Team USA’s 2017 Pan American Championships squad has been revealed, as seven Americans prepare to represent the United States from September 2-9 at the Tortugas Country Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Last year, the annual tournament was held in the United States for the first time in tournament history as the hosts celebrated a record-setting double gold team medal campaign.
Four members of the 2016 squad return to defend the team gold medals, Chris Gordon, Faraz Khan, Haley Mendez and Mariam Kamal.
U.S. men’s champion Chris Hanson returns to compete in his third Pan Ams after missing out in 2016 due to injury, and Harvard sophomore Timmy Brownell makes his senior national team debut. Access Youth Academy alumni and world no. 72 Reyna Pacheco completes the women’s team in what will be her Team USA debut.
In addition to defending two team gold medals, Kamal and Mendez will aim to reach the podium once again after earning individual gold and silver, respectively, in 2016.
The 2017 Pan American Championships are the second of a four year cycle ending with the quadrennial Pan American Games in 2019.
Team USA’s performance next month will determine seeding in the 2018 Pan American Championships, which determine the final seeding of the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
The U.S. squad is led by Ganek Family US Squash Head National Coach Paul Assaiante, National Coach Gilly Lane and US Squash Senior Director of National Teams Rich Wade.