Panthers Roar on College Campuses

“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 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.

TAHA DINANA ’20

Squash, University of Virginia Major: Commerce

PLAYING SQUASH AT MASTERS My experience at Masters was really good, mostly because of the Egyptian coaching staff Photo credit: University of Virginia 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.

BROOKE TATARIAN ’21

Basketball, Fairfield University Major: Undecided; leaning toward chemistry

PLAYING BASKETBALL AT MASTERS

Photo credit: Fairfield University Athletic Department

Playing basketball at Masters was an incredible experience. I was surrounded by an amazing coach and teammates who had the same goal as I did: to get better and to make history, and that is exactly what we did. Our program and school had finally received the attention we deserved when we won the first girls basketball NYSAIS (New York State Association of Independent Schools) championship in school history.

TRANSITION TO COLLEGIATE SPORTS

It is definitely a difficult transition. Everyone in college is stronger, bigger, faster and more athletic. It is a different level of competition, but if you maintain a strong work ethic and are coachable, it is much easier to learn from your new coaches and teammates.

COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER HIGHLIGHT

My highlight so far was scoring my first collegiate point against Indiana University in their arena. It is a historic gymnasium, and it was a super cool experience. In that moment, it felt like I had opened a new chapter of my basketball career.

POST-COLLEGE PLANS

Basketball will always be a part of my life. I love playing it, watching it, and coaching younger girls who have the same aspirations that I did when I was that age. I will continue giving basketball lessons and will definitely continue playing for fun.

OLADAYO THOMAS ’18

Soccer, Santa Clara University Major: Political science with an emphasis on international relations

PLAYING SOCCER AT MASTERS Playing soccer at Masters was fun — I had a band of brothers. While the abilities varied, we had a common passion to get better together and win as a team. There was also a good level of healthy competition as we pushed each other every day to achieve the goals we wanted to. This led to the FAA (Fairchester Athletic Association) win during my freshman year and junior year when we went up to the semi-finals in the NYSAIS tournament. My experience with the team was valuable.

Photo credit: Santa Clara University Athletic Department

TRANSITION TO COLLEGIATE SPORTS

It was tough for the first few weeks, but once I had a couple of practice sessions under my belt, the transition became smoother. I started to adjust to the commitment, the pace and the level of the game. By the time we started having games, I was into the swing of things.

COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER HIGHLIGHT

The highlight for me has to be being able to finally make the transition from Division III soccer to Division I and then have the success that I have had. Particularly, leading my team in multiple stats lines and being able to help the team win the West Coast Conference championship this past season.

POST-COLLEGE PLANS

My goal is to continue to play after college. Even after that, I will still want to be involved with the sport in some capacity.

NOURAN YOUSSEF ’20

Squash, Trinity College Major: Computer engineering

PLAYING SQUASH AT MASTERS I moved to the U.S. from Egypt at a very young age and joined the Masters squash team as a 13-year-old freshman. Photo credit: Trinity College Athletic Department It was a tough transition for me to leave my family and to adapt to American culture. Everything was so unfamiliar to me, and I could barely speak English. However, the thing I was most familiar with was squash, and it is what helped me adapt and find myself. I felt comfortable with my coaches, and I’m very grateful to them as they are the reason behind where I’m at today. They helped me reach my goal of playing at a Division I school. We practiced very hard together because the field is very competitive. They made sure I was competing nationally and internationally in tournaments, including the U.S. Open, which I was able to win and claim its title; Canadian Open; British Open; and most of the Junior Championship Tour tournaments. I was also an All-American athlete three times. I enjoyed playing on the Masters squash team — my teammates were very supportive and hard-working, and it prepared me for what it’s like being on a college team. I also participated with the boys team at high school nationals, and we were able to win the title together.

TRANSITION TO COLLEGIATE SPORTS

The transition wasn’t easy because of how competitive it is: We compete with the top eight universities in the country. Trinity is ranked Number 2 in the nation after Harvard University, so we had the pressure to work harder to keep our ranking. I had a bit of a hard time managing everything in the beginning, especially having a tough major like computer engineering along with squash. It’s a lot to deal with, but competing with your team is one of the most rewarding experiences. Seeing everyone bonding and cheering for each other makes you forget how tough it could be.

COLLEGE ATHLETIC CAREER HIGHLIGHT

This is my first year being on campus and having a season, as it was canceled last year because of the pandemic. Some of my highlights this season are receiving All-American and First-Year All-NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) honors.

POST-COLLEGE PLANS

I will be playing professional squash after college. I’m looking forward to what’s coming next.