Team USA has its sights set on a Pan American Senior Championships medal haul and qualification for the 2019 Pan American Games this week at the South Sound Squash Club in the Cayman Islands.
The U.S. delegation of eight players, led by Ganek Family US Squash Head National Coach Paul Assaiante, will compete in men’s and women’s individuals August 26-29, men’s, women’s and mixed softball doubles August 27-29, and the culminating men’s and women’s teams August 30-September 1.
The 2018 Pan Ams are the third year of the quadrennial Pan American Games cycle, and serves as a crucial qualifying event for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Seven women’s team places and eleven men’s team places in Peru are up for grabs this week in the Caymans.
Team USA enters the competition with a mix of experience and youth in both squads, which are captained by national champions Amanda Sobhy and Chris Hanson.
Sobhy, world No. 18, is joined by her younger sister, Sabrina, Elite Athlete Program player and world No. 43 Haley Mendez and three-time U.S. junior champion Marina Stefanoni.
Hanson, world No. 60, is joined by world No. 49 Todd Harrity, Timmy Brownell, who makes his second Pan Ams appearance, and rising Penn sophomore Andrew Douglas, who makes his Pan Ams debut.
Draws and seeding are set for both the individuals and doubles competitions, the results of which will determine team seeding.
Five Americans enter individuals seeded. Amanda Sobhy leads the women’s individual draw as the top seed and gold medal favorite, while Mendez enters as a 5/8 seed. On the men’s side, Hanson and Harrity both enter as 5/8 seeds, while Timmy Brownell picks up a 9/16 seed.
The doubles competitions sees the Sobhy sisters enter the women’s draw as 3/4 seeds, Douglas & Hanson as 3/4 seeds in the men’s draw and Harrity & Mendez as 5/8 seeds in the mixed draw.
Individuals match play commences Sunday, August 26. View all draws and follow results on the Pan American Championships tournament page.
For more tournament coverage visit panamsquash2018.com.
