The 2024 World Masters made history with the largest participation in tournament history as 1,070 masters players from around the world competed in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
NCS’s Carole Grunberg was among three Americans who medaled in the event. She earned a spot in the 70+ 1-8 playoff by winning all three of her group matches. Grunberg reached the semifinals with a 3-0 victory, before losing out in the semifinals against Australia’s two seed Gaye Mitchell 12-10, 10-12, 11-4, 11-7. Grunberg then clinched the bronze medal in the 3/4 playoff against Scotland’s Maureen Carroll 11-6, 11-5, 11-6.
Congratulations Carole!
NCS players Sergio Lopez, Deepak Gopinath, Tawhid Nawaz, Asif Ehsan and Ross Campbell also competed for Team USA. The next world masters will be in Brisbane Australia in August, 2026.
National Capital Squash’s “DC Aces” won the Howe Cup in November after a dramatic final win over defending champions Philadelphia “International Love” at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia.
250 women competed across four divisions in the eighty-eighth edition of the Howe Cup Women’s Team Championship, the largest annual women’s squash tournament in the United States.
The “A” division with the top teams culminated in a dramatic final between the top two seeds, with the Philadelphia team considered a strong favorite. The match began with a win for Philadelphia, but DC’s Ineta Mackevica leveled the score with a win at the No. 1 position. Isabel Young put DC ahead with a incredible five-game comeback win after being 2-1 down against Anne Madeira in the No. 5 position. Captain Margaret Gerety followed Young and clinched the title 11-9 in the fifth against … Continue Reading ››
National Capital Squash sent five teams to the U.S. National Women's Team Championship or Howe Cup. US Squash hosted the event for the first time in the spectacular newly-opened Specter Center in Philadelphia. Held under strict COVID protocols including mandatory vaccination for all players and spectators, and a negative COVID test for players, Howe Cup was a joyful and celebratory event that was lucky to have been scheduled before the Omicron variant reared its ugly head.
Participation was very good, considering the pandemic, but we did miss some of the “usual suspects” from the West Coast, Chicago, and of course Canada.
Unfortunately, none of the NCS teams brought home any hardware this year, but everyone played hard and had a wonderful tournament. The NCS Howe Cup teams thanks National Capital Squash and Clark Construction for their sponsorships.
The annual grudge match between Baltimore and Washington DC is slated for March 28th between 2-5 pm at Squash on Fire.
This is a one-match team format. The visiting team sends its line-up and the host team matches that line up with appropriate opponents. We play one match, then have a social at a local watering hole.
Keep your eyes out for an email from AJ Copeland requesting players.
After many years of nearly capturing the title, the NCS B team won the Howe Cup B final in a thrilling match against Boston. The team, led by Captain and NCS VP of Women, AJ Copeland, edged out a win in the 3-2 victory. Top seed Heidi Wagner secured the first win for NCS while AJ fell in a tough match at the fifth spot. Sally Pei turned fortunes for DC while Deb Phippard struggled in a tough match with Boston. In the end, Carole Grunberg eeked out a win in a tie break in the fifth game of the fifth match.
US Squash called Grunberg's match the "match of the tournament and described it this way: The match of the tournament came at the No. 3 spot in the Division B final. With the teams tied at two matches apiece, Washington, DC’s Carole Grunberg, the reigning 60+ national champion, … Continue Reading ››
Kick off the season right at the Women’s Squash Night at Squash On Fire.
Meet other players, play casual round robin matches, sign up for league,
and learn about upcoming squash events.
Open to women of ALL ages and ALL skill levels.
US Squash membership is not required.
This event is FREE, but please register online here!
Sponsored by National Capital Squash and Squash On Fire
National Capital Squash sponsored five teams to play in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Team National Championships, held in Chelsea Piers, Stamford CT the weekend of Nov 11-13.
Left to right: A Team members Margaret Gerety (captain), Elizabeth Dupree, Maria Porras, Lindsay Wong, Chanel ErasmusA team
The National Capital ACES played in a round robin format against five other A teams, ultimately winning two contests and losing three. On Friday they defeated a Connecticut team 4-1, and lost to a Boston team 1-4. On Saturday they lost to the New York team that ultimately won the Cup, 0-5, and again to a Philadelphia team 2-3. On Sunday they defeated a very tough “Gabler’s Gang” Connecticut team 3-2. Captain Margaret Gerety, playing at the #2 position, pulled out an amazing 5-game win against pro and perennial contender Juliana Lilien, (10), 7, (8), 6, … Continue Reading ››
At the Saturday night party in conjunction with the 2015 Howe Cup, the Women’s Committee of US Squash presented two annual awards, both to National Capital Squash women.
Congratulations to AJ Copeland who won the prestigious Achievement Award, and to Mona Butterfield – whose passion and dedication to squash are demonstrated in her
organizing the National Capital Squash C and D level DC teams despite the fact she herself can no longer play -- for the Sportsmanship Award.
Here is the US Squash write up on the awards:
The revered Saturday night party took place at the Boston Aquarium where the Feron’s Wedgwood Sportsmanship Trophy and Women’s Achievement Bowl were presented to surprise winners, Mona Butterfield and AJ Copeland respectively. Both Butterfield and Copeland are active in National Capital Squash. Despite continued knee problems which now keep Mona away from actual competition, Mona can be relied on to rally the D.C. beginners … Continue Reading ››
National Capital Squash sent five teams in four divisions to the 2015 Howe Cup, held at the Murr Center courts of Harvard University in Boston, MA. This was the largest ever Howe Cup, with more than 250 women from all over the country and Canada participating in the three-day event November 7-9.
A teamLeft to right: Leslie Cameron, Chanel Erasmus, Maria Porras, Lindsay Wong, Casey Wong
The NCS A team featured Baltimore high school senior Casey Wong at #1, the only woman returning from the 2014 Howe Cup championship A team. Howe Cup newcomer Chanel Erasmus, a recent Trinity graduate, was recruited to play #2. Recent George Washington University graduate and Colombia native Maria Porras played in her first Howe Cup at #3. Casey’s older sister … Continue Reading ››
The NCS Women's annual Holiday Hit was held on Sunday December 14 at McLean Racquet and Health Club. Eight women engaged in informal round-robin and "Queen-of-the-Court" play, nibbled on holiday baked goods and socialized.
omen's annual Holiday Hit was held on Sunday December 14 at McLean Racquet and Health Club. Eight women engaged in informal round-robin and "Queen-of-the-Court" play, nibbled on holiday baked goods and socialized.