Athlete of the Week for Monday, Feb. 13, 2023

Name:     Eliza Schuster

School:   McDonogh School

Year:       Sophomore

Sport:      Squash

Position:  No. 1 singles

About Eliza:  

Eliza’s top skill-set, exemplary work ethic and tremendous spirit make her the envy of the league.

“She plays on all of the JCT tournaments through the season — only the highest ranked players in the country are eligible to play in these,” McDonogh coach Vaughan Schmidt said. “She is a wonderful role model. In addition to being an elite player, she always exhibits great sportsmanship and humility, and her positive attitude and sense of humor help to keep the team motivated and laughing.”

Eliza said that she recently played in the British Junior Open in her first competition at what is considered the "world championship" tournament for all junior ages divisions.

"This year I finished 20th in my first year in the Girls Under 17, but I have made the US Team for this tournament four times and have finished as high as sixth (in other age groups)," she said.

Playing at such a high level does not stop Eliza from enjoying her high school team.

"I love playing McDonogh squash because playing as a team and cheering for my teammates is so much fun," Eliza said. "This is only the second year of IAAM squash, but now that we have our own league, I hope the schools will give energy to introducing more girls to squash. Once the girls discover the sport, I know they will enjoy it as much as I do."

Rival coaches also admire Eliza's fervor for the sport.

St. Paul’s School for Girls coach Eric Roberts said that the Eagle star, who placed second in her age-bracket at the 2022 US Nationals in Philadelphia, is driven to succeed.

“She has that dedication to the sport,” Roberts said. “She always pushes herself hard on the court.”