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PA N T H E R S I N C O L L E G E
Panthers Roar on College Campuses We caught up with four alumnae/i who have taken their talents to the athletic fields and courts in college. They reflected on playing at Masters, making the transition to college athletics, and navigating life after college.
“With 50 athletics teams — 26 of which are at the varsity level — Masters has a robust athletic program. It offers an opportunity for the novice athlete to learn individual and team skills, while also providing space for college-bound athletes to continue to grow. No matter where athletes are in their journey, we have had great success in preparing them for the next level.” —Director of Athletics Logan Condon
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BULLETIN Spring 2022
TAHA DINANA ’20 Squash, University of Virginia Major: Commerce
PLAYING SQUASH AT MASTERS My experience at Masters was really good, Photo credit: University of Virginia mostly because of the Egyptian coaching staff Athletic Department that made it feel like home. Our coach, Meho, is like a big brother to me, and he always pushed me to become the best version of myself on the court. I loved getting on the court with the team, and traveling together to away games is a memory I cherish. TRANSITION TO COLLEGIATE SPORTS I left Egypt when I was 15 to study abroad. It was tough, but it helped form the person I am today and developed my independence. So being on my own wasn’t really difficult. At Masters, we used to have one practice session a day, so it was very easy to manage my schedule. At UVA, we usually have four sessions six days a week, which is similar to my training back home. Sessions are scattered around our class schedule, which makes it very intense to keep up. Eventually, I got used to it. COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER HIGHLIGHT It is definitely winning the deciding match when we played Drexel in the conference championship final. I was down 7-9 in the final game and came back to win it all 11-9. The feeling is indescribable as my teammates rushed the court to celebrate UVA’s third consecutive conference championship. POST-COLLEGE PLANS Most of the time, I remind myself about the incredible amount of effort and dedication that I put toward my sport, and I tell myself that I should go pro after college and play the sport I love. On the other hand, my love for the world of business and commerce is incredible, and a big part of me wants to end the squash chapter and start a new chapter in the business world. The last years of college will help me make that decision.
