Squash champ Binnie gets US college awards

Jamaica's top squash player, Chris Binnie, was recently named among the All-American College Squash Players and the All-Academic American College Players for the 2010-2011 season.

The honorary titles are used in the US to recognise athletes who are among the best in the entire country in a particular season. The double honour means that the former Jamaica junior and senior champion performed exceptionally on the court and in the classroom.

In addition, Binnie was also named the season's Most Valuable Player at Trinity College, where he has been studying for the past four years. With his impressive run on the college circuit coming to an end, the 21-year-old is now eyeing the international pro tour as he gets ready to graduate.

"I'm hoping to play squash professionally after college. I think I've had a good college career and I'm very interested in taking it to the next level," he said. "That's the current plan so I will be looking for sponsors to make this transition."

The titles were the perfect end to Binnie's dream season, the high point of which was his college team's triumph at the US National Championships earlier this year. The team from Trinity pulled off a thrilling victory over Yale to take the national title. The two teams engaged in an epic struggle which left the score at 4-4 going into the final match.

For Trinity, a 13-year winning streak was hanging in the balance and the monumental task of maintaining the pristine record fell to Binnie, who had to play the decider. Rising to the occasion, he beat Yale's ace player, Richard Dodd, to clinch the championship for Trinity and extend the streak.

memorable match

"That was probably the most memorable match of my college career, because Richard was one of the toughest opponents I've ever faced," Binnie said. "I was the last match on and, thankfully, I was able to pull it out and we won another National Championship."

While attending University overseas, the patriotic youngster still made the time to represent Jamaica regionally and internationally. In 2009, he won the Caribbean Area Squash Asso-ciation senior men's title and last year he picked up a bronze medal win at the Central American and Caribbean Games.

On the academic side, Binnie is doing a double major in Environmental Science and Economics.