Molly Pierce will be awarded the Achievement Bowl during Women in Sports Day at the FS Investments U.S. Open Wednesday October 9 at Drexel University. Pierce is one of the most accomplished leaders in U.S. squash history.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Pierce has been involved in squash for decades. A major focus has been SquashSmarts, Philadelphia’s urban squash program. She has served on the board of SquashSmarts for nineteen years, most recently serving as the board’s secretary and chair of governance. Since 2001 she has been a weekly mentor for children at SquashSmarts. She has also provided major financial support for the program.

Pierce has been a board member of SquashBusters, Boston’s urban squash program, and for five years served as president of the Philadelphia district squash association. She is an active tournament director, member of US Squash’s doubles committee, captain of Team USA for the Can-Am Cup, a board member for the Cynwyd Club and Germantown Cricket Club and an avid supporter and participant in local, regional and national tournaments. Along with her many squash-playing siblings, Pierce has been a significant philanthropic force in squash. The family bought and donated the house in Philadelphia that served as headquarters for US Squash for twenty years and recently made a leadership gift for the US Squash Arlen Specter Center.

On the court, Pierce is an exceptional and avid doubles player. An eight-time national doubles champion, she won the women’s 40+ title in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 with Jody Law; the mixed 50+ with Jamie Heldring in 2010; the women’s 50+ in 2012 with Tracy Greer; and the women’s 60+ in 2018 with Jody Law.

The Achievement Bowl is US Squash’s oldest award. Since 1955 it has been given out annually to a woman who has made notable and profound contributions to the advancement of squash. Last year’s recipient was Julieanne Harris.

Pierce will be acknowledged during a special reception from 5-6pm courtside prior to evening matches. Purchase tickets for Women in Sports Day on www.usopensquash.com/tickets.

Pre-event online sales are available NOW through SEPTEMBER 15, 2019. Place your order today here.

Delivery and pick-up options are available; items ordered by September 15 will be shipped to an address provided by September 25 or customers can pick-up items on site at the U.S. Open Merchandise Booth. Please indicate the preferred option during checkout.

Support the USA! Any item can include a USA Flag for additional $5.00; see option while checking out.

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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.

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.

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.