NEW YORK CITY - Sophomore Salman Khalil and junior Omar Hafez went to battle in an all-University of Pennsylvania men's squash tilt today in the men's final at the 2025 CSA Individual Championship, with Khalil taking his teammate in straight games to claim the individual title.
Khalil is the first Quaker to win the Pool Trophy since Ned Edwards in 1979, ending a 46-year title drought for the program, and the sophomore became only the fifth in program history to raise the trophy joining Edwards, Palmer Page (1971), Howard Coonley (1966), and Leroy Lewis (1938). Tuesday's match was the first time in five years that Penn was represented in the final, and the matchup between Khalil and Hafez marked just the third time that Penn teammates faced each other in the CSA Individual Championships final (the others coming in 1971, when Page beat Eliot Berry, and 1979 when Edwards defeated Jonathan Foster).
Tuesday's final was a meeting between the two most recent Ivy League Rookies of the Year, with Hafez earning the honor from the Ancient Eight coaches in 2022-23 and Khalil gaining the award last season.
Hafez jumped out to an early lead in Game One, but the gap was quickly closed by Khalil. Capitalizing on a couple of errors made by Hafez, Khalil took control and won the game, 11-4. In Game Two, Khalil picked up where he left off, jumping to an early lead. Hafez rallied to even the score, and the two then battled back and forth, point-for-point. Hafez pushed the game to extra points, but was ultimately bested by Khalil, 13-11.
Khalil steamed ahead in Game Three, taking control early. Falling into a rhythm, Khalil came out victorious to clinch the victory, 11-2. The two embraced after the match point was called, pride surging through both of them.
Hafez, playing an incredible tournament to make it to this final, praised his teammate and brother as he was recognized as the tournament runner-up. He welled with emotion as he thanked his teammates and coaches for their support and accepted praise for his performance.
Khalil, grinning ear to ear, hoisted the Pool Trophy with the Penn crest wrapped around his shoulders. He thanked his teammates, coaches, and family, overcome with adrenaline and excitement.
Hafez and Khalil, while both proud of their individual achievements, touched on their main goal as they accepted their awards: repeating as back-to-back team champions at the end of the season.
Match Results (Pool Trophy Final)
Salman Khalil (P) defeated Omar Hafez (P), 11-4, 13-11, 11-2
Up Next
The University of Pennsylvania men's squash team will travel to New England to play against No. 6 Harvard on Saturday and No. 10 Dartmouth on Sunday.
For the latest on Penn Squash, follow @PennSquash on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.
#FightOnPenn
