How a postgrad year in the States helped lead a top South American squash player to Drexel’s nationally-ranked team

Early on, Emilia Falconi set her sights on playing college squash in the United States.

At age 15, the Riobamba, Ecuador, native had competed in the South American Junior Squash Championship, won a few titles, and was confident about her abilities. But by her senior year at Colegio Jefferson, Falconi was worried her goal wouldn’t be possible.

“First, I applied to four schools — I didn’t get in,” Falconi said. “I was like, ‘What, I’m not going to go to a university in the United States?’ I was heartbroken. I was feeling terrible.”

That’s when her college counselor brought up the possibility of a postgraduate year and mentioned Mercersburg Academy, a college preparatory school in Mercersburg, Pa., as an alternative.

She was hesitant at first, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions she made. Falconi, who was the No. 1 under-19 player in Ecuador, is heading to Drexel next season, where she’ll compete for the No. 5 Dragons.

“This helped her confidence,” said Mercersburg Academy squash coach Michael Sweeney of Falconi’s postgrad experience. “You see it on the squash court, but if you asked her that question in the second or third week of September, she would have been like, ‘I’m not so sure this was the right thing to do,’ but it worked out very well.”

Falconi spent the year developing her game and becoming more well-known in the squash world, while getting acclimated to U.S. culture. But it wasn’t easy. The biggest lesson she’s learned is accepting change.

Her arrival in August at Mercersburg marked the first time Falconi had lived somewhere without her family. Falconi’s parents were heavily involved in developing her squash career. They drove her to each tournament, helped her find private coaches, and attended every match.

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She used her nerves as motivation. There’s a reason why she dreamed of coming here — to become the best — and it didn’t take long for Sweeney to recognize her vast talent.

“I’m always thinking, ‘What is next and why am I doing this?’” Falconi said. “Every month, I try to set a goal, whether it’s going to win this tournament or qualify for this ... that is part of my confidence.”

Falconi was ranked No. 1 on the girls’ team at Mercersburg and went undefeated. However, during the season, she wanted to intensify her training. One day, she asked her coach if she could start working out with the boys’ team, which features some of the top-ranked players in the nation, including Santiago Medina, who recently won the U17 national championship in Mexico.

Working out with the boys wasn’t unfamiliar to Falconi. In Ecuador, boys and girls practiced together. But against top-notch competition, Falconi held her own, especially as she got more comfortable. She moved swiftly and was aggressive on the court.

“That daily hitting and training with the boys helped her get stronger and fearless out on the court,” Sweeney said. “She is seen as an absolute warrior. She’s short, probably 5-foot-2, but is one tough kid. When she gets into the competition, you can just sort of see her eyes light up, and that fierceness was there when she got here, but I saw it go to a new level.”

College coaches also quickly took notice. She originally committed to Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., which finished No. 2 in the nation this season. It was everything she thought she wanted. But after arriving on campus for her visit, something didn’t sit right.

In December, she competed in the U.S. Junior Open U19 girls’ event at the Arlen Specter Center on Drexel’s campus. She won her first- and second-round matches but lost to eventual finalist Caroline Fouts in the third round. Fouts, a junior at Sacred Heart Greenwich in Connecticut, will represent the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in Australia as the No. 1 American player in the U19 group.

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Following her visit, Falconi wondered if Drexel’s program had a spot available. She knew Nico Serna, who competes on the Dragons’ men’s team, and asked if he could connect her with the staff.

After that initial connection, Drexel assistant coach Dylan Cunningham expressed interest in bringing Falconi on. By April, she withdrew her commitment to Trinity and decided to play in Philly.

“My coach from Drexel, he told me, ‘I hear from this person that you’re really good,’” Falconi said. “Then I realized it’s my coach who was always talking about me with other coaches and these people told other people about me, so a lot of them came to see my matches during the season. That’s how I found these amazing opportunities.”

While playing for Drexel will come with challenges, she hopes to make it onto the top-five roster. After her first collegiate season, she plans to start playing professionally.

“I would love to keep playing squash to see where it takes me, just keep growing, keep improving,” Falconi said. “I really want to enjoy these years of college, being competitive, and try my best to be really good at squash.”