With the Hobart squash team set to kick off the second half of its season today, Head Coach Tim Riskie invited professional squash player Shahier Razik to campus this past week. This is the second straight year Razik has helped the Statesmen train during winter break.
 
A six-time Canadian National Champion, Razik attended Hobart's practices on Jan. 11-13. In two-a-day sessions, he worked with the Statesmen on conditioning, technique, and in-match tactics and skills. He is currently the No. 2 ranked squash player in Canada. Razik reached has high as No. 20 in the pro squash world rankings. Razik and Riskie are coaches at the World Class Squash Camp.
 
"It was a pleasure to host Shahier Razik this year," said junior Jack Shannon. "He showed us new drills and exercises that we added to our daily routine. After hosting him last season we improved as a team and finished the season strong and I am confident we can do it again. "
 
The Statesmen (2-4) begin 2016 ranked No. 24 in the College Squash Association Team Rankings. Hobart kicks off the new year at the Pioneer Valley Invitational this evening. The Statesmen will face No. 25 Dickinson at 7 p.m in Amherst, Mass. This is Hobart's first meeting against the Red Devils. Saturday, the Statesmen will take on Stanford and No. 30 Haverford. Hobart defeated Stanford twice last year, winning both matches 8-1. The Statesmen swept Haverford 9-0 when they last met on Jan. 20, 2012. Hobart will close out the Pioneer Valley Invitational when they face No. 20 Colby in South Hadley, Mass., on Sunday. The Mules bested the Statesmen 9-0 at last year's event. Senior Danny Cabrera and first-year Josh Oakley were a team best 3-3 in 2015.