NEW YORK CITY – University of Pennsylvania men's squash senior captain Omar Hafez won the 2026 CSA Individual Championships men's national title on Tuesday in the Big Apple, becoming only the sixth player in program history to do so.

The second seed in the Pool Trophy, the men's top bracket at CSA Individuals, Hafez defeated fourth-seeded Muhammad Ashab Irfan of Trinity in Tuesday's final, 3-1. For the second year in a row, the title match took place on the glass court at Grand Central Station in NYC.
 
Hafez took a commanding 3-0 lead in Tuesday's first game, ultimately winning 11-5 to take an early lead. He then began the second game with the same positive momentum, taking a 6-3 lead. However, Irfan would not go away quietly as the Bantams freshman found a groove and cut into Hafez's lead by scoring five straight points. Hafez was facing adversity for the first time in the match, but the Egyptian used his elite quickness and energy to get back into the game and took a 2-0 lead with an 11-9 game win.
 
While Hafez was in full command at the end of the second game, he appeared to sustain a back injury on the final point which caused him to exit the court gingerly. Irfan took advantage in the third game, securing an 11-6 victory which had him back in the match.
 
With a championship on the line, however, Hafez persevered through his injury and put on a show in the final game. The senior captain never trailed as he went on to win, 11-3, securing his first Pool Trophy title.
 
This is the first time in program history that Penn players have won back-to-back championships in the Pool Trophy, an event that dates back to 1931. Hafez's teammate Salman Khalil won the title in 2025 (coincidentally, beating Hafez in the final). The program's other Pool Trophy champions are Leroy Lewis (1938), Howard Coonley (1966), Palmer Page (1971), and Ned Edwards (1979).
 
RESULTS:
Men's Championship
 #2 Omar Hafez (Penn) def. #4 Muhammad Ashab Irfan (Trinity), 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-3)
 
Up Next
Penn will continue the 2025-26 season this weekend on the road at Columbia (Friday) and Cornell (Saturday).