No. 14 Navy Squash Dominates St. Lawrence 8-1 to Open 2026-27 Season
By Brian Hradsky
Maryland Sports Blog | November 10, 2026
Final: No. 14 Navy 8, No. 28 St. Lawrence 1
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 14th-ranked Navy men’s squash team opened its 2026-27 season with an impressive 8-1 victory over No. 28 St. Lawrence on Thursday, November 5, at Squash on Fire in Washington, D.C. The Midshipmen controlled nearly every position in the lineup, demonstrating the depth and experience that helped them enter the season with their highest preseason ranking under head coach Tyler Osborne. Navy improved to 1-0 with the victory and continued a strong stretch of season-opening performances.
The win marked Navy’s third consecutive season-opening victory and its sixth opening triumph under Osborne, who is entering his ninth season leading the program. Navy also improved its all-time record against St. Lawrence to 9-4. The result provided an encouraging start for a Midshipmen squad hoping to build on one of its most successful seasons in recent history.
Navy Controls the Match From Start to Finish
Navy won eight of the nine contested positions, including six victories completed in straight games. The Midshipmen consistently pressured St. Lawrence throughout the lineup, combining experienced upperclassmen with promising younger players. Their ability to produce decisive victories across multiple positions demonstrated why Navy entered the season among the nation’s top 15 programs.
Sophomore Christian Graziano delivered an impressive performance at the No. 3 position, defeating Coby Galarza 11-5, 11-3, 11-6. Graziano controlled the contest from the opening game and never allowed his opponent to establish sustained momentum. The victory moved him within one win of reaching 20 career collegiate victories.
Junior Michael Tierney Jr. contributed another straight-game victory at No. 5, defeating Rukudzo Midzi 11-5, 11-7, 11-5. Senior Matthew Kang followed with an 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 victory over Suhaan Shareef at No. 6, while sophomore Turner Wolf defeated Pablo Necco 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 at No. 7. Junior Avinash Uppuluri completed another convincing performance with an 11-4, 11-2, 11-8 victory against Milo Stephenson at No. 9.
Freshman Mateo Maes Shines in Collegiate Debut
One of the most encouraging performances came from freshman Mateo Maes, who made his collegiate debut at the No. 4 position. The Boca Raton, Florida, native overwhelmed St. Lawrence junior Dmitry Stepanenko, winning 11-1, 11-1, 11-0. Maes surrendered just two points across three games, producing the most dominant individual result of the evening.
Maes entered the season as one of Navy’s newest additions to a roster that returned considerable experience from the previous year. His ability to immediately contribute in the middle of the lineup provides Osborne with another dependable option as the schedule becomes more challenging. The freshman’s debut suggests Navy’s younger players could play important roles in maintaining the program’s national standing.
Hodgson Battles Through Four Games
Sophomore Johan Hodgson faced one of Navy’s more competitive matches at the No. 2 position against Emirhan Sen. Hodgson claimed the opening game 11-9 before Sen responded with a 12-10 victory in the second game to even the contest. The Navy sophomore then regained control, winning the final two games 11-3 and 11-8 to secure a four-game victory.
Hodgson’s performance demonstrated his ability to respond after losing momentum against a determined opponent. Rather than allowing the second-game setback to become a larger problem, he adjusted and dominated the third game before closing out the match. His victory was especially important for Navy’s confidence near the top of the lineup.
St. Lawrence recorded its only victory at the No. 1 position, where sophomore Mina Wasseem defeated Navy junior Wenqing Tang in straight games. Wasseem won all three games by identical 11-8 scores, ending Tang’s remarkable 32-match winning streak in team competition. Tang entered the season after posting a 27-2 overall record in 2025-26 and earning Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference Co-Player of the Year honors.
Captain Tighe Mullarkey Adds Another Victory
Senior captain Tighe Mullarkey secured Navy’s victory at No. 8 after St. Lawrence’s Jesus Pena retired because of an injury. Mullarkey won the opening game 11-5 and held a 5-4 advantage in the second when Pena could no longer continue. Although the contest ended prematurely, the result counted toward Navy’s commanding team victory.
Mullarkey entered the season as one of four seniors on Navy’s roster and an important veteran presence for the Midshipmen. The victory moved him within three wins of reaching 50 career collegiate victories. His leadership will remain important as Navy faces stronger opponents and looks to build on last season’s achievements.
Junior Eli Levy also delivered an impressive performance in exhibition competition, defeating Luke Black 11-3, 11-5, 11-2. Although the exhibition result did not count toward the official team score, it provided another example of Navy’s depth beyond its starting nine positions.
Complete Navy vs. St. Lawrence Results
| Position | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Mina Wasseem, St. Lawrence | 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 |
| No. 2 | Johan Hodgson, Navy | 11-9, 10-12, 11-3, 11-8 |
| No. 3 | Christian Graziano, Navy | 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 |
| No. 4 | Mateo Maes, Navy | 11-1, 11-1, 11-0 |
| No. 5 | Michael Tierney Jr., Navy | 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 |
| No. 6 | Matthew Kang, Navy | 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 |
| No. 7 | Turner Wolf, Navy | 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 |
| No. 8 | Tighe Mullarkey, Navy | 11-5, 5-4, retirement |
| No. 9 | Avinash Uppuluri, Navy | 11-4, 11-2, 11-8 |
| Exhibition | Eli Levy, Navy | 11-3, 11-5, 11-2 |
Navy Building on Outstanding 2025-26 Campaign
Navy entered the new season following an impressive 24-6 campaign in 2025-26, its highest victory total since the 2012-13 team finished 25-9. The Midshipmen reached the 20-win milestone for just the 12th time in program history and qualified for the Hoehn Cup at the College Squash Association Divisional Team Championship. Navy ultimately finished third in that competition after earning a significant opening-round victory over Middlebury.
The program returned considerable talent from that successful campaign, losing only one senior to graduation. Tang, Graziano, Hodgson and several other established contributors returned with valuable experience against nationally competitive opponents. Navy’s preseason ranking of No. 14 reflected the progress the program has made under Osborne and the expectations surrounding this year’s team.
The victory against St. Lawrence provided an important first step toward another successful campaign. Navy demonstrated that its lineup possesses talent throughout the order, rather than depending exclusively on its highest-ranked players. That balance could become particularly valuable when the Midshipmen face opponents capable of challenging them at multiple positions.
Navy Continues Winning Streak With Weekend Sweep
Since its opening victory against St. Lawrence, Navy has added three more victories to improve to 4-0 through November 8. The Midshipmen defeated No. 15 Western 5-4 in a closely contested matchup before recording a 7-0 victory against Kenyon and a 9-0 shutout against No. 29 Denison. The results have strengthened Navy’s early-season momentum heading into its first home matches.
Navy’s next scheduled competition comes during its Veterans Day Weekend Round Robin at the Prager Family Squash Facility in Annapolis. The Midshipmen will host Fordham on Friday, November 13, at 4 p.m., followed by eighth-ranked Yale on Saturday at noon and Georgetown on Sunday at noon. The matchup against Yale will provide an especially important opportunity for Navy to measure itself against one of the nation’s leading programs.
MSB Take: Navy Has the Depth to Make Another National Statement
Navy’s 8-1 victory over St. Lawrence was exactly the type of performance a nationally ranked program wants to deliver in its season opener. The Midshipmen controlled the middle and lower portions of the lineup, while Maes made an outstanding first impression in his collegiate debut. Although Tang’s loss at the top position was a surprise given his exceptional previous season, the team’s overall performance demonstrated that Navy can win convincingly without relying on one individual.
The bigger story is the continued development of Navy squash under Osborne. After winning 24 matches last season and returning most of that roster, the Midshipmen have legitimate reasons to believe another strong national finish is possible. Their subsequent victories over Western, Kenyon and Denison have only reinforced that optimism.
The upcoming home schedule will offer more demanding tests, particularly against eighth-ranked Yale. However, Navy’s early performances suggest the Midshipmen possess the experience, leadership and young talent necessary to compete with strong opponents throughout the season. If their lineup continues producing balanced results, Navy could build on last year’s success and strengthen its standing among the country’s best collegiate squash programs.
