CJS Press Box

Columbia Lions’s Squash Captain Began her College Journey in the U.S. in 2022 but Originally had no Plans to Move to the States 

Photography by Lem Marucot

There was standing room only at the Green Street Squash facility as onlookers watched Columbia’s final home game of the season on a brisk Sunday in February. Although the Yale women’s Squash team won 5-4 against Columbia Lions’ women’s today, it was obvious that the win didn’t come easy. 

Team captain Nourine Khalifa alongside Eugenia Li, Isha Gupta and Advita Sharma, to name a few of Columbia Lions’ standout players, all gave Yale women’s Squash team competitive matches on Sunday afternoon. 

The matches were close and during Khalifa’s final match against Heng Wai Wong, temperaments were high as she debated calls from the referee. Khalifa finished her match with a win, and was full of excitement since today’s final home game was coupled with Squash’s annual senior day.

This was especially meaningful for Khalifa, a senior captain, especially since it came against Wong, who she called one of the top players in the country.  “I wasn’t expecting at all to win this match … it turned out to be really great, I was fighting really hard and was in a flow state. I’m so proud of myself that I pushed that hard and ended in a good way… I’m sad that we lost 5-4, but I’m happy I ended my last home match with a win.” 

Emotions were high as teammates, family and friends watched the intense matches through the glass walls at the indoor court located in the heart of Harlem. 

Paper signs made with love adorned messages of encouragement for the players. Alyssa Ho, a Yale freshman won her match against Eugenia Li but not without a fight, “She’s an awesome opponent,” Ho said. “I’ve never played her before but I heard she was going to be a good match. It’s been a long journey for a lot of us and I’m glad that it went our way today. But honestly, so much respect to Columbia they put up a great fight and it’s their senior day. All the best to them in nationals.” 

Khalifa began playing squash as a child back in Alexandria, Egypt. Unlike the U.S. squash is the second most popular sport in Egypt. Khalifa played squash for the Alexandria Sporting Club beginning as early as five years old. 

“My older sisters used to play table tennis which was in the same building as Squash in our cl,” she said. “Growing up I tried table tennis for a week and was like I’m not moving that much. I think I was a hyper active kid…at the Alexandria Sports Club all of my friends were playing squash, so one of the table tennis couches told my dad I should try squash… It started from there and I started playing squash ever since.” 

Photography by Lem Marucot

The number one squash player in the world is Egyptian, which is no surprise given  because squash is the number one ranking sport in the country. It is fitting that Khalifa is a stand out squash player at Columbia since she’s played the sport the majority of her life.   

“I started joining tournaments in Egypt at 11 eleven… I participated in a few tournaments with my club and then I joined the Egyptian national team around twelve years old. I represented the team at the British Junior Open in 2017. It’s one of the biggest junior squash tournaments. I was the runner up in that tournament and everything started from there, I began taking squash more seriously,” she said. “It’s been my whole life… from about 12 twelve to 18eighteen years old…I was practicing from 8 a.m. to midnight and then doing my school work in between practices…”

The national courts were all in Cairo so Khalifa would travel at least three times a week for a three hour drive to hit with her national teammates. Khalifa was the runner up in the Hong-Kong Squash Open.“I would travel for a three hour drive at least three times a week to Cairo to hit with my national team.”  

Initially Khalifa along with her parents were reluctant for her to attend college in the U.S. Out of her three sisters she would’ve been the only one living abroad. Around the time Covid hit, Khalifa sustained an injury that ultimately forced her to reflect on her future plans of becoming a professional Squash player in Egypt. “I thought about it and I said maybe I need to focus more on my school and see what people are doing. I also started to consider playing squash in the U.S,” she said. ” Khalifa’s parents didn’t agree with her considering a move to the United States, she knew it would take some convincing.

Photography by Lem Marucot

“I traveled  to America and represented Egypt in the US. Junior Open. Which is also one of the biggest Junior tournaments in Squash… I won that tournament.” It was at that tournament where Khalifa began receiving recruitment interest from coaches to play squash for U.S. colleges. Given the hyper competitive nature and popularity of squash in her home country of Egypt, Khalifa said she began considering the option of playing squash on a collegiate level in America. This option would allow her to still pursue her interest of being a star squash athlete without the added pressure of needing to become the Serena Williams of squash which would become her reality if she pursued a professional career as an athlete in Egypt. 

Photos by Lem Marucot

While still in high school Khalifa convinced her dad in 2019 to travel to the United States to observe her in a squash tournament. Although her dad still wasn’t convinced on allowing her to move to the U.S. but after meeting some of the coaches from the Ivy Leagues her dad began warming up to the idea. During Khalifa’s senior year of high school she was offered two spots, one at Princeton University and one at Barnard College to play squash, obviously she moved forward with Barnard. 

Barnard is a private, women’s liberal arts college in NYC. Barnard and Columbia share resources, athletics, dining halls and academics. Attending an all women’s school felt familiar to Khalifa, since she grew up in a home with two sisters, no brothers and attended an all girls middle school. In 2022 she graduated from high school and headed to New York City to major in economics at Barnard College and to play squash for the Lions. 

Khalifa graduates from college this spring and plans on returning to Egypt to start her career and coach squash as her side hustle.