Senior to play final matches this week

Jacob Himmelrich may not have the prettiest game of any Penn squash player, but he is probably one of the more valuable members of the squad.

After an early-season slump in which he dropped his first two matches, the senior captain finished his collegiate career on a tear. Himmelrich won 10 of his final 12 matches, including the Quakers' lone point against No. 2 Princeton and a pair of victories against No. 4 Harvard.

Himmelrich believes that his play is in top form, but his strong finish hasn't been solely a matter of turning it on in crunch time.

After being upset by his lower-ranked teammates in various challenge matches during practice, Himmelrich was placed at a lower flight.

"Playing a couple slots lower in the lineup doesn't hurt," Himmelrich said. But toward "the end of the year I felt strong and fit and was willing to work."

This commitment has served Himmelrich well over the course of his career. Although he may not be the most fluid or athletic player on the team, many say Himmelrich brings something entirely different to the table with his intangible qualities and unique style of play.

Coach Craig Thorpe-Clark is probably one of Himmelrich's most avid fans, praising the senior's love of the game and work ethic.

"He has terrier-like qualities," Thorpe-Clark said. "He fights in every rally, he never gives up."

Himmelrich's ability to work hard may help him improve his squash game, but his primary value to the team doesn't lie in his abilities on the court. Rather, the captain's best asset may be the leadership he provides off of it.

"He's always brought a really mature attitude towards leading the team," said junior Ben Ende, one of Himmelrich's best friends on the team. "He really shines in situations when the team has some issues or we're trying to get fired up for matches."

Himmelrich has remained a strong locker-room presence despite a career that some say has been marked by a deceptive decline in flight and ranking.

He has played as low as the No. 7 flight this year after competing at a much higher spot in his freshman year. Rather than a decline in his level of play, Himmelrich's drop in position could simply be attributed to improvements in Penn's recruiting as a result of its increasing success.

With the team ranked No. 11 in the nation before the 2002-03 season, Himmelrich played a good portion of his freshman year at the No. 2 flight, helping propel the Quakers to a No. 7 finish. A four-spot jump in only a year is a quantum leap in college squash because upsets are few and far between, especially among the nation's best.

The Quakers have yet to look back, averaging about a No. 6 finish in Himmelrich's four years at Penn. It's apparent, then, that he will be sorely missed when his career officially comes to a close after individual championships this week.

"He's been a great four-year player to the program," Thorpe-Clark said. "His improvement and presence on the team will be missed greater than losing a sixth or seventh player."

In his final days wearing the red and blue, he remains team-focused and modest.

"It's a little surreal," Himmelrich said, adding that the young players will be fine without him. "I know its going to be a change, but they probably won't miss me anyway."

On this, however, Himmelrich may have for once missed the mark.

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