OCTOBER 19-26, 2024    PHILADELPHIA, PA

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Celebrate Doubles Day at the U.S. Open

The US Squash hardball doubles community will be recognized on Sunday, October 6, on Doubles Day during the FS Investments U.S. Open round of 32 matches. Doubles Day celebrates the game of doubles, a popular and growing game in North America.

All members of the squash doubles community are invited to attend as we recognize the 2018-2019 doubles national champions, SDA Award recipients and host the annual speed gun challenge.

Any doubles national champions from the 2018-2019 season receive complementary tickets and discount codes for guests. Contact tickets@usopensquash.com for more information.

Purchase Tickets Through August 21 For a Chance to Hit With a Pro

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to step on the glass court against a top touring professional? Give yourself a chance to find out by picking up FS Investments U.S. Open tickets this week!

Any fan purchasing a ticket between August 15-21 to the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open will automatically be entered for the opportunity to hit with a professional player on the ASB Glasscourt.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity–buy your tickets today!

Tickets are available now on usopensquash.com/tickets.

Akabane and Vosters to Join U.S. Squash Hall of Fame

Ginny Akabane (l) and Bunny Vosters.

Two pioneering players have been chosen for the highest honor in American squash: induction into the United States Squash Hall of Fame. The Class of 2019 is Ginny Akabane and Bunny Vosters. To celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the merger of the men’s and women’s national squash associations, this will be the first all-women class of inductees. The induction ceremony will be held at a gala luncheon courtside at the FS Investments U.S. Open before the finals on Saturday October 12, 2019. Register for the Hall of Fame Luncheon here.

Ginny Akabane learned squash at Radcliffe in the late 1960s and became a dominant player in the 1970s. She won the 1975 National Singles, beating future Hall of Fame Barb Maltby in the final. She also captured the Canadian national title in 1973 and 1974. An early convert to softball, Akabane played on the first Team USA women’s squad to enter the world championships in 1979 and won the 1979 Hyder Cup. Back surgeries cut short her playing career, but Akabane was always known for her gracious on-court demeanor—she was honored with the inaugural Feron’s Wedgwood Sportsmanship Award in 1979. Akabane’s off-court contributions were equally impressive. In particular, she was the president of the U.S. women’s association from 1979 to 1981 and played a central role in merging the men’s and women’s associations, ending a half-century separation and positioning squash for tremendous growth. For her work in navigating this complicated process, Akabane was awarded the 1982 Achievement Bowl.

Bunny Vosters (1919-1999) was one of the greatest squash doubles players in history. A top tennis player (she reached the quarters at Forest Hills in 1948 and went on to capture more than forty U.S. national titles), Vosters took up squash in her forties. She won eleven National Doubles titles, tied with Hall of Famers Diehl Mateer and Alicia McConnell for the most all-time (she also lost twice in the finals). She was also the oldest person to ever win a U.S. national open squash tournament—she won her first title at age forty-three in 1962 and her last title in 1977 at age fifty-eight. Playing with Jeanne Classen, Betty Meade and her daughter Gretchen Spruance, Vosters was an irresistible force on the right-wall. Vosters was a top singles player, ranked as high as third in the nation. She was a longtime board member of the women’s association, representing her hometown of Wilmington, Del.

The United States Squash Hall of Fame was founded in 2000. Based at Payne Whitney Gymnasium at Yale, it is the only national squash hall of fame in the world with annual inductions and a bricks-and-mortar location. With the additions of Akabane and Vosters in the Class of 2019, there will be sixty-five members of the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame.

2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Promo Video

October 5-12 – The world’s best squash players descend on Philadelphia to compete in the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open hosted at Drexel University. Purchase tickets here.

U.S. Open Group Ticket Packages Available

Enjoy all of the fun and excitement of the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships with specially priced group ticket packages!

Purchases of 8 or more tickets for one individual day are eligible for discounted prices through the group packages program. Group packages are available for each day of the event and can be tailored specifically for your needs including food and beverage packages.

Group Package Benefits:

  • Print and digital marketing materials to promote your group package
  • Reserved seating in designated group section for Club Level groups
  • Group recognition on the above court jumbotron welcoming you to the U.S. Open
  • On-site group ticketing representative

For more information on Group Packages, email tickets@usopensquash.com or download the Group Sales form: 2019 U.S. Open Group Ticket Form.

For more information on ticket levels and seating sections visit usopensquash.com/tickets.

Nelson to Receive Callahan Sportsmanship Award at U.S. Open

Jay Nelson will be awarded the 2019 Robert W. Callahan Men’s Sportsmanship Award at the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open.

The ceremony will be on Tuesday, October 8, as a part of the sixth-annual Character in Sports Day. Purchase tickets here.

Jay Nelson is a legendary masters player. He played squash at Andover and Harvard and for the the last half century has been a mainstay of squash in New York City. Inducted into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame in 2013, Nelson has won thirty-one titles at the National Singles tournament. In hardball, Nelson won the U.S. national men’s 45+ in 1989 and 1990 and the 50+ in 1993 and 1995; in softball the 40+ in 1984 and 1985; the 45+ in 1987 and 1988; the 50+ from 1992 through 1996; the 55+ from 1997 through 2001; the 60+ in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006; the 65+ in 2007 through 2011; the 70+ in 2012 and 2016; and the 75+ in 2017 and 2019.

He is renowned as an example of sportsmanship. He was awarded NY Squash’s Eddie Standing Trophy in 1974 for exceptional sportsmanship and throughout his decades in the game has emphasized fair play and courtesy.

Character in Sports Day calls attention to the central importance of sportsmanship in squash. It welcomes all past recipients of national squash sportsmanship awards including the Callahan, Feron’s Wedgwood, the DeRoy (for junior players), the Skillman and Richey (collegiate individual awards) and the Sloane and Chaffee (team awards). In 2014 US Squash created the Robert W. Callahan Sportsmanship Award. Previous winners include Ed Chilton, Rich Sheppard, Richard Chin, Mark Talbott and Chris Spahr.

Bob Callahan was the men’s coach at Princeton for thirty-two years before he died in January 2015 at the age of fifty-nine. His teams won three national titles and more Skillman Awards than any other college in the nation. He founded the world’s oldest squash summer camp and in 1998 directed the World Junior Men’s Championship. He was inducted into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame in the class of 2011.

PURE Insurance Announced as U.S. Open Platinum Sponsor and Official Sponsor of the Pennsylvania Junior Squash Championships

US Squash has announced the PURE Group of Insurance Companies, which includes Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE), the policyholder-owned property and casualty insurer designed for high net worth individuals and families, as an official sponsor of the Arlen Specter Pennsylvania Junior Squash Championships and a platinum-level sponsor of the FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships in Philadelphia, PA taking place October 4-6 and 5-12, 2019, respectively.

“We are pleased to introduce PURE as a sponsor of US Squash and two of our most important events,” said Kevin Klipstein, President & CEO of US Squash. “PURE is recognized nationally in the insurance industry for an uncompromising commitment to excellence, a value we share at US Squash.”

PURE’s support of the 2019 U.S. Open will enhance the event for fans, competitors and the community. PURE will be featured as a premier corporate partner of US Squash through social, digital and print media into 2020, and those attending the 2019 U.S. Open will also find PURE representatives onsite to support the game’s significance to Philadelphia and the local community.

“PURE is proud of and supports the mission of US Squash to bring meaningful lifelong engagement in the sport and encourage sportsmanship while achieving competitive excellence,” said Lindsay Holden, Eastern Zone President at the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “This sponsorship supports our efforts to increase awareness of PURE and strengthens our position in the high net worth insurance category.”

The Arlen Specter Pennsylvania Junior Championships run October 4-6 at in University City Philadelphia at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania with a field size of nearly 300 players. The U.S. Open is one of the world’s premier professional squash championships, featuring top players competing for its coveted title. The eight-day Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour Platinum event was first held in 1954 and has been hosted at Drexel University since 2011. The event pioneered gender parity in prize money for squash professionals in 2013 and is a leader in the drive for equality in the professional game. The U.S. Open brings together all elements of the squash community through numerous special events celebrating the core values of the sport, alongside three amateur competitions: the Arlen Specter Pennsylvania Junior Championships, the U.S. Squash Skill Level Championships and the Intercollegiate Doubles Championships. The U.S. Open has become one of the most iconic and important annual sporting events held in the city of Philadelphia.

“US Squash is a leading sports organization with a unique and community-focused footprint in Greater Philadelphia,” said Holden of PURE. “This partnership supports our efforts to increase brand awareness in a community that’s critical to our growth objectives, and aligns with our passion for supporting youth activities.”

In addition to this sponsorship, PURE is the title sponsor of the longstanding PGA TOUR Champions event held annually at Pebble Beach. The PURE Insurance Championship brings together golf legends to play alongside top juniors from The First Tee.

For more information about PURE Insurance please visit pureinsurance.com. Visit ussquash.com for details about the 2019 U.S. Open, The Arlen Specter Junior Championships and to purchase tickets to the event.

About US Squash
US Squash is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which serves as the only national governing body and membership organization for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1904 and headquartered in New York City, it is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Pan American Squash Federation and the World Squash Federation. US Squash’s mission is to lead squash’s growth and development by increasing access and awareness, supporting meaningful lifelong engagement in the sport, and encouraging sportsmanship while achieving competitive excellence at the highest levels.

About PURE Insurance
Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) is a policyholder-owned insurer dedicated to creating an exceptional experience for responsible high net worth individuals and families. PURE provides customizable coverage for high-value homes, automobiles, jewelry, art, personal liability, watercraft, flood, fraud and cyber fraud to more than 85,000 responsible, high net worth families throughout the U.S. Inspired by some of the finest policyholder-owned companies, PURE emphasizes alignment of interests and transparency. PURE’s low cost of capital, careful member selection and proactive risk management all contribute to highly competitive rates and a Financial Strength Rating of “A” (Excellent) from A.M. Best. In return for a fee, PURE Risk Management, LLC acts as Attorney-in-Fact for PURE.

Millman to Receive Feron’s Wedgwood Trophy at U.S. Open

Pat Millman will be awarded the Feron’s Wedgwood Sportsmanship Trophy at the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open.

The ceremony will be on Tuesday, October 8, as a part of the sixth-annual Character in Sports Day. Purchase tickets here.

Millman grew up in England. She first started playing squash at age thirty. In 1993 she and her husband Richard moved to the U.S. She coached in California, Atlanta, Boston, Westchester, NY, Stamford, CT and Charleston, SC. She assisted the men’s and women’s teams at Cornell and was the head coach at Hackley School and St. Luke’s School. Two years ago she became the assistant director of Scenic City Squash in Chattanooga, TN.

An outstanding player, Millman won the U.S. 55+ in 2010 and the 65+ in 2019 and is well-known for her sportsmanship.

The Feron’s Wedgwood Sportsmanship Trophy is US Squash’s oldest sportsmanship award. Since 1979, it has honored women who exemplify fair play, respect, courtesy and fellowship with opponents.

Previous winners include U.S. Squash Hall of Famers Goldie Edwards (1980), Carol Weymuller (1988) and Demer Holleran (1989). Last year’s recipient was Abby Markoe.

Harrity to Receive USOC Athlete of the Year Award at U.S. Open

Todd Harrity at the 2018 U.S. Open

Team USA’s Todd Harrity has been honored with the 2018 United States Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year nomination, and will receive the recognition during the FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships in Philadelphia.

Harrity will receive the award on Monday, October 7, during the round of sixteen matches that evening at Drexel University’s Daskalakis Athletic Center. Purchase tickets to Monday’s matches here.

The twenty-eight-year-old had the most successful season for a male U.S. touring professional over the course of 2018. The Wayne, Pennsylvania-native competed in sixteen PSA events over the course of the year, which included two victories in PSA Platinum events–the U.S. Open and Black Ball Open–and winning the PSA World Championship-qualifying Madeira International Open. Last summer, Harrity represented Team USA at the Pan American Championships, earning three bronze medals in the team, doubles and individual competitions. Harrity’s performances over the course of the year propelled him back in to the world’s top fifty-ranked players.

Harrity’s success has continued into 2019, having claimed his third S.L. Green U.S. Men’s Championship title and reached a career high ranking of world No. 44 in March. Harrity will lead Team USA into the Pan American Games this summer in Lima, Peru–his second appearance at the major quadrennial games.

Off the court, Harrity was trailblazer for the global squash community by becoming the first male openly gay squash professional in May of 2018.

Harrity has been supported by the US Squash Elite Athlete Program since joining the PSA World Tour full-time in 2013 following his graduation from Princeton.

Since 1991, the USOC Athlete of the Year has been US Squash’s highest award for outstanding achievement in international competition. Previous winners include Mark Talbott, Demer Holleran, Louisa Hall, Ivy Pochoda, Michelle Quibell, Gilly Lane, Timmy Brownell, Amanda Sobhy and last year’s honoree Olivia Blatchford Clyne.

 

 

Skill Level Nationals Returns to U.S. Open Finals Weekend

The 2019 U.S. Skill Level Championships will be held alongside the FS Investments U.S. Open finals weekend, October 12-13 in Philadelphia. Skill level divisions are available for players of all abilities, and the tournament is a great opportunity to test your game against players from around the country while joining the squash community as it comes together to watch the world’s best players at the U.S. Open.

The host venue—the Kline & Specter Squash Courts at Drexel University—is in the heart of Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood just blocks away from 30th Street Station and near numerous restaurants, museums and hotels including official US Squash partner hotel The Study University City.

Players who placed first or second in any given skill level in a Regional Adult Championships tournament gain free entry to the tournament. All players receive a special 50% off discount code to the U.S. Open semifinals and finals rounds. Support the tournament as a patron to receive upgraded U.S. Open seats and complimentary food and beverage.

All Saturday, October 12, matches will be completed in time for the players to enjoy the U.S. Open finals beginning that evening on the glass court.

All divisions will be capped at sixteen players and are available on a first-come first-served registration basis—register here today to book your spot for the ultimate squash weekend.