schools there aren't that many easy matches," Wiens said, "Every match has some sort of pressure."
Wiens had a record of 7-3 this season and made it to the quarterfinals of the Championships.
"For the next four years, I definitely want to stay All-American," Wiens said. "The general goal of everyone who is competing is to win the [Individual Squash] championship. Realistically, top four would be great."
Having a strong freshman roster seems to be a key ingredient for Dartmouth's squash teams success on both the men's and the women's side. The top three female players Wiens, Corey Schafer '13, and Becky Lau '13 are all freshmen, and there are four freshmen in Dartmouth's six player line-up.
On the men's side, Chris Hanson '13 is also contender for the All-American honor roll, although it has not been announced yet.
"He's definitely going to be first team or second team," Wiens said. "It's great, because he is a hard worker as well."
Wiens hails from Omsk, Russia, where as a child she participated in diving and the high jump. At age 14, Wiens moved to Germany where she developed her interest in squash.
"Usually in Russia, they teach you to do sports 100 percent or nothing," Wiens said.
Wiens met her husband and coach, Hansi Wiens, at a squash tournament in Germany, when he was a coach visiting from Spain.
"One thing led to another, and I moved to Spain with him," she said.
Three years ago, when Hansi Wiens was named head squash coach, the Wienses moved to Hanover.
"Dartmouth is such a nice campus and great place to live and study," she said.
Wiens is interested in studying economics, sociology and government in her time at Dartmouth.
So far, highlights for Wiens have been winning the Kurtz Cup a championship held for teams ranked ninth through 16th and traveling with the team on the training trip to San Diego, California.
"Coming here [to Dartmouth] was the best decision I've made in years," Wiens said.
Wiens added that she thought the close relationship between professors and students was a "catch phrase" used to entice students to Dartmouth. However, the school has exceeded her expectations.
"[School] is hard, but usually if you are good at sport, it is because you learn to plan things in advance and schedule your week," Wiens said. "As long as you are organized, you're okay with the schoolwork."
